Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-09-27
4 Peculiar Experience.
St. Johns Herald.

ST. JOHNS, Ariz., Sept IL 1890.
 During the winter of 1S67-S, and while residing at Santa Fe, New Mexico, l had | a somewhat peculiar experience, and | which to this day remains unexplained to | me. At the time aforesaid there was a iewelry firm in Santa Fe by the name of Brown & Robbins" Mir Crocker Brown, the senior partner, usually closed up the store after business hours, carrying the only key to the store about his person. MT B. had sleeping rooms on the south side of Rio Chiquito, and MT Robbins roomed at the Exchange Hotel, both gentlemen taking their meals at this hotel. One evening about dusk and shortly at- ter supper, happened to be walking up the street towards the Exchange Hotel, when directly in my front, and perhaps twenty feet distant, l saw man whom 1 positively knew to be MT. Robbins. The iewelry store at this time was between Robbins and the hotel l was well ac- quainted with both members of the firm and frequently spent many of my leisure hours at the store. followed behind NIT. Robbins at the same time quickening my pace so as to overtake him. However, be- fore came up to him he had reached the store door which he unhesitatingly open
 ed, passed into the store leaving the door a little aiar, also entered being not eX- ceeding three or four feet in the rear Of Robbins. This jewelry store had two rooms, the front one used as a sales-rOom and the small rear room was used for work shop. There was only one door to tine building and 1t was at the front facing the public plaza. The work room had no out side door and but one small window, and this window was at all times securely fastened, besides 1t was covered with large iron bars In the front or sales-rOom were couple of chairs, and the shoulder ing remains of fire ill the fireplace. As before stated I entered the store lmmedl- ately behind MT. Robbins, but not seeing him in the sales-room 1 naturally con cluded that he had passed into the work room at the rear, l therefore sat down on one of the chairs near the fire, filled my
 pipe and prepared to make myself com l fortable until Robbins came ln. l sat 1 there smoking for sometime. and finally
 replenished the fire, again filled my pipe,
 at the same time thinking to myself;
 Robbins is making devil of a long stay
 in the workshop" 1 had been there,
 perhaps. a couple of hours, when sudden
 ly Mr. Brown, the senior partner of the firm, came in at the front door, and asked ill surprised manner how 1 came to be
 there at that hour of the night. l replied
 that II came in behind Robbins, and that
 MT. Robbins was then in the back-rOOm
 but seemed to be making deuced long
 stay of 1t for I have been sitting here
 smoking for at least two hours" To this
 Brown replied that Robbins was not
 there, on the contrary he was then at the
 hotel. nor had Robbins left the hOte
 since supper. This statement surprised
 me very much, and 1 said impossible.
 saw Robbins open the door, walk into the
 room. and came ill not three feet behind
 him" Brown says ''this Is very strange
 indeed. for I locked this door, and nc
 other person has a key to it." He ther lighted lamp and we made a thorougl
 inspection of both the front and baci
 rooms: we closely examined the premises
 and were satisfied that no living soul other than ourselves, was about the house
 The result of this examination caused n; to experience a sort of uneasy sensation for certainly here was an insoluble myster! that savored of hobgoblins. or at least O
 the spiritual After completing our searcl I requested MT. Brown to examine tn stock and see that all was as he had lief it on locking up for supper; this was don and everything was found intact. Browl says we will now go up to the Fond and see Robbins, and l vii
 convince you that my partner has no been out of the hotel since eating supper
 We found MT. Robbins seated in the bil ] liard hall of the hotel, and upon being ac costed by MT. Brown with the question Have you been to the store since sup ; peri" Robbins laughingly replied tha he had not set foot outside of the hote since supper, and as 1 have no key would be of little use for me to go to tn
 store after closing" Mir Brown then e7 plained to Robbins the evening occul renee which greatly surprised him, an, he again said T have not put my foot out side of this house since supper; Tn fact have sat in this very chair all the evenin talking with you, as you very well know until you left to go home. This was , fact, for Brown said they both took thei meals together, entered the billiard rooI together, and sat there together talkin ] until he (Brown) started to go to his roOT
 for the night. Can any one explain thi apparent mystery!
 Query: How came the door to be un
 locked and standing ajar? Who, or wha
 was 1t entered the store immediately be fore me? And what caused Crocke . Brown, contrary to his inYariable custom ] after going part way home, to return t the hotel corner, and thence down anothe street directly opposite from his sleepin room!
 ALBERT F. BANTA