The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1892-07-07
TRACING A WATCH.
How Mr.. Broomberry Unwittingly
Made a Discovery.

Buren, street station. Just before reach
ing that point an acquaintance sat
down beside him and began to talk
about murder that had been commit
ted just a year before on the north
side. Being city hall man, Broom
berry's acquaintance knew a great deal
about the murder; he knew old
kloptock, the victim, and in an ex-
ceedingly discreet and sunken-voice
manner he intimatei to Broomberry
that he had u pretty shrewd idea as to
who committed the deed. by this time
the train had passed the Van Buren,
street station-was just pulling out, in
fact, and Broom berry, determined not
to miss an appointment, jumped off the
train. He looked at his watch a min
ute later and found that in jumping
off he had broken the crystal. He kept
his appointment, and then stepped into
jewelers. to get new crystal.
Where did you get ito" the jeweler
asked when, after completing his work,
he handed the watch to Broom berry.
81 got it from friend of mine.
Why?'
Nothing, only you've got a rare
watch, not in value but as to number.
About thirty years ago a company of
men built a factory at a little town
called Romney, in Massachusetts, and
began to manufacture watches. but as
some sort OF disaster befell the concern,
only three watches were ever COM
pletcd, and this is one of them"
You don't say SO, exclaimed Broom
berry. well, we'll; and | shouldn't
have known of the rarity of my proper
ty if | hadn't broken the crystal in
jumping off 4 train this morning. Do
YOU know what I'm going to do? I'm
going trace this watch back to the
factory, if can; and I'm going to write
a description of the hands through
which it has passed and make book of
it. Won't that be an odd little volume:
The History of the Watch?' l am much
obliged to you, sir. You've given me
an idea. and to man who is so unfor-
tunate as to be compelled to make his
living by thinking, an idea is almost
necessity. All, but pardon me for not
answering Your question. l got the
watch from Henry Lucas, gave him
forty five dollars for it about two
months ago. If the history should be
interesting enough to print, Ill give
you copy of it. Good day"
Broomberry called on Henry Lucas.
lie found his friend absorbed in the
work of running up" figures in an i'm
mense b ok.
"Ah, Broomberry. Sit down"
NO, haven't time. Say. where did
you get this watch? Only three of them
made and all that sort of thing. Just
want to get the history of it. you know"
Martin Kelly"
where do you s'pose ! can find him.
"He works in the post Office
Broomberry went to the post office.
Tie had struck a new line of work and
was delighted. Mr.. Kelly was easily
found.
Il got it from Mark lIammonds,"
said he.
The deuce you did" Broomberry ex-
claimed. "Why, he was the cause of
my breaking the crystal this morning
! was talking to him and passed my
station, and then had to jump off I'll
go right down to the city hall and see
him.
Where did get it," Hammond re-
piled, in a careless sort of way. well,
let me see. l got it from j. Ii. McPeal.
a big furniture dealer on the West
side"
''All right; I'll go over there and see
him."
The great furniture dealer, a smooth,
well-fed, bald-headed man, was busy in
his Office when Broomberry entered.
well, sir, what can l do for you?"
Il came to ask you about this" said
Broomberry, taking out his watch
Don't know anything about it, sir
Good day
Excuse me" said Broomberry, but
my friend Mark Hammonds, of the city
hall, told me that he got it from you"
''Ah, let me see it. Yes, that's So"
he added, when Broomberry had handed
him the watch; and then, with an air
of business, as though he had been
rather lax with the ethics of trade and |
must now, as recovery of principle, |
make show of briskness, he asked: |
but what about it, sir-what about |
it?''
Nothing, only I should like to know
where you got it?''
"Yes, but l am very busy to-day-ex-
ceedingly busy, sir. Can't you call |
some other time?'
"Oh, of course, but it won't take a |
minute to tell me where YOU got it if |
You know"
Eyes. yes. that's SO; but I'm extreme
lv busy. Let me see. We took it in |
part payment of lot of furniture
from, let me-Stevens," he called.
A man entered and said: "Yes, SIR"
whats the name of that boarding
house woman that couldn't, or rather |
wouldn't, pay for her furniture in
money and we had to take watch?
What is her name? Quick, I'm busy"
Mrs. Caddo, sir: 742 Limbill street."
Yes, that's correct. Good-day, sir
Broomberry fastened to the board
ing house of Mrs. Caddo. She would |
have talked an hour about the watch, |
or by it, either. She would have told |
of the myriad of trials that come to the
widowed keeper of boarding house,
maker named Sam Haines, who had
boarded with her, who was drunk
nearly all the time, who positively re-
fused, indeed. in a most insulting man.
ner, to pay his board, but who, after
being threatened by the law, and by a
certain enormous policeman who knew
the widow quite well, consented to give
her his watch. This Mr. Sam Haines
could be found on Madison street. near
Robey.
Broomberry found the harnessmaker
drunk and communicative. He got the
watch of a certain pawnbroker and
would neglect his work to go and show
Broomberry the place.
"Ob, no. I can find it easily enough"
said the visitor, taking down the num-
Der.
The pawntroker remembered the
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