Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-02-04

his extremely specious manner and his
power of playing the part that the occa-
sion demanded. In this particular he
was even the superior of Mandit, wko
was an adept in this line. These two
men found no difficulty in securing the
services of proficient burglars, safe rob-
hers and the like, for, in addition to the
high rewards paid these men, they were
in q manner insured against permanent
imprisonment in case of misfortune. 1t
was always arranged thatif any of their
enterprises came to grief and If either
Mandit or Sparky should happen to be
arrested the working miscreants should
substantiatc any story their Supporters
might choose to tell of themselves, and
If necessary to take upon themselves
the whole responsibility of the crime.
In this case thcir speedy release was to
be looked upon as u thing assured.
A great deal OF evidence in regard to
the character and practices of these two
mon came FROM the stout burglar, COM
monty knowa as Barney Fitch. When
he found that nothing was to be ex-
pectcd from his two astuta employers
and that th"y were in Il. bad Il place as
himself, he promptly turned States evi.
dence and told all that he kne y about
them.
1t was through the testimony of this
man that the motive for tho attempted
robbery of my house was found out. II
had no connection whatever with the
other burglarics 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 we'll secured;
nor had our boy. George William, any
share whatever IN the protCation of the
household.
Tho burglary was undertaken solely
for the purpose of getting possession of
some important law papers which were
to be used in :. ,'asc in which was con-
cerncd and W! III soon would be tried.
II the. pape, could be secured by tho
opposite part the side on which 1 was
engaged woul'j have no case at all and
suit involving y great deal of property
must drop. With this end in view the
unscrupulous nfendants in the case had
employed MarIit to procure the papers
and that astute criminal manager had
not only arr2nrod all the details Of the
affair, but had cone himself to the scene
of action in order to see that there
should be no mistake in carrying out
the details s. this most important piece
of business.
The premises had been thoroughly
reconnoitered by Sparkv. who !. few
days before the time fixed for the burg.
larry had visited my house in the capa-
city of an agent of q telescope book
case which could be extended as new
volumes were required, therefore need
never exhibit empty shelves. The young
1cl ~
account OF his familiarity with legal
documents. it being. of coarse. 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 tho house had been
entered a all, it being desirable to max,
it appear to the court that l had never
had these documents in my possession
and, if possible, that they never existed.
Had it not been for 4 very natural de.
sire for Refreshments that interfered with
their admirably laid plans it is proba able
that the mechanical skill of Mandit
would have been equal to the noiselcss
scrapiug Of the bent bolt and the obliter
alton of the scratches and dents made
by the attempts upon other shutters, and
that Sparllv. after relocking all open
dcSId or cabinets and after the exit of
tho others. would havo closed and fast
ened the kitchen shutters and would
then have left ,Nic 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
e-ijncnt in their different spheres of
earnest endcavor. camc TO visit my COM
| parativcly humble abode, and thus it
was that they not only came to. that
abode, but to the deepest grief. They
were wanted" in so many quarters, and
| on so many charges. that before they
had finished serving out their various
sentences their ability to wickcdly avail
themselves Of the property Of othcrs
| would have suffered! greatly from disusc.
and the period OF life left them for the
| further exercise of those abilities would
De inconvenicntly limited.
l was assured by a prominent detect
i've that it had been Il long time since
two such dangerous criminals as Mandit
| and Sparky had fallen into the hands of
the law. These mon, by means of very
| cOmpe tent outside assistance, made a
stout fight for acquittnl ON some of
| the charges trou. j against them, but
when they found that further effort of
| this kind would be unayailing and that
| they would DO sentenced to long terms
Of imprisonment, they threw off their
masks of outraged probity and stood out
in their true characters of violent and
brutal ruffians. Barney Fitch, the
craftsman, was a senior warden COM
pared to them.
1t was long time before my Aunt
Martha recovered from her disappoint-
ment in regard to the youngest burglar:
'tOf course | was mistaken, she said.
THAT sort Of thing will happen, but 1
really had good grounds for believing
him to be a truthful person, SO l am not
ashamed of having taken him for what
he said he was. l have now no doubt
before he fell in his wicked ways that he
was q very good writer, and might have