St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1894-11-17

| been fooling the police Of New York
| for the last three months. I've got re-
liable information, and with your as
sistance believe shall have him.
Butt was going to tell him I
knew nothing about thief-takinR. and
that / was afraid ! would only spoil
the affair, when he stopped me-.
No butts he said; 4 know what I
am about. You will be new to him.
lie knows all the headquarter detec-
tives in the city, but he won't know
you. There's big reward. IT We
catch him I'll come down hand
somely. Waiter. some more beer.
81 drank his health, listened, while
he went on talking by the yard, and
telling me what should have to do.
| "He told me that the man he in
tended to catch was going to commit
burglary at a house on Washing ton
Heights-who informed him he didn't
say, but he said he knew it-and that
! he meant to nab him in the very act.
The house stood in piece of ground
inclosed by low rail fence, and my
part Of the performance was to watch
for the burglar, and should he by any
means give the detective the slip. 70
chase and collar him if I could.
"'But s'pose.' l said, as soon as I
could get a word in. 's'pose . regular
policeman comes along and catches
sight o. me in those grounds at mid
night?'
".Well,' the little gent replied.
laughing, you've only to give the po-
lice signal, three loud whistles, and
tell them Detective Dawker has en-
gagged you
II was rather doubtful even then,
but the little gents quick tongue soon
smoothed 1t over, and agreed to 60 in
for a share of the reward.
"We left the saloon together and
parted just outside. promising to meet
at the house he had described to me,
on Washington Heights. at twelve
o'clock the same night
| He cautioned me again not to
breathe a word about the arrange
when he met me at night he would be
disguised.
Twelve o'clock came. l reached
the meeting place on time. and found
the detective waiting for me.
He was dressed In clothes some
| thing like my own, and looked the
flash gentleman no longer.
He seemed rather impatient, and
hastily pulled me into the garden and
into part of it where thick shrubs
grew, making q capital hiding-place,
from which you could look up and
down the street quite plainly without
being visible yourself.
"'Now, mind he said, quickly, If
you see the burglar run, chase him; II
a policeman comes. give three loud
| whistles. l must be of, or shall
lose my chance. shall be back in an
hour. If l want assistance l will give
you the three Whistles
with these parting words tho man
disappeared.
81 stood waiting there for quite half
an hour, / should think, when heard
on the still night air the heavy tramp
Of policeman.
He was coming my way, fancied,
and / was right.
"Slowly he drew nearer and nearer,
until he stopped right abreast O. the
very. place where l was hiding, close
to the garden gate.
He put his hand and tried the gate
fastening. 1t opened; he came inside
and flashed his lantern full on the very
bush behind which was standin'.
Quick IS possible gave three very
loud, shrill whistles, but instead OF
the policeman being awed by the
BY the throat. in about half = minute
nearly choking me, and stopping me
from explaining why was there.
Finding didn't resist, he loosened
his hold and questioned me.
Il told him plump and plain that De
tective Dawker had engaged me-that
l was doing to my duty and that he
had not better spoil our game.
He only gripped my arm the tight
er and laughed, telling me not to try
It on him. and blew his whistle.
I'm . few minutes another officer
arrived, and between the two of 'em,
what, with their laughing and their
questions, had . lively time of It.
This was another Of that Dawker's
schemes, they said. and was put
down as an accomplice. trying on the
innocent humbug' with 'cm.
1T was In vain declared my inno-
cence of any scheme besides that for
the capture Of notorious burglar.
ut was no go. Twas taken to the
nearest police station and held on sus.
picion.
1.-The next morning. when brought
before the police justice, 1 learned, &c
my great surprise, that the man ,