Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1889-11-13
me CLEVER DETECTIVE.

The CLEVER OET6CJIVE.
Although OF Wood He Was Worth y
Dozon OF tho Ordinary Kind.
"Who is the new man on tho
1orcep''
There was no answer. None OF the
officers Assembled at headquarters
knew any thing concerning min ex-
copt that the inspector had brought
him in quietly few evenings before
and introdnGed him as Sergeant
Fetchem. The strange inappropri-
Rteness of such name for q detective
had struck them at once. but the new
man had gone to work without word
Rs II thoroughly familiar with his du-
ties, and his first Job had been the ar
rest OF a burglar whom he had caught
In the act and overpowered, bringing
him to the station alone, despite the
fact that the prisoner was a burly,
powerful fellow nearly twice the size
OF his Captor.
Every day since his accession to the
force he had signalized himself by
some unheard-of exploit. He had dis
covered nest of counterfeiters, ar
rested and put in jail q hitherto unsus-
pected Anarchist whose attic was full
of dynamite bombs, and located a bank
embUzzler who had eluded the police
Tor two whole years. All this he had
done as y matter Of course, and had
listened hnpassively to the encomiums
adroitness. The other members of the
detective corps began to grow jealous,
and q watch was put upon his actions.
He had no difficulty In evading them
in the performance of his duties, but
they made the discovery that he was
closeted with the inspector for about
five minutes every Monday morning.
The most diligent effort failed to dis
cover the object of these conferences,
If such they were, for no conversation
between the chief and the new detect
i've ever reached the ears of the listen
ers on the outside.
One Monday morning, Immediately
after one of these secret interviews,
Sergeant Fetchem was seen to leave
the Office and board an outward-bound
train. He was not seen again during
the week. Monday morning came
again and he had not yet turned up.
The Inspector was visibly uneasy.
1T he is not here in less than an
hour all is lost!' he muttered, as he
glanced at his watch and went to the
door to look up and down the street.
1t was showing furiously.
Seized with q sudden impulse, he
hailed a passing cab and was driven
rapidly to u railway station in the sub
urbs, reaching 1t just in time to get
aboard train coming into the city.
AS he entered the forward door of Il
car he saw man rapidly go out
through the rear door, jump off the
train, and disappear in the binding
snow-storm.
With q cry of dismay the inspector
rushed down the aisle. When half
way through the car he stopped sud.
denly. In one Of the seats was the
motlonless figure of Sergean,
Fetchem. 1t was in half erect posi-
ton, with one arm extended. The
eyes were gazing into vacancy with 6
lack luster expression.
"IoO late! exclaimed the inspector
bitterly Fifty thousand dollars
Comet That man who left the car 6
moment ago was Tascott!'
Such was the story they told the in.
spector.
what Is the matter with the OH
cerp Is he deadP" they inquired.
" HE has run downi" groaned the In
speotor. "Fooll Idiot that was NO
to have met him one station beyond
herel This detective" he explained
was a cunning piece of machinery
1t took Edison year to manufacture
him, and I paid him ten thousand dol
lars. He warned me that IL / evei
failed to wind him up at the regula,
hour he would be ruined, Sergean
Fetohem was seven-day detective.
wound him up as usual last Monda,
morning and sent him out to searcl
for Tascott- / might have known,
he added, bitterly, "that II he hadn'
caught him he would have reported o,
time. This failure is all owing to m,
blind neglect. Tasoott's gone agail
now and he'll stay gonel''