The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-05-30
THE LUCKY HORSE SHOE.


IL Detective Sergeant tOllle mad arrived
sooner he might have been able to discover
a workable clew, he thought, but when he
was called in the burglary was three days
old. 1t was only after the local police had
done their best and failed that they applied
to Scotland Yard for help, and that the
clever detective sergeant was sent to
Bourgeoisville.
By that time the local police under the
able direction of Inspector Doodle, had
succeeded pretty well in obliterating every
thing which might have served as clew
to the sergeant. Enough, however, still
remained to show him that the burglary
was not the work of amateurs, but Of pro-
fessionals The way in which Mr. st.
.Dohn-Smith powerful plate safe bad been
forced was really charming piece of
workmanship, and excited the detectives S
warmest admiration, and the rapidity and
noiselessness with which the massive silver
plate had been removed, and the reception
rooms stripped of their Notwithstanding
paintings, bronzes and other not easily
portable proved the person con
cerned to possess the highest and rarest
skill known to the trade.
Although Sergeant Collie thought he
might have been able to do something had
he been called in Immediately, yet he fully
recognized that it was no great discredit to
the local police that they had failed to trace
the guilty persons. Itwas clear that from
the first there was little to indicate who
these were. Not a single suspicious
ing man or woman had been seen in the
neighborhood for weeks, and yet it looked
as if those who committed the burglary
had thorough knowledge not merely Of the
country about, but also Of the house and
the habits of its inmates. Not single
suspicious-looking vehicle had been seen
on any of the roads about the pillaged
house. or, indeed, about BourgeoisviIle. or
the village. as it was called, which was
nearly mile distant, on The night of the
burglary, and yet the number and weight
of the articles were sach as 20 render ii
highly improbable they were carried off
without the help of vehicle of some sort.
The policeman whose beat lay along the
London road, off which the pillaged man
sion was situated, had seen the ordinary
number of vehicles during that night, but
they all obviously belonged to carriage
people in the neighborhood. There was
not van, dog cart or other likely con-
veyance among them.
Sergeant Collie spent a whole fortnight
searching for anything that might promise
clew to the solution of the mystery. He
examined and ss-examined Mr.. st.
John Smith numerous servants. He
searched the grounds of 'Longleat' the
plundered mansioa--aaa Of the neighboring
houses most infinitely in the hope of find
ing some traces of the missing property.
He questioned everybody who lived in the
neighborhood and who within the past
month had visited the house. But he
discovered nothing
At the end of the fortnight Sergeant
Collie reported to headquarters that he had
done all he could, and had completely failed
to trace the criminals As he was con-
vinced that further investigation on the
spot-at least, for the present-was use
less, he was recalled TO town. Before
leaving Bourgeoisviile he impressed pn
Inspector Doodle the necessity of reporting
the affair at once if another crime of the
same kind occurred in or about the village.
Sergeant Collie had not returned to town
above two or three weeks before telegram
was received at Scotland Yard from the
respected Inspector Doodle. 1t ran as
follows Burglary last night at Chats
worth, seat Of Mr., St. James-Jones.
Similar in all respects to that at Longlcat,
seat of Mr.. St. John-Smith. Immense
robbery Send help. Within half an
hour of the receipt of the telegram Ser
geaGt Collie was in the train bound for
Bourgeoisyiiie.
A rapid investigation showed the de.
tectiye that Inspector Boobies description
of the burglary was absolutely correct
The second burglary corresponded with the
first in every detail 1t was executed with
the same skill and daring; the thieves had
forced with the same dexterity and equally
strong plate safe, and had removed with
the same rapidity and noiselessness an
equally large amount of plate and valu-
ables, and finally they had left few traces
by which they might be followed up and
and identified. Sergeant Collie, after
three hours most careful and intelligent
inspection of the house, its grounds, and
everything in the neighborhood which by
any possibility could throw light on the
mystery, felt compelled to acknowledge
that he was as much at sea as to how or
by whom the burglary had been perpetrat-
ed as the local police had been in the last
case
Indeed, the only point that even looked
like clew had been discovered by the
local police. Toward evening, when the
detective was wearied and disappointed by
his labors, Inspector Doodle came to him
with very mysterious air, and told him
that he had found an important clew.
This turned ont to be story told by the
groom of the doctor at the village, who
had been attending one of Mr.. st. James
Jones family. This fellow said that, on
coming to Chatsworth the previous day
with bottle of medicine, he had noticed
a shabbily dressed man hanging about the
laurels at the side of the lawn. This per-
son, when he saw be was observed, hur-
riedIy made off. Sergeant Collie had the
footmap before him for examination. 1t
was then made clear that the intruder on
the lawn was merely a common tramp.