The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1894-07-27

unellS became 80 alarming as to cause
them to complain to the police when
they returned.
81 was so well satisfied after n short
preliminary examination of the house
and surroundings, that the thief was
inside and not outside, that I devoted
all my time to Watching and cross-ex-
aiming the servants. l had no diff
Guilty with any except the nurse. She
was very uppish and short, and acted
as though she considered my questions
insulting. In this attitude she was
supported by her employers, who said
that there was no reason in the world
for suspecting her, while they were
not so certain of the other servants
The latter, however, were so direct
and frank in their replies to all my
questions that became convinced
that they were innocent. 1 therefore
turned my attention to the nurse, and
watched her whenever 1 went to the
house. Although could get no evil
dence against her, I became thorough
ly convinced that she was the thief.
Try as 1 would, however, l could not
find anything to support my belief
Finally, my ardor led me into formally
arresting her, although her master and
mistress protested against my doing
so. 1 took her before a police Justice
sitting at Yorkville. Now, 1 had
known this justice for a number of
years, and, as a matter of fact, it was
through his influence that 1 had Sc.
cured my place on the force. He had
always treated me like a son, and
was therefore very much amazed and
put back at his conduct on this occa-
sion.
[ had no sooner arranged the
woman and started to explain my
charge against her than he became
very indifferent, and said sharply:
"You have made mistake, man. 1
know that this woman is not guilty.
Why, she was employed in my own
family for number of years, and l
know her to be as honest woman as
ever breathed. You had no right to
arrest her, and if she brings suit
against you I will have to testify in
her favor. Where is your evidence
against her?"
81 still felt confident that I was
right, and SO braced up and said to
the Judge:
"T will get the evidence if you will
remand her.
"I won't do it, said the Judge,
very hotly. 4 will discharge her.
elf you do, said l, getting little
excited, too, Il will rearrest her.
Ny manner must have impressed
him, for he finally did remand her,
although very unwillingly. worked
all that night trying to get some clue,
aud visited forty or fly pawn shops in
the hope of finding the missing arti-
Giles. Still l was unable to get a sin
gle bit of evidence. The next day,
when 1 was taking her to court, 1 no.
ticed that she carried pocketbook in
her hand which had escaped my OBJ
servation when she was searched in
the police station. l asked her to let
me see it, and she appeared unwilling
to do so. took it from her and ex-
amined it carefully. There was moth
ing in it but few dollars in money.
1 watched her closely while | went
over the pocketbook a second time.
l saw that she was watching me out OF
the corners of her eyes. That con.
Yinced me that there was some story
which that pocketbook would tell if
only could get at it. Of course 1 had
no right to destroy her property, but
again my feeling that she was guilty
and that must prove her so over.
powered my sense of discretion, anG
I began to rip the pocketbook apart
Finally 1 came across a pawn ticket
which had been slipped in through {
slit in the outside cover, which haG
then been pasted down so that it was
not noticeable.
"The woman didn't seem alarmed