The Red Cloud chief., 1889-06-07
ALUCKY DETECTIVE.
Chance Enabled Him to Make
Some Important Arrests.

Going for . Shave and Catching . MUIR
deres-Luck Plays = More Import.
aat Part han S~hreWdness In
Detective Work.
The .uck and i'll luck 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. l was spending
a few days with relatives of mine on q
farm neal Oberlin. Ohio. l had been in
detective business about five years.
| drove into the town ono day. On
the way in 1 got out Of the wagon
and picked up u copy Of Cleveland
paper which was lying IN the highway.
The first thing l saw was an account OF
murder at Peru. Indiana, several
ays before. An cid man had been
murdered and robbed of a large amount
of money. Not the slightest clue Of the
murderer had been discovered. No one
could say whether he vas old or young.
white or black. Dr. which way 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 ~ out
The first call I made after reaching
Oberlin was at the p~ost-ofiice. 1then
visited q barber shop. bull the two
chairs were occupied. and I had to
wait about ten minutes. Having moth
ing to occupy my mind. l looked the
two BARRIERS over in detail. and then
turned my attention to the customer in
the nearest chair. l began at his feet
first. He wore No. 8 CATERS, and they
rel q new pair; indeed. they had
never been blackened. His trousers
yer frayed about the bottom. and. rs
/ came to look closer. I saw that. they
were old and threadbare. On the left
leg. which was nearest mt. between
the knee and the ankle. were several
stains. They might have been made
by either blood or scid. When the
man sat up straight after his shave l
saw that his coal was also old. and l
looked over to his hat on the hook to
find 1t very rusty. The BARRIERS were
not speaking to either Of the men, so
that both must be strangers in the
town. Ny man had reddish hair. which
he had had clipped close before ! came
in. His neck was sunburned and dirty,
and, after looking him over from toe
to crown. l said to myself:
This chap has all the looks Of q
professional tramp. That suit was
probably given him. but ten to one he
stole those CATERS. Wonder il he can
scrape up enough to pay the barber"
The bill was thirty-fve cents. The
man gave me q furtive look as he got
out Of the chair. and while being
brushed he felt in his pockets for
change. He had two ten-ceut shin
plasters. but a. these we're not enough
he half turned from me and fished .
out Of his pocket The bar
Der had to 90 out to change it. and the
man was 50 impatient and nervous that
he could not stand still. When the bar.
Der returned he had the change for a
twenty-dollar note. He began to count
il Out. but the stranger muttered his
that it was all right. and
reached out for the pile and crammed
It into his vest pocket. He was about
to 60. when l rose up and said:
my friend. l want to have . few
words with you. II you are not in . big
hurry"
"But I amr' he replied. trying to
push past me without looking me in
the faca.
'.But you'll have 70 wait just the
same. Iwant to know Who you ara"
There was . back door to the shop.
He wheeled and sprang for 1t. but It
was locked. As he turned on me again
he pulled . revolver from his bosom
and leyeled II on me and fired . shot
went over my head and through
the window. Before he could 6re again
I had him jammed against the wall.
one hand hold Of tho weapon and tho
other on his throat. and I choked him
until he sank down In . heap. Who
did, he turn out to boz Tho Indiana
Who had been lodging about
the country for ok days. and who had
run the gauntlet Of hundred ofncerA
Il was blood ON his trousers. though
ve did not have 70 prove Il, . h made
full confession. i was simply my
good luck.
About fifteen years . 60. while con-
with tho force In Chicago .
house on Sssto street Wa
Of $4,000 worth Of jewelry.
Aside from this there va . package Of
Government bonds amounting TO over
1900. which had been deposited II
~ sais for security. The robbegy Wa