The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-30
GOOD STORIES OF THE PRESENT DAT.
The Robbery and Tragedy in Neptune Court
Liverpool.
copyright 1928. BY Charles .. Lm.

There Is n street in Liverpool called Neptune
court. II is onlyfour blocks in length, FORM
Inc the short side OF triangle. and one must
pass through II to reach certain docks 1t is a
narrow. Ill paved. and dirty thoroughfare,
given up TO ship chambers and others con-
nected with tho Quitting OF vessels. Ono Of
the streets crossing Neptune court Is called
| Turk. and on tho southwest corner OF these
streets there was for many years an old
threo-story brick building occupied by a
man named LOSING He was II queer old
man. and among sailors he went by the
namo OF mo. 40" How he got this nick
name / cannot tell YOU, but he had carried
| 1t Tor twenty years when l first entered his
place. His was a queer business. He dealt in
secondhand watches, thermometers quad
rants sextants. charts. and the like lie had
oilskins. sea boots. souwesters. and sheath
| knives He had playing cards and Bibles He
had sailors songs and tracts in the same pile.
! He bought shells. monkeys. parrots. corals.
and other curiosities. and he would lend the
| sum OF i've shillings to any sailor who asked
| for 1t. and that without security. He would
not buy OF landsman, but would sell to him
| In grudGing way. lie had never been to sea.
but knew the rig Of every sort Of vessel. and
he kent a log wherein he recorded every
change Of weather and the particulars OF every
marine disaster
One certain afternoon In midwnter In the
year 1857 l called in at Lossing's to make an
exchange OF watches. found him busy with
three or four customers and went away. That
evening Mt about 8 o'clock left the ship and
made another call on him. l found him sitting
by the stove In the dim light of his single dip
and after he had examined my watch he went
to an old iron safe and brought out half
dozen from his own stock for my inspection.
We had them on the counter before us when
tho door opened and three men entered. They
were dressed as sailors and at once inquired
for articles OF sailors use. but felt certain
from the start that they were not mariners.
second glance told me that they wore the Same
men had seen in the place In the after-
noon. 1t was probably the storm and the
loneliness OF tho situation which made mo
jump to tho conclusion that they had come
to rob the old man. He could have entertained
no such suspicion. for he received them cor
daily and calmly set about getting ont the ar.
inspect the watches Kept an eye on the move
ments Of the trio. thought observed signs
pac thrse ne Gur hha whn Ave
qtes detected signals passing between them;
! made up my mind that it would he good
n ,1r and s sns ThePS
fore; after u bit. said to the old man:
not Choice 9enY H You can S keep ss MY
watch till come in TO- m rrow."
on the counter and Started for the door. whist
ling in a careless way as went
store. Of, least forty feet from the front door.
Two Of the men stood S At the counter. only AZ
owing tie poor sht cpu nep hard ns m make
him out. had passed the two men. when the |
the same moment one of the others drew, a |
Pistol Pistol and d COMMANDED NM me to return to the
menaced old Tossing at the same time. while |
the TIL third man came down to us and said:
II eysrySn n G EeS aue noood be
put put II you are nasty aGoIt it We'll serve SCI you
and, Bill. you keep an eye on him. Old chap.
hl% auist. il 50 through the old Tookery and
was not pit surprised at the movement,
tS Gysdn Gu5 o
business in such rough locality, would have
the idea that he would be robbed. He turned
was evidently in great fear Of bodily harm.
AS had "a little or nothing to lose my anxieties
the evil faces Of the robbers i, found myself
trembling BIZ as to what would be the out
walk Of the Store ser the h fob5eny snd
leave us free to follow and raise hue and cry.
The third i man must have been quite familiar
around; and then he began overhallinC shelves
score score Of watches: and a lot Of charms.
wiz them he had about 80 in '" c"sh.
mostly silver In the course Of halt
make good load for man to carry. and it
was dumped into a stout. sack brought along
Ea ov epd g ri eas d
put under, guard that the old man fully realized
was very mild. however, He didn't abuse or
threaten; but tried to make it a matter of prin-
cuI.d and laughed at him: During the plum.
der Of the store kept asking myself: ,"Wll
the old man q hidden hoard and won't they
an t !, he gsfuSG to give f Up
WAS the leader. turned to No, 40" and said:
your dose ems 66h"P man. s1
Id hope y9uIl Keep ltup. Where do you keep
You got it out of the safe" he replied.
But there's more You don't trust the
banks. and you must have tidy sum hid
den DC, away here in the store. Giveit up, and
l was watching tho old man. and saw a
scare and he now looked resolu.e and defiant
s was Vas about to reply ThGn M policeman on
se # ws dSH
% ana and While
Help p at the. top Of his voice. With
mat Rale howlinE outside he could not be
heard through the door. and under any cir |
tumstances i was the worst thing he could
have done. The man who was guarding him |
made half wheel and struck him on tho bare
head with lis heavy pistol. and the poor old
man fell In a heap on the floor. {
Three pistols were presented at me in one | ,
moment. and they Were not lowered until the
policeman, had given the door another shake
and passed OH.
The bloomin old idiot brought it upon
himself" muttrred the leader as he looked
iown at tho still and senseless figure, Give ,
mi l.aQ ,
rouble. and IN look around for bit"
The old man appeared to havo been instantly
iilled by the blow. but there were no express
ions Of regret; The leader searched around
81 perhaps nan an hour, hut found no money 9
nut his hand on the old man. and carelessly 1
that the blow must have been a ,
leavy one. They were ready to leave and now
anne the question OF what they would do with i
ne. The one called Jem was for numbering ,
ne offhand. but the others were not so blood I
hirsty They asked my name. the name OF my
hip: and many other questions. and then re- 4
ired to the front Of the store 70 counsel to-
ion now and then. and | mada out | r