The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-02-11
craclssman's Cat's-Paw.

buildings at Woolford there is a ro8r
 containing 8 collection of curious lob
 Jects, none of which, perhaps would
 appeal to the tastes of an antiquarE/of
 a collector of bric-a-brac, but of which
 every separate specimen has some more
 or less remarkable history attached te
 it. I know the history of most of the
 remarkable objects collected together
 in our police museum, which to my
 mind is one of the most interesting
 show places to be found in the town.
 The fine set of burglars tools arranged
 on the table under the window belong
 ed to a noted swell mobsman who was
 caught red-handed by myself and an-
 other officer The revolver hanging
 against the clock over the fire place,
 and looking harmless enough in It's
 present position, is the very weapon
 with which famous criminal shot and
 killed an unfortunate constable who
 was endeavoring to apprehend him
 The knife that hangs near It.. But
 this is not catalogue of our collection,
 and I must proceed with my story.
 I have said that each of the various
 objects observed in our museum has
 some history attached to it. Some Of
 these histories are commonplace and
 ordinary; but others are more interest,"
 ing than many startling piece of fc-
 ton. They serve to show the wonder
 ful resource and ingenuity of the hap-
 itual criminal, and none more so than
 that which attaches to the little brown
 book which stands on the chimney
 piece between two pairs of dilapidated
 handcuffs. No one who notices 1t in
 a casual way would see anything re-
 markable about it. It is to all outward
 appearances, an ordinary copy of the
 "Pilgrinn's Progress" small enough in
 size to be carried about in the pocket,
 and apparently possessing no value Tn any way. Nevertheless, the possession
 of that pocket edition of Bunyan's inn mortal work was once worth large amount of money; and the lucky chance which threw 1t into my hands not only brought me handsome pe- cuniary reward but secured me my promotion to the rank of inspector.
 Ten years ago the town of Woolford
 was thrown into commotion one fine morning by news of a skillfully planned burglary. It was the early part of No yemJber and the newly elected mayor of woolford had celebrated his accession to civic power by giving grand ball at his private residence, just outside the town. He was an exceedingly veal thy man, and his wife was the fortunate possessor of very fine set of dia- monds. It was popularly understood that these were worth f1000O and popu- lar opinion in this respect was not far wrong. On the morning after the ball, however, the mayoress discovered that her diamonds were missing. Instead of locking them up when she retired to rest she had carelessly left them lying on her dressing table. When she awoke the diamonds had disappeared.
 Then followed a fine to-do. Three or four of us, supposed to be the cleverest and sharpest officers on the force, were put in charge of the matter and told to do our best Our best, however, re- suited in ignominious defeat. We fol- lowed the old methods, suspected the servants, examined their rooms and boxes, watched their movements, andtl finally confessed that they must all be completely exonerated. We invented | plausible 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 accom- plished fashion. After that there was no more to be done. The mayor offered | a very handsome reward for the re- covery of the missing jewels, and many mans mouth watered as he read the amount promised. But as there was not even clue to the thief, the pros pect of claiming the reward seemed very far away to every policeman.
 As soon as I heard of the burglary I made a guess-mentally of course-at the burglars name. It was Jimmy Timble. felt confident of it. I knew of no local criminal accomplished enough to carry out such daring 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 first per iod of incarceration, nor his second. Jimmy had been thief from boyhood, and those who knew him felt persuad- ed that nothing would make him give up his career of crime. It was this be- lief, coupled with my knowledge of J lIHHly $ IGluIu lO tWOOlLOTut IudI ludoe me suspect him of taking the diamonds.
 When Jimmy was not in prison, he worked as a bricklayer's paddy" and made his home at one of the big com mon lodging houses in a low part of the town. Two or three days after the robbery I went one evening towards this house, intending to have an interview with Jimmy and hear what he had to say for himself. By good fortune, I met him just outside the door and stopped him. He regard |, ed me calmly and with perfect equan- Imity. He was at all times a curious little man--dwarfish in stature, very ,. slightly deformed, and always full of 1, certain quaint assurance, mixed with | 3 sly demeanor, which was amusing to everybody. My interview with Jimmy threw no light whatever on the mys- -ery, as he pleaded ignorance of the l whole affair. If Jimmy had got the c he had done his work so a thoroughly that clue of any descrip- s ion of them was not yet discoverable. k And it was just that want of a clue t hat persuaded me of Jimmy's guilt. Il