Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-07-11

Explain the working OF the ma
chinery.n
The pistol shot Is simply to give you
warning of what hss occurred in what
soever part Of the house you may be az
the time But scarcely will the door
have been opened when a claw mounted
on wire and working with spring will
fly out and clutch the hand of the iudi-
yidual who has inserted the key in the
lock. The claw Is tatooing machine,
and the short sharp needles of which 1t
il com posed are so arranged as TO form
the VOID voleur, az already stated.
These needles pass through PAD i'm
prey lated with nitrate Of silver, which
injeots itself into the wound and leaves
for life inefaceable marks"
The counts cOunteDance assumed a
serious expression. owe have no right"
ne said, $50 brand a man in this way.
Besides, even granted that we were per
mitted TO do this, would it be consistent
With he dictates of humanity TO stamp
upon the flesh OF fellow being cruel,
eliminating mutilation which must Of
necessity forever rank him With the enc.
mics Of society. The man who has rob
bed me may not be a hardened offender;
he mey be Young and his principles not
yet 30 fixed a. TO enable him TO resist
the tomptations that life il Paris at
fords."
H0udin recognized the justice of his
reasoning. He also shrewdly guessed
the reason why the count had evinced an
lnsuperable reluctance to invoke the aid
of the law In the matter. he had sons
who were young men and possibly nc en-
tertained some fears Of finding IN the
oulprit a member of his OVID family.
"I admit" said Houdin, "the force Of
your arguments. Il will only require a
few hours TO effect such altera ions in the
instrument az will remove your objections
TO it, Employment in its present form
The apparatus was consequently 80
modified that the CLAW, instead of tattoo
ing, gave only a cat-like ecratch, which
would soon hehl and leave behind no
branding scar. Under these oircum-
stances the oOUn no longer saw any rea-
son why the instrument should NOS be
used, and IL WAS at once attached TO the
safe.
la the course of the next few days the
count instructed his steward TO draw from
his bankers considerable sums of money
in gold, which were deposited in the safe.
In this way il was antlci pated that the
cupidity of the thief might receive au
additional stlmulus. Fer upwards of a
/ fortnight, however, no attempt was made
upon the strong box; and the count began
to fear that the precautions he had taken
had come 10 the knowledge of the mem
bers of his household. Bat in this he was
mistaken. On the ak eeuth day pistol
shot was cred in the room where the safe
stood. The count, who a. the time was
/ in the drawing rushed up stairs to
the apartment; there he found his stew
ard pale and asitated, endeavorlng to
conceal his right haad by hiding 1t be
hind his back
"What is the matterp demanded the
count.
"a few moments ago. was the reply
~ came in under the Impression that
should find you mere, as 1 wanted 20 speak
with you on business. Blu | was sur
pri-ed TO s-e a man attempting TO force
/ open the door of the safe. pistol went
on how fired | know not-aud the burg
| lar, alarmed 40 my presence jumped out
OF the window on 10 the plazs and de-
.ceudrd the steps into the garden, whenc
he made bis escape through the little
back gate
The count, without saying n single word
went into the garden and discovered the
gate looked and the key in the inside "a
palpable proof of the talslty OF the
stewards story-then, returning to she
room, he insisted upon the mans hand
oeiug shown him, which proved TO be
bleeding freely from the scratches 1t had
received. The case, therefore, was per
feotly clear.
"For how long a period have you been
robbiug mefn asked the count quietly,
about IS month"; was the cool re-
Spouse of the culprit, who by this time
had recovered his presence of mind, and
seeing that the game WAS up, resolved tC
make clean breast of the matter.
"And what il the total amount of the
money you have stolen from me during
that umeg was the next question.
"a little over Is 600 frauos.'
'What have you done with this sumF'
81 have invested it in government Sc
cuuties; the bonds representing them
have IN my desk at home
Ga condition of the stewards deliver
tux mp the bonds and sjguiug paper ad
hitting his guilt to the count, out Of con
sideratiun fol the offenders family
ooutented himself with discharging hi
dishonest servant. The money that haC
been recovered De rEsoalo forced upon
Houdiu as a loan, to be repaid only at hi
convenience.
Possessed OF tn : CAPT al, oHoCdn
took small hail in the Palais Royal an,
fitted IL with Considerable taste. Ih
stage WAS set so as 20 represent DRAWN.
room, ia white and gold, OF the style o
Louis XIV The little auditorium woul'
hold only POO persons, but the prices wer
rather high, the front seats being dg
francs each, aud no place was obtainaol
for less than 40 sous. The entertainment
was, from the commencement, highl.
/ popular with the Parislaus, and the profit
/ realized by Houdln from his venture wer
SO large that in less than a year he wa
enabled TO pay his kind patron the Who'll
Of his loan.
HoudIn acquired a comfortable oompe
teuce by the exercise OF his art and h
built "A handsome villa at Saint-Gervai-