The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-26
A NEW YORK MYSTERY
What a Clever. Alert Man Can Accom-.
plish I'm the Way Of Mystifying His
Friends and the Public
New York Letter in St. Louis Globe-Dem-

ONtoAs
People who commit a crime and try to
escape detection, or those who attempt
to disappear for any reason, usually make
discovery easy by lodging and hiding too
much" said a ~well-known Central Office
detective Willie discussing a recent case Of
mysterious disappearance.
Several years ago / was convinced by
the startling developments i'm the Stall
worth mystery that it is comparatively an
easy matter for a man fairly we'll known
to lead a double life. change his name and
identity or disappear altogether in a big
city like New York. In fact, it frequently
happens that a man who has lived a dual
life for years is discovered and exposed
by accident.
But the story of the Stallworth mystery
will show what a clever man can accom-
plish in the way of mystifying his friends
and the public.
Il was detailed to investigate a robbery
that had occurred in a private house up
town. The bedroom of the lady of the
house, which was situated at the rear of
the second floor, had been entered and a
quantity Of valuable jewels stolen. The
family were away at the time. and the bur-
glar had gained entrance through the win
dow of the room, showing that a ladder
had been used. The window had been fas-
tened with a catch on the inside. The bur-
glar broke a pane of glass, put his hand
through and unfastened this catch so the
window could be easily raised. A. light lad
der ten feet long / saw would have enabled
the burglar to reach the window from the
ground
The burglar evidently knew just where
q - Gn1 ~ r1~-Alz -. ~ l@... l2v-2 80
evidence of having been disturbed None of
the servants knew where the jewels were
kept. so they were not suspected. 1t was
aminations of the house l concluded that
the burglar would have TO be traced
through the pawn shops.
Il had just left the scene of the robbery
after my third visit. and was standing on
a nearby street corner when a well-dressed
man of middle age came Up and spoke to
me pleasantly. / did not recognize him.
and was about TO turn away when he re-
marked that the robbery was quite a mys-
FERROUS affair.
What do you know about it, asked,
not liking his impertinence.
Very little" -he replied, pleasantly. Il
live near by. and read it all in the news
papers. / recognized you as a Central Of
AS the man spoke, he handed me mis-
card. which read: Edgar Stallworth, At
torney at Law
AN AMATEUR DETECTIVE.
II had never heard of the mn. but some
how he interested me. First of all, he had
what / call double eyes. That Is, there was
ar expression in his eyes that is hard to
describe, but when looking straight at me
he seemed to ave a second pair of optics
that looked through and beyond ne in a
mysterious way. He talked further CT the
robbery, and remarked that men who COM
mitted a crime, no matter how shrewd and
cautious, almost invariably left some tam
gible clew behind them. l told him the
man who committed this robbery had not
done so.
ON that proposition we differed, and he
proposed that l take him to the house with
me- ana am ,es so MN look at the room; ao,o,
tlve.' he said, in explanation of his request.
Then be went on to tell me that he had
done much detective work as a part of mis-
law business. and was quite an enthusiast
on theories of crime and eth OF GRIM
inals. By this time / had classed the fell
low as a harmless crank. but he was a
= The upshot of ii all was that l took him
back to the house and showed him the
room where the robbery occurred. He first
looked at the bureau drawer hat had been
broken open. That finished, he shook his
head and went over to the window through
which the burglar had entered. l was
began TO examine the window I saw him
smile in a satisfied way.
N point is settled he suddenly ex-
What is that?' 1 asked.
Tile robbery was committed by a
How do you know?,
Because he did not break the glass.
he used a putty knife to remove the pane
and then dropped the glass to the ground.
only a Giazier would have opened the win
II had to confess that all of the broken
glass was found in the yard; none in the
room.
Here is another point: a better clew.
perhaps. The putty knife used had a gan
In the blade near the point. Here you can
see where the putty was cut and at inter
ing the gap I'm the knife blade
i ooked for myself and saw that he
was right.
Now, this robbery was nv a
workman who did some job of work in the
house at one time or another. and by ac-
were kept. He was accmstomed p1 to STANDS stands
ing or a ladder at his work. So he used
a ladder and came in through the window.
II was easier for him than breaking locks
on doors. He opened the window. as a man
I'm his trade would open it, and went to the
right place to find what he was after
II felt somewhat chagrfned, but proceeded
to inquire If a glazier had been at work
In the house recently. l was told that one
nsd put IN some new glass in the windows
some three months before.
That's our man. said Stallworth. but
i do not understand why he waited 80 long
II learned the name OF the contractor
who had the job. and through him got the
name of his employe who did the work.
We went to the room Of the fellow while
he was out, searched IL and found the
stolen jewels. The fellow was arrested
later.
My amateur assistant did not appear
elated over our success, and allowed me TO
take all the credit of the capture.
Clumsy fool: all of them are was his
only remark when he found that his theory
was the right one.
FOUND HIM INTERESTING.
That was the way / made the acauain-
lance of Edgar Stallworth. | was inter-
ested in the man from the start. and he
took quite a fancy to me. He probably
would not have done so If he had known
the real reason for my interest I'm him.
From the first / had a conviction that the
was an interesting living mystery,
and that some day 1 would learn his
secret. / did not exactly suspect him of
being a criminal. but 1 believed that he
would sooner or later develop a mania for
crime that would cause him to
try his own hand at puzzling the police and
the public.
Il found that he had a fair law practice
enjoyed an excellent reputation among
of the profession. But of his
private life l learned nothing. l had
shadow him and learn his habits. but I
made some inquiries and could find no
one who even knew where he lived. Only
his office address was in the directory.
I'VE remained friends for several years,
and he frequently assisted me in my work
at times with great success. He possessed
in a high degree a faculty for solving the
actions of criminals and getting at the