River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-10-23
HIS FIRST CASE.
How a Detective Found the Lost
Money and a Wife.

IL you like detective stories / will
tell you about my first case.
had Just started on my own acrOunt
when farmer named Ross called OF me
and said q at ne had been robbed Of
SIX thousand dollars that he had re-
ceived for the sale OF some land the day
before. He had tied the money in his
handkerchief and then pinned It in his
OvrrcOat pocket When he reached
home he carelesslv hung his coat in the
barn while he did some work When he
went to The house he found his neigh
Dor, Nj. Fisher, there Then he IN
pinned the pocket, and, finding the
handkerchief all right, he told Mr.
Fisher how careless he had been The
coat was locked in the dining-rOOm
closet. and the key hid under the werk-
IL paper on the mantel- Mr.. Fish ar
staid for supper, and after tho meal vs.
left alone in the dining-rOOm for few
minutes In the morning the kc.s
couldn't be found, and. upon breaking
open the closet. the handkerchief was
found in the pocket, but in place of tho
money was a portion of the weekly
paper
MIR. Ross left me the handkerchief
and piece Of paper. and after being in
structed to treat Mr.. Fisher as usual,
and to get the remal nder Of the weekly
paper. ne left me 20 my plans They
were soon matured- had no family to
tell of my expected absence, so l at
once dressed as 4 farm labOrer and ~
peared at Mr.. Fishers
would have il, I found Mr.. Fisher in
need Of a man
''Stevea mas too much to do, as he
drives the milk wagon now" said Mr..
Fisher, and l will try you with the
horses"
Steven, the hired man. didn't appear
20 like me very much, and was slow TO
talk to me. had hoped 10 gain some
information from him. but was disap-
pointed, though ! did learn from him
that Mr.. Fisher was a widOwer with one
child. his daughter Kitty. who taught
school. and that his elder bachelor
brother Silas lived with him.
saw the family at supper that night.
Uncle Silas, as he was called. was an in
valid, drawn into the shape of bow
with the rheumatism He had but lit
tle 20 say. Mr.. Fisher was a pleasant
looking man, and not one TO be sus-
pected OF robbery. Kitty was a bright,
fr -elligent girl, with very tired look.
No wonder she looked tired. for besides
teaching the school she did the house
hold work. thought that too much
was required of her
We all spent the first evening in the
family sitting-rOom- | Charles Weston
was my name thenl was pretending 10
read paper. while | was thinking and
watching. Mr.. Fisher was at his desk
looking over some papers. ! was seized
with a desire to look into that desk.
and wistfully watched the key until il
was put into Mr.. Fishers vest pocket.
Uncle Silas sat In the corner counting
his fingers as though they were money.
Kitty read few pages Of history aloud.
had never heard so clear and musical
n voice.
At bedtime Steven and 1 went 10 our
Joint room. lie was soon asleep. while
lay awake. waiting until the rest in
the house should be quiet. heard Mr..
Fisher go 70 his room. and heard Kitty
In the kitchen making ready for her
morning work. felt sorry for Kitty
In an hour the house appeared to be
quiet and | stole from my room. When
reached the head of the stairs looked
below. and saw Uncle Silas with a
candle descending to the cellar.
/ returned TO nv room and lay down
- wait; bnt l fell asleep and did not
awaken until four o'clOci in the mora
ing. IL was too late 10 visit Mr.. Fish
er's desk, for I heard Kitty moving in
her room. ! then dressed and descended
20 the kitchen. where I saw Kitty's
preparation for making the fire. | took
the kidding and some newspaper and
was about 10 place them in the stove
when the title on the paper caught nv
eye. IL was the Weekly Eureka Of the
date Of the robbery of Mr. Ross l put
IL in nv pocket / then kindled the
fre. emptie6 the coal into il. and re-
plenished the scGttle from the barn IL
was long ways for Kitty TO carry coal.
went 70 a bench beside the house
and took the torn paper that had found
in the kitchen and the piece that Mr..
Ross had given 20 me. and laid them to-
gether- They matched exactly. ! held
one end of clew. l folded my evil
dence. and walked toward the barn.
Once / looked back. and saw Kitty at
her window above the bench. l won
dered IL she had seen me there. know
when went 10 the house for breakfast
Kitty looked at me in a very strange
manner. While al the table Mr.. Fisher
said that he was going 10 town with
Steven in the milk wagon. a she had
business at the bank. and told mo 90
repair the Ross line fence
Il wouldn't trust banks said Uncle
SilaS
was anxious 70 see Mr. Ross, SO
hurried TO the line fence. and kept my
eyes on the Ross side. hoping that he
might appear Now and then glanced
81 the road 70 see II Kitty had started