The Lamar register., 1895-06-15


ticles OF dust in the folds OF an nin-
brella are all eloquent TO this oosei ' M
seeker after truth as revealing unles'
places and occurrences in which people
may have been engaged. There Is 4
whole literature on the muds Of New
York and vicinity. their color and con-
sistsncy and the various degrees OF at
mospherlc moisture under which they
will be reduced to a fuid state, WINE
toothpicka and matches as character
lAtics OF various restaurants ana loeaii-
ties are full OF meaning. says Ne"
York exchange. Now II appears. oy
what the amateur Sherlock Holmes has
been revealing in moment OF conn
denee. that the dead walls Of New York
stoops OF houses basement entrances
and area ratewAys are the sign-posts
OF the criminal elassos, and that what
look like the rude scrawiinss or boys
are in reality the secret symbols by
which burglars communicate With each
other Chalk marks under the edge
OF one Of your front steps may mean
that your house has been spotted and
viii be broken into on certain date.
A rude drawing on the area ratings
may 10 the enlightened eye Of the IN
itiatsd mean. This man has burg
lar alarm on bis Recond-siory windows
and keeps a revolver under his pillcw,
but the silver Is In the buffers pantry
on the FIRST door and the house may be
entered through the second basement
window. where the latch Is broken
Who knows but that Carney. the tramp
who seemingly through ignorance wan
dered into Mrs. AstOr's house and went
TO sleep in one OF the servants rooms.
was In reality directed through some
such message as this pictured on the
Astor fenee4 The fraternity which has
developed this sign language to such a
high degree OF perfection show cousid-
cradle ingenuity In It's desiEn, but no
attempt Is made at accuracy Of draw
ing. as that would attract attention.
The siEn-pietures OF the burglars
are made &c look as much like
the rude scrawls Of school-boys as
possible. From the notebook OF the
amateur Sherlock Holmes some OF these
burglars sign-pictures are herewith
produced. II win be seen that they
convey accurate information about the
interior arrangements OF the houses,
which could only be obtained either
through a spy In the guise OF a beggar.
who had gained entrance or through
some OF the servants. Three figures
were found scrawled on the gateway OF
one house. The Information thus pic
torially conveyed was 10 the effect that
the house was tenanted by a lady. one
woman servant and a boy page. That
he was a hoy page was indicated by
buttons on his coat. and the servant was
indicated by short skirt, dotted TO
resemble a print dress. Another pic
ture in the notebook of the amateur
Sherlock Holmes was more easily de-
clphered. as 1t showed merely fierce
bulldog guarding the house. a warning
to all members of the fraternity. The
next sign, taken from house In the
suburbs, was more mysterious and
complicated, but upon study it finally
resolved itself into the announcement
that the man who lived there went out
to business at 9 in the morning and re-
turned at 8 in the evening.
Another picture gathered by the am
ateur Sherlock Holmes during his
painstaking Investigation of this sub
ject showed accurate information, as
was subsequently discovered unon the