Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1891-04-02
A WEIRD MYSTERY
Tracing q Dark Crime.
BY ALEXANDER ROBINSON, N. D.


My appearance was not prepOSSeSSlng.
In fact, 10 tell the honest truth, had
succeeded in giving my face a rather
villainOus look that would be a passport
in my favor considering the locality
where expected 10 carry on my opera
tions.
My gait, too, was slouchy. II was
my desire 10 appear as much as possible
Ike man whose greatest fear would be
10 meet the police In daylight.
Thus disguised 1 felt that I could de-
pend upon my natural talents for get
ting me through any scrape.
IL was not long before I was in the
neighborhOOd Of the place to which 1
had been directed by the detective.
My idea was TO find Colonel Cain and
keep a watch on him, trusting to chance
to throw myself in his way.
The den 1 entered was known to the
police, but those who frequented it were
evidently not wanted as yet, for few
calls were made here by the blue coats.
Now and then n detective prOwled
about in disguise, looking for his man,
but, on the whole, it was quiet resort.
1 soon discovered that my man was in
the place The photograph gave him
away.
He seemed to keep apart from the
rest, and several times l saw him ex-
aiming something he had written upon
q small piece of paper.
made up my mind that this was the
plan of house he Intended 10 enter.
1t was after midnight when he left the
place, but in the meantime 1 had seen
the paper slip from his pocket and fall
upon the floor under his chair.
Watching my opportunity had picked
it up, photographed it on my mind, and
then dropped 1t again, so that when he
came 10 look for it he found it.
had found, just as might have been
expected, the diagram of the ground
floor of house on Madison avenue, with
his method Of procedure marked.
When he went out 1 knew that he in
tended to burglarize that house.
Here was a chance TO make his ac-
Quaintance, and at the same time gain
his goodwill.
A bold move and the game was NINE
Did 1 have the grit to try it?
Subsequent events would prove that
did not lack the necessary nerve.
followed him out, but it was not my
intention to pursue, but to get ahead.
This 1 managed to accomplish, and ar
rived at the house on Madison avenue
long before he came upon the spot
A feeling of repulsion passed over me
ut the part was about to play. For n
physician IN good standing TO be caught
or shot In the act of burglarizing a phi
Vate residence would ruin me.
l relied on two things, and the thought
of LeOnOre carried me through Should
anything happen, Mr.. Ketcham would
see that I did not come ont with dis
credit. Then again, l took il for granted
that so shrewd a man as this burglar
would not fix his eye upon a house that
was well protected as a base of opera
tiOns.
These things quickly decided me.
l remembered what his plan had been
in the matter Of gaining an entrance.
So made my way over fences to the
rear OF the house l had marked as the
one he intended working.
1t wss a new experience to me, this
climbing about among back yards in the
solemn hours Of night, running the risk
of shot from some person who might
happen to be on the watch
My nerves were pretty well strung by
the time 1 landed in the yard for which
had all along been aiming.
Here 1 made as rigid an examination
as the time and circumstances would
permit, and was pleased TO find that it
all compared favOrably with the little
plan the craftsman had possessed
There could be no doubt that was in
the right place.
Over in one quarter saw the door
leading to the kitchen. This was in the
shape Of a stOrm-dOOr. According to
Colonel Gains idea, this door should be
readily opened-it had been fixed for or
by him.
I tried it.
Sure enough, there was no resistance
as 1 turned the knob. Before me was
inky darkness-the interior of the room.
What lay there l could not guess but
the venturesome burglar takes many
risks, and as for good cause 1 was now
serving in that role, I must do likewise.
so 1 stepped within and closed the
door.
Cropping my way step by step across
the room 1 finally came to the stove.
Behind this 1 crouched, revolver in
hand, and awaited results.
All was silent as death in the house,
and I soon came to the conclusion that
the family must be away, and that the
burglar had known this fact.
My game was to hoOdwink him, and I
did not intend aiding in sacking the
house either.
If my plans carried out, the owners of
the house ought to feel obliged to me for
soaring burglar away who would have
ransacked the premises
Under such pecu lar circumstances the
minutes seemed terribly long to me. and
was really relieved TO hear sound at
the door.
My man had come.
prepared to receive him in the man
ner had planned.
than saw a man enter. Almost on the
point Of rising, suddenly became frozen
with establishments
Another man had glided in through
the open door.
The came a third.
1 felt chill run over me.
A dark lantern was cautiously opened
for moment. and 1 was almost petri-
fed To see the blue uniforms of police
officers
We're they after me?
/ confess began to wish myself we'll
out OF the scrape. Mr.. Ketcham might
be able 70 clear me, IL was true, but the
thought of being caught in the kitchen
OF q private residence was anything but
pleasant to my mind.
The three policemen closed the door
after them, and 1 could hear them talk
ing.
HE must be here soon" said one.
YES, II the man didn't lie. Wen nab
him in the act, remarked a second
~He's slippery customer, and we
amt a-golng to get him without trouble.
Mind. boys, he's 10 be carried to the sta
tloa n he refuses to be led.
eTFherc shall We hide2H