The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-10-05
what Happened to q Government Spy.


At the outbreak of the wat John.
7. Norris was an expert telegraph
operator, having been discharged
from one of the telegraphic lines for
receiving a message by sound. He
was sent south as a Government spy
to steal kilograms off of wires, which
let the Union Soldiers through the
Confederate lines. While the army
was lying in front of Petersburg, Nor
ISIS was stationed there and one day
obtained from a Confederate soldier
a puzzle ring. fnade Of eight small
rings, so woven that when the Puzzle
was set up it made a handsome,
heavy piece of jewelry, and when
knocked down made a confused mass
of eight small gold rings. He learned
the secret Of putting the rings to-
gether.
Just on tie edge of Petersburg there
was living in a commodious old
fashioned Virginia mansion wealthy
family named De Hart. One of the
daughters, Miss Ella De Hart; d wins
soffie young Yifgi1iid beduty; SO
exercised her charms npon the sus-
ceptible mind OF young Norris that,
although he had a iancee north OF
Mason's line he became quite atten-
tive to her. One evening, while cal
ling on Miss De Hart, he showed her
the puzzle ring he had just procured
and bantered upon her inability to
set up the puzzle that she gave him
an old seal ring which had been a
heirloom for over century and
said when he brought it back she
would have the puzzle solved.
The next day Norris was arrested
as spy, sent to Richmond, tried
and sentenced to death. He was in
prison there Wheii Richmond fell, and
was liberated. Coming North he
took up his old pursuits, was won
back by his old love, finally married
and f6f MANY years has conducted
his very successful detective agency
at Springfield.
About twenty years ago Norris
was employed by the Champion Ma
chine Works to capture defaulter
by the name of Jones. Jones was
followed to Richmond, and business
took Norris back to Petersburg.
While. walking around with the chief
of police in Petersburg he related the
story of the rings, and inquired after
the De Harris. One of the De Hart
boys, now grown to manhood,
CHANGED to be passing, and and an
introduction to Norris ensued. The
story was related to De Hart who,
with his father and brothers, had
been in the Confederate army, and
he laughingly exclaimed: $50 you
are the man with the ring, are you?
l want you to come and see my old
mother. She has saved that ring
for you for twenty-five years" {.
Mr.. De Hart said that his sister
had died several years before, and
they had often taxed their magma
ton as to what had become of the
young secret agent who had be-
trothed himself to Ella only to be
ruthlessly torn away.
Norris went out to the old home
stead and met the old lady upon
whom the twenty-five years had LEFT
the erifeebling marks of the last third
of a long life: She remembered him
perfectly and brought out an old
spool box, from which she took the
puzzle ring. 1t was still undone, and
Norris taking it, put the rings to
gether perfect within fifteen minutes
after his arrival. The oldlady asked
about the seal ring her daughter had
jestingly placed on Norris's finger,
and Norris telegraphed to Ohio for
his wife to forward the ring A few
days later the heirloom was re-
stored to the De Hart lineage, and
the puzzle ring around whose tender
coils is woven this romantic story,
now adorns the hands of the detec-
tive.-Atlanta Constitution.