Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-04-17


n take IN the case of captured rogue
tho man had better chance OF hndlng
himself free than the law had OF keep
ing him behind bars, especially II ms
case were treated before it had passed.
into its more chronic stages.
Sparl1y's success was greatly due 70
his extremely specious manner ana ms
power of playing the part that the ocea-
sion demanded. In this particular ne
was even the superior of Mandit, wto
was an adept in this line. These two
men found no difficulty in securing the
services Of proficient burglars, safe rod
hers and the like, for, in addition to the
birh rewards paid these men, they were
in a manner insured against permanent
imprisonment in case of misfortune. IL
was always arranged thatif any OF their
enterprises came to grief and II elther
Nandit or Sparky should happen to DO
arrested the working miscreants shoule
substantiate any story their superlors
miqht choose TO tell of themselves, ana
IL necessary TO take upon themselves
the whole responsibility of the crime.
In this case their speedy release was 10
be looked upon as a thing assured.
A great deal Of evidence in regard TO
the character and practices of these two
men came from the stout burglar, com
monty known as Barney Fitch. Mhen
he found that nothing was 10 DO ex-
pected from his two astute employers
and that they were in as bad place as
himself, he promptly turned state evil
dence and told all that no knew about
them.
1t was through the testimony OF this
man that the motive sor the attempted
robbery of my house was found out. IL
had no connection whatever with the
other burglaries OF our neighborhood,
those probably having been committed
by low-class thieves, who had not broken
into my house simply because my doors
and windows had been SO well secured;
nor had our boy, George William, any
share whatever in the protection oil the
household.
The burglary was undertaken solely
for the purpose of getting possession OF
some important law papers which were
to be used in a case in which was con-
cerned and which soon would be tried.
IL these papers could be secured by the
opposite party the side on which l was
engaged would have no case at all and
suit involving great deal of property
must drop. With this end in view the
INSCRIPTIONS defendants in the case had
employed Mandit to procure the papers
and that astute criminal manager had
not only arranged all the details OF the
affair, but had gone himself to the scene
of action in order 10 see that there
should be no mistake in carrying out
the details OF this most important piece
of business.
The premises had been thoroughly
reconnoitered by Sparky, who few
days before the time fixed for the burg
larry had visited my house in the capa-
city of an agent Of telescope book
case, which could be extended as new
volumes were required, therefore need
never exhibit empty shelves. The young
man had been included in the party on
account of his familiarity with legal
documents, it being, of course, of para
mount Importance that the right papers
should be secured. His ingenuity was
also to be used TO cover up, if possible,
all evidence that the house had been
entered at all, it being desirable to make
it appear TO the court that had never
had these documents in my possession
and, If possible, that they never existed
Had it not been for a very natural de-
sire for refreshment that interfered with
) their admirably laid plans it is probable
that the mechanical skill of Mandit
would have been equal to the noiseless
| L. M oh
alton of the scratches and dents made
by the attempts upon other shutters, and
that SparlIy, after relocking all open
desks or cabinets and after the exit Of
the others, would have closed and fast
ened the kitchen shutters and would
then have left the house by means of an
open window in the upper hall and the
roof of a piazza.
Thus it was that these three men so
: eminent in their different spheres OF
earnest endeavor, came to visit my COM
! paratively humble abode, and thus 1t
was that they not only came to that
abode, but to the deepest grief. They
were wanted" in so many quarters, aud
on so many charges, that before they
l had finished serving out their various
sentences their ability to wickedly avail
7 themselves of the property of Others
would have suffered greatly from disuse,
t and the period of life left them for the
Q further exercise of those abilities would
+ be inconveniently limited.
1 was assured by prominent detect
i've that it had been long time since
, two such dangerous criminals as Mandit
and Sparky had fallen into tho hands OF
2 the law. These men, by means of very
u competent outside assistance, made a
: stout fight for acquittal on some Of
/ the charges brought against them, but
II when they found that further effort OF
i this kind would be unavailing and that
4 they would be sentenced to long terms
of Imprisonment, they threw off theil
:, masks of outraged probity and stood Out
u in their true characters of violent and