The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-03-15
auainted and had a truly delightful chat

quainted and had truly delightful chat
principally about the weather, though
for the fellow was mighty careful to
avoid other topics.
"When we reached New York found
it necessary to attend to some business,
which concerned him rather more than
he thought, so shaking hands good
bye and expressing a hope to become
better acquainted, left him watched
by my town constables while sought
my smarter city detectives and put
them onto him.
His drayman was on hand waiting
near the baggageroom. AS soon us
he got the trunk on his cart he drove
off ways my smoking friend was
neatly 'collared and cuffed' and
marched in an opposite direction be-
tween two valiant policemen. Then the
detectives and myself took a cab and
started after the trunk
Through streets becoming dirt1er and
wickeder> we followed, without attract
| ing suspicion from the drayman, until
he stopped before an apparently unOc-
cupied house and prepared~to unload.
| Ere he could do so one detective
jumped on his cart, and without speak
|
other, aided by me, grabbed the fell
low and prevented him from making
an outcry to alarm his pal in the trunk.
Immediately several policemen who I
didn't know were following behind Sud-
| denly appeared and burst into the
house which turned out to be a fence
for the thieves
Leaving our surprised drayman in
charge of some of the officers we re-
seated ourselves in the cab and again
followed the trunk to a police station
| house. into which it was carried and
placed in front Of the captains desk
on the floor
"Then silently we awaited results.
It was dusk, and as no lights were yet
burning to let our game see where
he was we rightly supposed he would
think himself safe at home and act
accordingly. Prepared to turn on the
gas full blaze when he did so, we
watched tho trunk. For perhaps fifteen
anxious nlis4utes 1t seemed lifeless. Then
we heard = movement inside, heard {;
bolt drawn and saw the lid slowly rise
and a head cautiously appear. Up
went the gas and over went the trunk S
lid, pulled by an armed officer. Al
first the head, or it's face rather, wore
a happy, triumphant, broad grin; ther
as things didn't look familiar it's eyes
opened wider in an effort to understand
matters, while the grin faded away
like the rainbow. Then, as the facts
of the case forced themselves on the
burglars startled brain the poor fel
lows hair Strengthened, his eyes bulget
out like a Holsters aud the astonish
ment and terror depicted on his youth
full but e4il features beat acting al
hollow.
"Come out Of that, you scamp!
shouted the police captain as soon as
an account of yourself. What's thu
name Of this particular racket, any
how?'
: 1.-THE burglar tried to laugh also, bu
it was dismal failure. oh, that:
all right he grinned, 7 took yez fol
the conductor. That's why I wa!
scared. Yer see, I've been beating tn
, railroad, boss. faint every chap xii
git ahead Of old Vanderbilt and Chaun
cey Dee-pue But don't tell 'em, kor
} the line and the wimmin might object
Ha, ha, ha! Say, purity slick trick
wasn't it?
l ''The burglars bluff was good, bu
it didn't work for cent.
t "'What yer doing with those watche
in the trunk? asked a policeman q
he fished them out after the fellow ha(
painfully managed to crawl out him
J self.
"'Seein' if the road runs on time
boss The blamed train was ten min
utes late and Pm goin' to report il
l Say, yer hain't got a swaller of whislz,
? yer could lend a tired traveller, hey
f Couldn't get at the water cooler, ye
7 know
"'Well, you'll have no trouble gel
S ting at the "cOoler' now. Lock hir
L up, sergean. Well give him anothe
: free trip tomorrow
i "Off to the cell they took the wretch
y and then we examined his trunk.
K was padded inside, so that being tosse
g about by baggage-smashers couldn
d hurt. There were pockets made t
button in the lining, but only coup]
0 were filled with his plumber. Som
a empty TASKS and crumbs of food W
s found. In the bottom and sides wei
II ventilating and peepholes. A ma
might live a week in that trunk, thin]
! if his provisions held OUT
r In a week or so I received a motto
II to appear in a New York court to civ
IL my testimony and identify the thing
s stolen at my own home, most of whiC
n we recovered. I saw the trunk agai
and it's occupant, but I guess he kne
y me better than I did him.
CRUSHED THE INSURANC