Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-01-17
AN ARTIST IN CRIME
BY RoDRIGUEs oTToLENGUI.
...ouof.. Conflict of E.vidence'' Wizard" "
Copyright, 1895, by G. P. Putnam's Sons.

Copyright, 1895, by G. P. Putnam's Sons.
CHAPTER !.
A GENTLEMAN THINKS HE CAN COMMIT A
CRIME AND ESCAPE DETECTION.
"Jack Barnes never gets left, you
bet."
"That was a close call, though" re-
piled the Pullman porter who had given
Mr.. Barnes helping hand in his des-
perate effort to board the midnight ex-
press as it rolled out Of Boston. Il
wouldn't t advise you to jump on moving
trains often"
"Thank you for your good advice and
for your assistance Here's quarter for
you. Show me to my section. lam near
ly dead, am so tired"
upper 10. Right this way, sir. tits
all ready for you to turn in. "
When Mr.. Barnes entered the coach,
no one was in sight. If there were other
passengers, they were abed. A few min
utes later he himself was patting two
little bags Of feathers and placing one
atop Of the other in a vain attempt to
make them serve as one pillow. He had
told the porter that he was tired, and
this was so true that he sho1ld have
fallen asleep quickly. Instead his brain
seemed specially active and sleep i'm
possible.
Mr.. Barnes-Jack Barnes. as he called
himself to the porter-was a detective,
and counted one Of the shrewdest in
New York, where he controlled pri-
vate agency established by himself. He
had Just completed what he considered
a most satisfactory piece of work. A
large robbery had been committed in
New York, and suspicion Of the stron-
gest nature had pointed in the direc-
ton Of a young man who had immedl-
ately been arrested. For ten days the
press of the country had been trying and
conyicting the suspect, during which
time Mr.. Barnes had quietly left the
metropolis. Twelve hours before we met
him those who read the papers over their
toast had been amazed to learn that the
suspect was innocent and that the real
criminal had been apprehended by the
keen witted Jack Barnes. What was bet
ter, he had recovered the lost funds,
amounting to $50, 1000.
He had had a long chase after his
man, whom he had shadowed from city
to city and watched day and night, ac-
tuated to this course by slight clew IN
which he had placed his faith. Now,
his man fast in a Boston prison. he was
on his way to New York for requisition
papers AS he had said, he was tired,
yet despite his need of complete rest bis
thoughts persisted in rehearsing all the
intricate details of the reasoning which
had at last led him to the solution OF
the mystery. AS he lay in his upper
berth awake these words reached his
ears:
IF I knew that man Barnes was aft
or me, should simply surrender.
This promised to be the beginning OF
an entertaining conversation, and as he
could not sleep Mr.. Barnes prepared to
listen. Extensive experience as detect
i've had made him long ago forget the
philosophic arguments for and against
eavesdropping. The voice which had at
tracted him was low, but his ears were
keen. He located it as coming from the
section next ahead Of his, No. 8. A Sec
ond voice replied:
II have no doubt that you would.
But I wouldn't. You overestimate the
ability of the modern detective.
should actually enjoy being bounded by
one Of them. 1t would be SO much pleas
ure, and, I think SO easy, to elude him. "
The last speaker possessed voice
which was musical, and he articulated
distinctly, though he scarcely ventured
above loud whisper. Mr.. Barnes eau
tiously raised his head, arranging his
pillows so that his ear would be near
the partition. Fortunately the two men
next to him had taken the whole Sec
ton, and the upper berth had been al
lowed to remain closed. Mr.. Barnes
now found that he could readily follow
the conversation, which continued thus
"Rut see how that Barnes tracked
this Pettingill day and night until he
had trapped him. Just as the fellow
supposed himself safe he was arrested.
You must admit that was clever work. "
"Oh, yes, clever enough in its way,
but there was nothing specially artistic
about it. Not that the detective was tc
blame. 1t was the fault of the criminal
There was no chance for the artistic. y
Yet Mr.. Barnes had used that very ad'
jective to himself in commenting upon
his conduct of this case. The man con-
tinued: 1.-The crime itself was inartis'
tic. Pettingill bungled, Barnes was
shrewd enough to detect the flaw, and
with his experience and skill in sucE
cases the end was inevitable
lit seems to me either that you have
not read the full account of the case ol
else you do not appreciate the work o1
the detective. Why, all the clew he had
was button.
"Ah! Only button, but such but
ton! That is where I say that the crimi
nal was inartistic. He should not have
lost that button.
sit was an accident, suppose, anc
one against which he could not have