The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-06-26
A DETECTIVES LUCK.

II had the selection Of corps of de-
tectives | should pick out men who arc
known as lucky. Certain men are thus
characterized, and the term properly be.
longs to them. Certain men are unlucky,
and the term also properly belongs to them.
have worked alongside officers who were
as sharp and keen as men ever became,
who were persevering and tireless, who
had the pluck of warrior and the re-
lance OF slave, and yet they were
'down on their luck" as the saving
goes; that is, the big things passed them
by and fell into the hands of others. In
detective work one must have courage
and judgment. He must know human
nature pretty well. He must be fairly
shrewd and sharp. If he is working a
blind trail the rest must be left to luck.
And the luck and ill-lucl1 of detective
life is something wonderful. The luck
we hear of every day. The ill-luck is
suppressed as much as possible. In the
month Of June, 1867, | was spending n
few days with relatives of mine on farm
near Oberlin, Ohio. 1 had been in de-
tective business about five years. We got
no newspapers at the farm, and | had not
received letter for ten days, and had not
heard the least bit of news from the ont
side world, when uncle and | drove into
the town one day. On the way in | got
out of the wagon and picked up a copy of
a Cleveland paper which was lying on the
highway The first thing / saw was an
account of murder at Peru, Indiana.
several days before. An old man had
been murdered and robbed of a laroe
amount of money. Not the slightest clue
OF the murderer had been discovered. No
one could say whether he was old or
young, white or black, or which way he
he had gone. 1t seemed a hopeless case.
and / felt a bit sorry for the two CHICAGO
officers who had been sent for to work
the case out.
The first call l made after reaching
Oberlin was at the Postoffice. then
visited barber shop, but the two chairs
were occupied, and had to wait about
ten minutes. Having nothing to occupy
my mind, l looked the two BARRIERS over
IN detail and then turned my attention
to the customer in the nearest chair. II
began at his feet first. He wore No. s
gaiters, and they were a new pair; in
deed, they had never been blackened.
Ills trousers were frayed about the bot
tom, and, as | came to look closer, | saw
that they were old and threadbare. On |
the left leg, which was nearest me. be- |
tween the knee and the ankle, were several
stains. They might have been made by
either blood or acid. When the man sat
up straight after his shave saw that his
coat was also old, and looked over to his
hat on the hook to find it very rusty. The
BARRIERS were not speaking to either of the
men, so that both must be strangers in
lhe town. My man had reddish hair.
which he had had clipped close before |
came in. His neck was sunburned and
iirty, and, after looking him over from
zoe to crown, l said to myself:
"This chap has all the looks of a pro-
essional tramp. That suit was probably
given him, but ten to one he stole those
saiters. Wonder if he can scrape nm
'nough to pay the barber"
The bill was thirty-five cents. The
nan gave me fuTtive look as he got ont
# the chair, and while being brushed he
elt In his pockets for change. He had
wo ten-cent shinplasters, but as these
we're not enough he half turned from me ,
nd tished a greenback out of his pocket.
The barber had to go out to change il ,
nd the man was so impatient and ner-
Gus that he could not stand still. When ,
he barber returned he had the change for ,
twenty-dollar note. He began to count
out, but the stranger muttered his con- :
dence that it was all right, and reached {
ut for the pile and crammed it into his
est pocket. He was about to 90, when
rose up and said: 7
"My friend, l want to have a few :
'ords with you, if you are not in a big /
nrry. =
''But I ami" he replied, trying to push +
asst me without looking me in the face. :
but you'll have to wait just the same. i
want to know who you are" r.
''Ihere was back door to the shop. r
e wheeled and sprang for it, but it was n
'eked. As he turned ON me again he q
nlled revolver from his bosom and a
Yeled 1t on me, and fired a shot which ,,
ent over my head and through the win 4
DIV. Before he could fire again l had 81
I'M lammed against the wall, one hand d
DID OF the weapon and the other on his N
lfoat, and l ohoked him until he sank 81
'wn IN a heap. Who did he turn out a
pe' The Indiana murderer who had o.