The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1895-11-09
Ttig akTlRgn BURGLAR.
One of the Most Remarkable Incidents L.
Els yariegated Career.

One of the Host Remarkable Incidents IL
Els yariegated Career.
after I had gathered in what
could find III the dining room, " said the
retired burglar, tellir Of his experience
In house in western Massachusetts,
~ started for the parlor. This parloT
was just III 'front.' of the dining room,
and there were heavy curtains between.
pushed these curtains one side and
went in carefully, SO al not to mar the
furniture by kicking it, feeling along
for the table which l knew must be in
the center. l came to it presently and
found it very solid feeling, with sort
of molding or carving along the edge
had struck it on a side apparently,
and so 1 felt toward the dining room
until [ came to corner of the table.
and then felt along the end for the
next corner to get the Dimensions of it
struck the other corner so quick that il
made my hair raise right up. I knew
there was only one thing they build OF
such shape, and that's coffin.
81 turned my light ON it, and it was
big oak casket, one of the kind they
make now days, square and solid. and
1t had three silver handles on each side
I didn't dare look in, but l felt as
though I ought to have them haHdles.
The head was toward the front of the
house and the foot toward the dining
room. I set my lamp down and got my
screwdriver out of my bag and began
on one of the handles nearest the foot
suppose l must have felt little easier
after I'd got that one off and into the
bag. know Went around the end anu
then up the other side pretty prompt
getting 'em off srD0oth as could be, and
around the head and started down the
other side where I'd begun. l got the
handle off by the head on that side, and
then l went as the last handle, the one
In the middle. In turning the last
screw out of the handle dropped my
sorewdriver.
''It seemed to ne as though it made
more noise than an iron telegraph pole
dropping inside of an empty iron oil
tank. / just lay down and waited. |
didn't dare run. I expected a million
people would come pouring down the
stairs and from all around, and I just
waited, lying on the floor, but there
didn't anybody come. You know, the
fact was that dropping that sorewdriver
hadn't made noise enough to wake up d
mouse, but it seemed to me like the
greatest racket you ever heard, and it
scared me most to death. But when no.
body came l picked up the screwdriver
and in the notch of the screw again,
and I'd just got that handle of when ]
heard somebody say:
Don't you think you're orowdin "a
uere little, my friend, carrying away
them handles?' 1t was the dead man
sitting up and looking down at me.
suppose he'd been in an epiloptio trance
or something of that sort, and dropping
that sorewdriye1 had made just shock |
enough to start him into life again.
ST was so scared dropped the han.
Gle, but grabbed my bag-I suppose
instinct made me do that-and started |
out through the dining room again and
down cellar and out by the window ]
came in by. I didn't wait to see if any
body was coming this time.
81 got $117 Tor those five handles. II
seemed pity to lose the other one, bot
1t was always great satisfaction to me
20 think that ia woke the man ny -
New York Sun.