The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-07-08
A BAGGAGE CHECK.
How 1t Led to the Detection Of a Mys-
FERROUS Murder.

at some horses galloping about in an
Enclosure, when something fell from
the sky, as it were, and landed on the
bank of the railroad ditch on that side.
| had time as we passed along to note
that it was brass baggage check. My
first thought was that child had
thrown it from the car window, and |
started up to give information, but
there was no chld in my Car. passed
ahead into the next, but there were
only two children in that car and both
on the other side. | entered the sec
ond car ahead, but not a window was
up on either side. As had caught
sight of the check before it touched
the ground, it must have been flung
out within a cars length of where |
was sitting. The ditch was full Of
water ten feet away, and the idea had
probably been to throw the check into
the water There were only four peo
pie on that side of my car-one man
and three women. A glance assured
me that their windows were down and
that two of the women were mapping.
About midway on the car ahead was a
middle-aged man in seat by himself
on the right hand side. That was the
side the check had fallen from The
man seemed to be very much interested
in his incorporation much so, |
argued. Our stop was only for a
minute, and there was great deal Of
hustle outside. 1t wasn't exactly nat
ural that he should be totally oblvious
of the surroundings No matter if he
was in the habit Of passing over the
road daily, it was only natural that he
should at least glance out of the window
at the crowd on the platform or look
up at the faces of the half dozen pas
sengers entering the car.
"There's the man who threw that
check away" said to myself, after
Watching him bit. Baggage checks
are not used as pocket pieces. People
don't throw them away. A check
means piece of baggage. What was
his object in getting rid Of it9 His
window was down when | came in first,
Out mas ne naQ II open?
Three seats behind my suspect was
man with hard dry cough. As |
looked at him he came over to me and
petulantly said:
"Some folks ought to travel in cattle
cars instead of passenger coaches |
was mad enough for a minute to tackle
three men of his sizeW
"What's the matter?" naturally
: asked.
"Why, that idiot showed the window
up and let in rush of air and DUST
and | won't get over coughing for an
hour to come! If he hadn't put it
down when l yelled at him I'd have
been in his hair for sure"
found out that he had taken the
train that morning at Chester. He
was sure the other man had taken it
there After while l got good look
at my suspect. | put him down at 40
years of age. There was slight tinge
of gray to his hair, and he had black
eyes, heavy black eyebrows, and thin
cruel lips. As furtively watched him
Il saw his hand 60 up to his face every
now and then. That signifed that he
had been wearing chin whi3kers. In
'ninety7nins cases out Of one hundred a
manlwearing chin whiskers will stroke
them every two or three minutes when
: reading or talking. He will do the
; same thing with heavy moustache.
This man was clean shaven The skin
of his upper lip and chin was whittier
tsap the rest of his face. Those parts
had eestainly been protected from the
weather. His left side was toward me
when / esarqined him, and l discovered
two good marks TO remember On the
lobe of his left ear was small mole.
Across the knUckle OF the little finger
I, Of the left hand vas small scar, prob
ably the result of q cut with his own
pocket knife. Was | detective9 No.
Then why concern myself Simply
because am of an observing turn and
have natural leaning toward causes
and results. Soon after / began study
ing my man he seemed to fall into a
dose. This was only pretence on his
part. however, He adopted that
method to give me looking over and
discover if | were watching him. This
was the trick of guilty man. l went
back to my car to study the case, ant
the conclusion arrived at was about a:
follows:
Here is a passenger who filings the
check for his trunk out of the car win.
dow. If it was an estray check calling
for nothing, he would hand it to tn,
conductor to be returned to the bag
gage room or drop it or the floor
Without a check he will be put t.
much trouble to get his baggage. l
looks as if he desired to get rid Of tina
baggage. He did not act naturally a
we lay at the station. He suspected
was sizing him up. An honest mai
would not have given it a thought. H
had a heavy moustache and Chi
whskers up to twenty-four hours age
He looked much better with them or
and doubtless knew it, Why did h
sacrifice them7 But about the bag
gage. | think / can soon find out
that check represented anything in tn
baggage car.
I went forward into the smoker an