The Meeker herald., 1892-12-31

c placed a visiting
card upon the counter
The card bore the inscription, Ser
geant Bender, Criminal Investigation
Department, Great Scotland Yard"
"You will be surprised at the late
hour OF my arrival, but, owing to the
detective train service, / have been
considerably delayed. However Ishall
get my man tonight, think"
Here he produced a neat leather
case, a document and n photograph,
which he handed over TO me for exam
nation.
The paper was n dnly-signed war
rant for the arrest of one Charles
Eldercoat, on n charge of having EN-
bezzled flT5, the moneys OF his EN-
ployers, Messrs. Spark and Simmer,
n well-known metropolitan firm OF
jewellers and diamond merchants.
The cartede-visite, Sergeant Bend
err informed me, was the portrait OF
the wanted man.
81 have information" went on Mr..
Bender ito the effect that young Ed
ercont is putting up at the Bull and
Stump in Dunboro,' tonight. He is
traveller for Spark and Simmer,
and has been making their money fly
like chat for some time past. Dunbo-
ro' is his last business call in this dis
trict, and he means to make himself
scarce. He has been writing to pal
in London to this effect, and his EN-
ployers have got hold OF the letter. |
have called here to let an officer come
with me to give me hand in making
the apprehension"
told him that should be glad to
accompany him myself, and the night
sergeant, who had just come, was left
in charge OF the office, while Sergeant
Bender and sailed forth i'll the di-
rection of the "Bull and Stump"
Arrived Mt that house OF entertain
ment, which had closed for the night,
we rang at the front door-bell and
were admitted by the landlady.
The commercial room we found III
possession OF two men, one OF whom,
a curly headed young fellow, with n
weak face. | Immediately recognized
as the original of the photograph
which had been shown me by the Lon
don officer.
The young man raised his head ms
we entered, and it was easy to see
that the representative of Messrs.
Spark and Simmer had been drink
ing more than was good for him. He
was drunk, in fact, good-naturedly,
but almost helplessly, so when ad-
dressed by Sergeant Bender, he ex-
tended his hand to that officer, with
maudlin smile and the invitation,
Isl down and have a drink, old l'r."
Gravely the sergeant proceeded to
read over the warrant to his prisoner,
whose face all the while preserved n
ridiculous expression OF tipsy amuse-
ment, and at the close of his recital he
laughed vacantly, shook the detective
cordially by the hand, and remarked:
"That's all ri, my boy now have a
liquor"
and led him from the room, the land
lady and Eldercoat's late companion
taking in the situation with open
mouthed astonishment.
We got our prisoner to the police
station with no more trouble than
was occasioned by his almost helpless
condition.
i
book report OF the apprehension Ser
geant Benderproceededt to make the Gus
tomary search of his prisoners person.
A pocket book containing f65, gold
repeater, diamond ring, and n costly
scarf-pin were amongst the articles
enumerated to me rs | wrote. Ser
geant Bender, making them up into n
neat parcel and depositing them in
the inside pocket ofhis own great-coat,
remarked
These will count as property re-
covered"
Poor Eldercoat was then carried
to his cell, where helay like alog upon
the plank bed assigned him as rest
ing place.
"Wel, now" said Sergeant Bender,
~ think we managed that pretty well
am really much obliged for your as
sistance, Mr.. Inspector, and our peo-
pie at the Yard will, no doubt, report
favorably on the matter to your
headquarters. Let me see, now. |
shan't be able to start for town with
my man until the $50 train in the
morning, 80 I'll Just go back to the
pub. and get bed for the night
1t was fully eight O'Clock on the fol-
lowing morning when movement in
the cell announced that the prisoner
was awake, and l walked down the
corridor to have look at him. /
was prepared for rueful countenance,
but not for the white, terrified face
which confronted me as opened the
door Of Eldercoat's cell.
"Where am II" he easped. Good
heavens, in prison! What for? What
have done2 Oh, yes, remember
now he cried, as a leas hgon'Ied sx'