The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-03
ALMOST A CRACKSMAN'S CATSPAW,
From Chambers. Journal


,-4--s- hric. but Of which every separate
--e-irnen has some more or less remarla-
a.. history attached to it, know the
,..-,-v Of most Of the remarkable objects
-.rs-.ed together in our police museum.
-s,,b TO my mind is one Of the most in
..-sz-inr. show places to be found in the
.,vr The fine set of burglars tools ar
-,r7a5 on the table under the window
..,o7esd 10 a noted swel-mobsman who
-s- caught red-handed by myself ana
.,,,ber oficer. The revolver hanging
.-,ir=r the clock over the fireplace. and
,.otine harmless enough in its present
,,s.-ion. is the very weapon with which
. famous criminal shot and killed an un-
.,--unste constable who Vas endeavoring
=, s,nrehend him. The knife which hangs
near if-but this is not a catalogue of our
,ousction. and 1 must proceed with my
story.
1bsve said that each of the various OBJ
,..ts preserved in our museum has some
history attached to it. Some of these histo-
-,.s are more commonplace and ordinary.
,n- others are more interesting than
many startling piece of fiction. They
serve 10 show the wonderful resource and
ingenuity of the habitual criminal, and
nome more so than that which attaches to
the little brown book which stands on the
chimney piece between two pairs of dilapi-
dated handouts. No one who notices it in
,rasual way would see anything remarka-
bIs about it, It is, to all outward appear
ance. an ordinary copy of the Pilgrims
Progress" small enough in size to be
carried about in the pocket and appar-
entity possessing no value in anyway.
Nevertheless. the possession of
that pocket edition of Bunyon's
immortal work was once worth
. large amount of money; and the lucky
chance which threw it into my hands
not only brought me a handsome pecun-
tsry reward. but secured me my pro-
motion to the rank of inspector.
Ten years ago the town of Woolford
was thrown into connection one fine morn
inz by news of a skillfully planned bur
gary 1t was the early part Of November,
and the newly-elected mayor Of Wool
ford had celebrated his accession to civic
uover by giving a grand ball at his pri-
,ste residence, just outside the town.
He was an exceedingly wealthy man, and
his wife was the fortunate pOssessor of
very fine set of diamonds. 1t was pop
ularly understood that these were worth
at least 10000. and popular opinion in
this respect was not far wrong. on the
morning after the ball, however, the may
Dress discovered that her diamonds were
missing Instead of locking them mp
when she retired to rest. she had care
lessly left them lying on her dressing
table When she woke the diamonds had
disappeared
Then followed a fine to-do. Three or
four of us supposed to be the cleverest
and sharpest officers in the force. were
pu n charge of the matter and told to
do our best. our best, however, resulted
in ignominious defeat, We followed the
Old methods-suspected the servants. eX-
ahmed their rooms and boxes, watched
their movements, and finally confessed
thai they must all be eXhonorated- We
Invented plaugbie theories, and could
put none of them into practice. In the
end. We concluded that the diamonds had
been stolen by an experienced burglar,
who must have been very well acquainted
With the house. and who had succeeded
IN doing his work in the most accomplish
Cd fashion After that there was no
more to be done The mayor offered very
handsome reward for the recovery OF
the missing jewels, and many mans
mouth watered as he read the amount
promised But as there was not even
cew TO the thief. the prospect OF claim
Ing the reward seemed very far away
to every policeman.
As soon as I heard of the burglary l
made a guess mentally of course-at the
burglars name. 1t was Jimmy Timble. 1
felt confident of il. ] knew of no local
criminal accomplished enough to carry
out so daring a theft except Jimmy. And
Jimmy had Just come home from Portland,
where he had spent nearly six years IN
penal servitude. That was not his hrst
period of Incarceration, nor his second
Jimmy had been a thief from boyhood,
and those who knew him felt persuaded
that nothing would make him give up his
career of crime It was this bellef,
couped with my knowledge of Jimmy
return to Woolford, that made me sus-
peot him off taking the diamonds
When Jimmy was not in prison, ne
worked as a bricklayer's PADDY. ana
made his home at one of the big common
lodging houses in q low part of the town
Two or three days after the diamond ron
bery. I went one evening toward this
house intending to have an interview win
jimmy and hear what he had TO say Tor
himself BY good fortune / met him just
outside the door and stopped him he
regarded me calmly and with perfect equa-
nmity He was at all times a curious
mule mani -dwarfish in stature. very
sAghtly deformed. and always full OF
certain quaint assurance, mixed with
sly demeanor which was amusing to eV-
ayoody. Ny interview with Jimmy threw
no light whatever on the mystery. as
n pleaded ignorance of the whole affair.
Il Jimmy had got the diamonds he had
-9Ae his work so thoroughly that clew
u any description was not yet discover
aos. And it was just that want of clew
sldt persuaded me of Jimmy's guilt. l
S.is" OF no other man who could have
1one the work so thoroughly.
Durlng the next two or three days I
aought matters over from all points of
new but l could find nothing to warrant
4S ~ taking steps against Jimmy Timhle.
Tonaered if he had been associated with
liSIs IN the burglary. More than once
H9u worked in company with his BROTH
g. Jerry Timble but it was impossible
~ nm to have had any help from jerry
lhls occasion. for the simple reason
~, me unfortunate Jerry was spending
months in the. county Jail for steal
M, - =. -iu II appeared to me, upon consider
bs7 eHe case still more deeply, that. it
Ti,~S, an affair of great magnitude, Jimmy
80 would prefer to work il single
o5.l WEI The secret. therefore, rested
ii