The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1894-07-06
miscellaneous.
A BOLD BURGLAR.

When was engaged in my profession
down south some years ago, I was called on
to defend a young man whom will call
Jake, who was arrested for burglary. He
was only 49, good looking and exceedingly
bright. According to his story, which
found was true, he was left an orphan at
an early age and was brought up by his
grandmother, who kept a small store in "a
country town in Pennsylvania. While he
was reading with a Presbyterian clergy
man preparatory to his entering college,
he became disguised with his mode of life
and started off to look for adventures. He
wandered away on foot, and his money
was soon spent, and he found himself one
night moneyless and houseless and al
most in rags. He came across a planta-
ton, and the lights in the great house
shone out bright and cheerful. He turned
up a narrow path and soon found himself
with only narrow coppice between him
and the house. He crept through the cop
pice and saw that a large company thronged
the big dwelling and were evidently hav
ing a good time. The parlors were crowd
ed and he saw that preparations had been
made for private theatricals. Keeping in
the shadow. he passed round to the side of
the house and saw a window in the second
floor brightly lighted. The sash was open,
and a young man was inside, evidently
putting on dress for some part M play.
Presently the light was turned down, and
the young man disappeared from the room.
After time Jake went cautiously toward
the house and had look at the situation
of the window. Walking round to the
rear, he came across ladder, which he
brought and placed SO as to enable him to
reach the window. He assembled the lad
der, and after satisfying himself that all
was clear entered the room.
On the bed lay full dress suit, no
doubt laid aside by the recent occupant,
and handsome gold watch and chain at
tached to the vest. Patent leather shoes
lay on the floor. On the dressing table
was pocketbook containing over $500 in
bills, and diamond ring and pin lay near
by. In valisc lying open on chair were
various articles of clothing. He threw off
his brogues and put on the patent feathers.
Then he drew on the trousers which were
lying ON the bed. His next act was to put
ON a shirt taken from the valise, a collar
and necktie. He arrayed himself in the
vest and dress coa5 and took a view OF
himself in the large glass. He unlocked
the door, walked out boldly into the cor
ridor and turned toward the capacious
stairway. In the hall below gayly dressed
people were walking around. Presently
a bell rang, and these persons moved to-
ward the parlors, into which they crowded.
Jake calmly walked down stairs to ap-
proach the door of the parlors. After
standing for a few minutes gazing on the
scene he went toward the rack where hats
and overcoats were hanging. Selecting
hat which he thought would fit him, he
took it from the rack and placed it on his
head. 1t fitted well. At the moment he
was selecting an overcoat servant ap-
preached and offered to help him. He put
on the coat, with the aid of the servant,
and saying, am just going for stroll, "
he walked out of the door and away. He
knew that there was "a railroad station not
far away, for he had seen the depot as he
came along, and he turned his steps
thitherward.
On reaching it he found that train
was due, and after asking the porter few
questions he took ticket for junction
go miles away The train came in Il few
minutes later, and he got on board and
was soon steaming away. In the pocket
CARS, one of which he lit. On reaching
the junction a train was waiting, into
which he got and was whirled away, he
cared not whittier.
At daylight the train stopped for quar-
ter of an hour. The young man, who had
purposely dropped his hat while looking
out the car window, as the name on the
hat might give him away, asked the con-
ductor where he could get another hat.
There was a store opposite the station, and
to that the conductor directed him, and
there he got soft felt hat. Then he got
something to cat and went off with the
train. OF course l could tell you just
where Jake stopped, but that's not neces-
sary. By dusk he had reached a populous
city, and there he parted with his over
coat and his dress cont and got new ones
In their places. He went to u hotel and
had good feed and treated himself to
bottle of wine.
He was too restless to stay there all
night, and so he took q train north, and
in due time reached New York. He bought
some things ncedful and put them in
valise. After seeing the town he deter
mined to visit his old home, and you may
be sure his old grandmother was surprised
to see him. It was dusk when he arrived,
and he invented story to account for his
absence and improved appearance. The
old lady was suspicious and told him her
mind, and he grew alarmed, fearing that
she might do something to endanger his
safety. After she was fast asleep he left
the house, went to the railroad station
mile away and took train for Ohio.
Now comes the remarkable part of the
story. 1t looks like an invention, but it is
every word true. Jake reached the place
to which he had taken his ticket next day
and staid there for few hours. Late in
the afternoon he resolved to go farther
west and went to the station. Many per-
sons We're waiting, as it was a junction
and several trains were expected. A series
of whistles rang out, and an engine and
tender appeared in a cutting approaching
at a rapid rate. As the engine passed
there was a loud report, and something
shot up into the air. 1t turned out to be
broken nut. II descended with terrific
force and injured passenger on the plat
form of the station. His son and daugh-
ter, who were accompanying him home,
rushed to the spot, and among the first to
render aid was Jake. A doctor attended
to the injured man. and he was removed to
a hotel near by. The son had been atten-
lively observing JAKE Ior some tlme, anu
just as the wounded man was carried
away his son said to Jake:
Twill you be good enough to tell me the
timer"
The young fellow drew out the watch
which he had stolen and told the time.
The son turned aside and spoke to an Off
cial, and presently both came up to Jake,
accompanied by another man. This per-
SON." said the son, has in his possession
watch and chain stolen from me at such
time and place And he also wears a dia-
mond pin taken at the same time re-
10, h LrrahaxsrHo