Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-03-02
THE cRacksDlaN's ca1sPaW.
A DETECTIVES STORY.

WuU tnTOWH lUtO COHlI1OtlOH Onc Huc
morning By news Of skillfully
planned burglary. 1t was the early
part of November, aud the newly
elected mayor Of Woolford had cele.
brated his accession to civic power
by giving ball ut his private resi-
dence, Just outside the town. lie
was an exceedingly wealthy man,
and his wife was tho fortunate pos
SCISSOR OF u very enc set Of diamonds.
1t was popularity understood that
these were worth ut least G1O,-
600, and popular opinion in this
respect wns not far wrong. On
the morning after the ball, however,
the mayorcss discovered that her
diamonds were missing. Instead Of
locking them up when she retired TO
rest she had carelcssly left them
lying on her dressing table. When
she woke tho diamonds had disap-
peared.
Then followed 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, resulted In ignomin-
ious defeat. We followed the old
methods-suspected tho servants,
examined their rooms and boxes,
watched their movements, and finally
confessed that they must oil DO COM
pletely exonerated. We invented
plausible theories and could put
none OF them into practice. In the
end wo concluded that the diamonds
had been stolen by an experienced
burglar, who must have been very we'll
acquainted with the house, and who
had succeeded In doing his work In
the most accomplished fashion, Al.
ter that there was no moro to DO
done. Tho mayor offered q very
handsome reward for the recovery OF
the missing jewels, and many man 8
mouth watarcd as he read the
amount promised. But as there was
not even Glow to tho thief the
prospect OF claiming the reward
seemed very fur away to every police.
man.
As soon as I heard OF tho burglary
made guess-mcntally, OF course
at the burglars name. 1t was Jimmy
Timble. ! felt confident OF 1t.
knew Of no local criminal accom-
plished enough to carry out 80 daring
q theft except Jimmy. And Jimmy
had Just como home from Portland,
where he had speDt nearly six years
In penal servltude. That was not
his first period OF incarceration. nor
his second. Jimmy had been o thief
from boyhood. and those who knew
him felt persuaded that nothing
would make him give up his career OF
crime. 1t was this belief, coupled
with my knowledge Of Jimmy's re-
turn to Woolford, that made mo sus-
pect him OF taking the diamonds.
When Jimmy was not In prison
he worked as bricklayer's paddy"
and made his home at one OF tho big
common lodging houses In q low part
OF the town. Two or three days AZ
ter the diamond robbery l went one
evening toward this house. intend.
ing to have an interview with Jimmy
and hear what hc had to say for
himself. By good fortune ] met him
just outside the door and stopped
him. Hc regarded me calmly and
with perfect cquani.nity. lie was
at all times a curious little man
dwarfsh in stature, very slightly de.
formed, and always full OF u certain
quaint assurance, mixed with sly
demeanor which was amusing to
everybody. My interview with Jimmy
threw no light whatever on the mys'
terry, as he pleaded ignorance Of the
whole affair. II Jimmy had got the
diamonds he had done his work sc
thoroughly that clew of any dc.
scriptlon was not yet discoverable
And 1t was just that want OF clew
that persuaded me CT Jimmy's guilt
! knew OF no man who could have
done the work so thoroughly.
During the next two or three days
! thought matters over from nj
points of view, but ! could fine
nothing to warrant me I'm taking
steps against Jimmy Timble.
wondered II he had been associated
with others in the burglary. More
than once he had worked in company
with his brother, Jerry Timble; bu
it was impossible for him to have
had any help from Jerry on this oc
casion, for the simple reason tina
the unfortunate Jerry was spending
twelve months in the county Jail fo
stealing. And it appeared to me
upon considering the case still more
deeply, that, it being an affair O
great magnitude, Jimmy Timbl'
would prefer to work 1t singlehanded
The secret, therefore, rested Will
him, and there was nothing bu
patience to be exercised.
Asno trace Of the diamonds coult
be found we thought it well to keel
a watch on two or three suspicious
characters in the town, with view
to discovering tho whereabouts of thu
valuables. 1t seemed to rs that tn
thief or thieves must have planted thu
Jewels in some safe spot and waitet
until the agitation had blown owe
before removing them. Thus 1t CAM
about that Jimmy Timble's move
ments were watched very jealousy
His goings out and his comings II