Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1890-01-18


hal been torn out of the plaster. br
on pointing these out to Mr.. - he
could give me no information. lie had
never noticed them before, but they
might be old marks for all he knew.
! l then proceeded to make inquiries;
first as to the whereabouts Of the clerks
on the night in question. Mr.. - had
told me he had no suspicious as to their
integrity, but, of course it was my bust
ness TO make sure, and / found they
were able to account for their time quite
satisfactorily The policeman who had
been ON duty could not help me. He
had passed each half hour but had seen
nothing suspicious. n number of per-
sons had passed up and down the street.
but lie had only recognized one man, a
chemist, who lived on an adjoining
street. Application to this gentleman
elected nothing further. Ha had passed
down the street between 10 and II
on his way home and had looked nj the
lighted wiadow as usual but there was
certainly no one in the window then. /
returned to headquarters to make my
preliminary report, and directed that
careful inquiry be made with a,view to
identifying, if possible, any persons who
were in the street throughout the night
Well, sir, for two days | was at my wits
end. All our endeayors proved fruit
less and the more turned the matter
over the more hopeless felt.
On the third day [ was passing.
through b street and looked in to
see my brother, who was laid up
through an accident. He lodged in
rooms over the shop of house and
sign painter, who had small but O
fairly prosperous business. On leaving
him [ came down to the shop to give
some instructions to his landlord and
whilst Twas talking to the latter he
was called away for few minutes
Amusing.myself by looking about me,
my eyes were attracted by the rough
sketch of q safe which was lying on the
counter
Although my head was full of safes,
as you may suppose, doubt if | should
have looked twice at this one, had it
not been that the SIX eteh was an exact
copy of the safe in which was so much
interested, and which, | should have
explained WIS of pecn'iar appearance
in that it WIS much narrower in proper
ton to its height than is customary.
On the painters return held up the
sketch and asked him If he had gone in
for a new line of business. We'll, yes,
sir" he said, laughing. That's a
sketch [ used in my first attempt at
scene painting. A young fellow for
whom I've done D little business came
in the other day and persuaded me to
paint him scene for some private
theatricals he was getting mp. 1t rep
resented the wall OF nm office and that
safe stood in one corner. He was good
enough to say that | succeeded very
well, and he told me afterwards that it
had given great satisfaction
Well, sir, the whole thing flashed on
me in a moment. Ny gentleman had
hung up this drop scene in front Of the
safe, and the room then presented its
ordinary appearance to the street, while
behind this ingenious screen he had
been able to work his wicke ed will"
upon the safe a5sliis leisure. To cut a
long story short, tho. painter gave me
sucn information as enabled me to put
my hand on this amateur actor, and he
was in due course. tried convicted and
punished, whiIewe We've able to recover
large portion of the stolen diamonds,
greatly to Mr.. As satisfaction.