Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-09-26
MIR. BUSTON'S EYE.
Amazing Detective Work Per-
formed by That Organ.


MIR. Buston, wholesale wine and
spirit merchant, had won success in
many lines. Active and energetic in
his ways, he had established prosper
Gus business, and acquired consider
able fortune. A liberable subscriber
and a rousing speaker, he had gained
a position of some influence among the
rank and file of the conservative party.
An infatuated primrose Lacquer, he
had attracted the notice of some of the
smart people who patrOnize that home
for lost snobs, and was actually on nod
ding terms with several persons of
title. OF all this he was very proud,
as he might reasonably be; but there
was something else of which he was far
prouder. With him success in business,
in politics and in the world of fashion
was not half so delightful as success as
a physiOgnOmist and amateur detective.
As he himself said, if there was any
thing upon which he prided himself it
was his eye.
"Ah, I've a wonderful eyer' he used
to say. 81 can see through and through
a man. The human face is an open
book to me, and I'm never mistaken in
what l read there. And it's not the
face alone that read; see through a
mans behavior. The rogue who tries
to look honest; the criminal who tries
to look innOcent-nOne of them ever
escapes my eye. Yes, sir, I'm born
detective; | never suspect a man with
out cause. If there were a few men in
the police like me there wouldn't be so
many undiscovered murders, and if
there were a few men in the world like
me there wouldn't be so many political
humbugs about. Yes, sir, l can see
through impOstOrs and rascals of all
descriptions, and it's all my eye"
Mr.. Buston's attention was first at
tracted to his remarkable visual organ
by very sensational adventure. Many
years before, a bank cashier, after COM
hitting extensive embezzlements, alb
seconded. The police made great efforts
to trace him. but his fight was so skill
fully conducted that they could follow
the trail no further than Liverpool. 1t
was believed that he had sailed thence
to America. and careful inquiries were
made there, but without result. Mr..
Buston had never seen the man him
self; the only idea he had of his ap-
pearance was derived from the portrait
and description of him issued by the
police. One evening the wine mer-
chant was dining at rather fast West
End restaurant, when his attention was
attracted to a gentleman who was
dining with a lady at a neighbOring
table. To Mr.. BustOn's eye the man
had sinister and yet a familiar look.
He watched him closely. and soon came
to the conclusion that he was disguised,
the mustache being false and the blue
glasses being worn not to protect, but
to hide, the eyes. Before Mr.. BustOn
had watched him long the stranger OBJ
served him, and became obviously
most uneasy under the examination.
Soon, although he and his lady ac-
ouaintance had not finished their din
ner, the stranger rose to go. As he
did so, the truth flashed upon Mr..
Buston's mind. The person was none
other than the abscOnding cashier.
Following him to the street, Mr.. BustOn
gave him in charge to the first police
man he met.
Naturally, Mr.. Buston's eXtraordin-
airy acuteness in detecting the criminal
in so complete a disguise and in so I'M
expected quarter created consider
able excitement and attracted much
attention. At the trial he was cOmpli-
mented by the grand jury, the prose-
cutting counsel. and the presiding judge,
and laudatory notices of him appeared
in several newspapers. The wine mer-
chant, in fact, was a seven days hero.
This adventure, as has been said,
attracted Mr.. Buston's attention to his
possession of a wonderful eye. Once
aware of this valuable possession, he
became filled with a violent and in
satiable desire to use it. His business
took up too much of his time to allow
him to investigate every mysterious
crime which occurred in the metropo-
lis; still. in spite of its claims, he
found opportunities to dip into any
one of more than usual interest Too
frequently in such cases he had to
abandon his inquiries, not because
they were proving fruitless, but be-
cause he could not spare the time nee
essary to make them fruitful. But on
several occasions, when he happened
to have leisure for a thorough investi-
cation, he contributed greatly to put
ting the police on the right track.
And not only did Mr.. Bustou from
time to time assist in investigating
crimes-he was always on the lookout
for criminals. Everywhere he went
he kept his eye open for suspicious
looking individuals. If he happened