The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-08-08

The Iluck and i'll luck of detective
life is something wonderful. The luck
we hear OF every day. The i'll luck is
suppressed as much as possible. In the
mouth of June, 1867, l was spending
afew days with relatives of mine on a
farm near Oberlin, Ohio. l had been in
detective business about five wears.
l drove into the town one day. On
the way in l got out of the wagon
and picked up copy of Cleveland
paper which was lying on the highway.
The trst thing saw was an account of
murder at Peru, Indiana, several
days before. An old man had been
purdered and robbed of a large 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 had
goae. 1t seemed a hopeless case, and
lelt a bit sorry for the two Chicago
olncers who had been sent for to work
the case out
The first call / made after reaching
Oberlin was at the post-office. then
visited a barber shop, bul the two
chairs were occupied, and | had to
walt about ten minutes. Having moth
ing TO occupy my mind, / looked the
TWO BARRIERS over in detail, and then
turned my attention to the customer in
ne nearest chair. l began at his feet
arst. He wore No. 8 CATERS, and they
we're new pair; indeed. they had
never been blackened. His trousers
we're frayed about the bottom, and. as
Aeame to look closer, | saw that they
we're old and threadbare. On the left
leg, which was nearest me, between
the knee and the ankle, were several
stains. They might have been made
oy either blood or acid. When the
man sat up straight after his shave |
saw wthat his coat was also old, and I
looked over to his hat on the hook. to
nnd 1t very rusty. The BARRIERS were
not speaking to either of the men. SO
That both must be strangers in the
town. My man had reddish hair, which
he had had clipped close before l came
u. dis neck was sunburned and dirty,
and after looking him over from toe
% crown, said to myself:
This chap has all the looks of a
professional tramp. That suit was
probably given him, but ten to one he
sole those CATERS. Wonder If he can
scrape up enough to pay the barber"
ihe bill was thirty-fve cents. The
man gave me furtive look as he got
OUT oI the chair, and while being
brushed he felt in his pockets for
caange. He had two ten-cent shin
plasters, but as these were not enough
no nail turned from me and fished n |
greenbaek out of his pocket. The bar
Oes haa to go out to change it, and the |
.nan was so impatient and nervous that
ae could not stand still. When the bar
oer returned he had the change for a
ss"enly-dollar note. He began to count
{" out but the stranger muttered his
coincidence that it was all right. and
reached out for the pile and crammed
! INTO his vest pocket. He was about
g 90, when rose up and said:
Ny friend, l want to have a few
/, aorus with you, if you are not in a big
hurry"
But amP' he replied. trying to
push past me without looking me in
The face.
But you'll have to wait just the
sane Iwant to know who YOU are"
n lnere was a back door to the shop.
le wheeled and sprang for it, but it
! vas locked. As he turned on me again
= pulled revolver from his bosom
.',o ieVeled it on me and fred a shot
!, snlcn went over my head and through
suS- window. Before he could fire again
uso nm jammed against the wall.
~ sae nand hold of the weapon and the
ssa.a ssaer on his throat. and | choked him
a No sank down in q heap. Who