Chicago eagle., 1896-05-09
rF Detective Sergeant Collie had


As thought, but when he was called IN
ne burglary was three days old. II
Was only after the local police had
Zone their best and failed that they
applied to Scotland Yard for help. and
nat the clever detective sergeant was
cent to Bourgeoisville.
By that time the local police, under
ths able direction Of Inspector Doodle,
had succeeded pretty well In obliter-
Ating everything which might nave
Oerved as a clew to the sergeant.
Enough, however, still remained to
show him that the burglary was not
the work Of amateurs, but Of profes.
alonas. The way In which Mr.. St.
Johnssmith's powerful plate safe had
been forced was really . charming
piece Of workman nship, and excited the
detectives warmest admiration, and
the rapidity and nolseleesness with
which the massive silver plate had
been removed, and the reception.rooms
stripped Of their MISUNDERSTANDING
paintings, bronxes and other not easily
Vortabls articles-proved the person
VOUCSEuOu " YODbC1 guO nbDhSs oAO
Sareet skill known to the trade.
Although Sergeant Collie thought hs
slght have been able to do something
Aad hs been called In Immediately,
Sst hs fully recognised that II was no
Sreat discredit to the local police that
~ had failed to trace the guilty per.
Sono. Il was clear that from the 6rst
theee was little TO indicate who these
Wses. Not Q single suspiclous.looking
nan or woman had been seen In the
SslShborhood for weeks. and yet It
3eokod - II those who committed the
burglary had thorough knowledge not
merely Of the country about, but also
q the house and the habits Of its In
mates. Not q single suspicious-lookin
vehicle had been seen on any Of the
roads about the pillAssd house, or. In.
lsed, shout Bourgeoisville. or the VII.
hSe, - Il was called, which was near.
y . mile distant, on the night Of the
burglary, and yet the number and
weight Of the articles were such - to
render It highly improbable they were
carried OF without the help Of vehl.
de Of some sort. The policeman whose
bat lay along the London road, OF
which the pillaged mansion was stu.
Ated, had seen the ordinary number Of
vehicles during that night, but they
ell obviously belonged 70 carriage
people" In the nelghborhood. There
Nas not van, dog cart or other likely
conveyance among them.
Sergeant Collie spent Q whole fort
night searching for anything that
might promise Q clew to the solution
q the mystery. He examined and
eross-examined Mr.. st. John.Smith's
numerous servants. He searched the
grounds Of "Longleat"-the plundcred
manaIon-and Of the neighborins
houses most minutely In the hope Of
Anding 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
0ellis reported to headquarters that
As had done all he could. and had com.
Dlstsiy failed to trace the criminals.
~ hs was convinced that further In
vestigation on the spot-at least. for
ne present-was useless, he was re.
eallsd to town. Before leaving Bour.
gsoisville he impressed on Inspector
0oedls the necessity Of reporting the
a0air at once II another crime Of the
came kind occurred In or about the
village.
Sergeant Collie had not returned to
town above two or three weeks before
Q telegram was received at Scotland
Yard from the respected Inspector
Doodle. It ran 40 follows: Burglary
last night at Chasworth. seat Of Mr..
0t. James-J0nes. Similar In all re.
spects to that at Longleat, seat of Mr..
o.. John.Smith. Immense robbery.
Send help" Within half an hour Of tho
receipt Of this telegram Sergeant
Collie was In the train bound for
Bourgeoisville.
A rapid investigation showed the do.
tsetivs that Inspector Boobies descrlp.
don Of the burglary was absolutely
correct. The second burglary CORE.
sponded With the hrSt In every detail.
Il was executed with the same skill
and daring; the thieves had forced
with the same dextsrity an equally
strons plate safe. and had removed
with the same rapidity and noiseless.
ness an equally large amount Of plate
and valuabies, and finally they had
left 40 few traces by which they
might bs followed up and identified.
Sergeant Collie. after three hours
most careful and intelligent inspection
Of the house, Its grounds, and every.
thing In the nelghborhOod which by
any possibility could throw light on
the mystery, felt compelled to &C.
knowledge that he was as much at sea
- to how or by whom the burglary
had been perpetrated as the local po-
lice had been In the last case.
Indeed, the only point that even look.
Cd Nike clew had been discovered by
the local police. Toward evening,
when the detective was wearied and
disappointed by his labors, Inspecto,
Doodle came to him with very mys'
terious air, and told him that he had
found an important clew. This turned
out to be q 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 com
Ing to ChatswOrth the previous day
With m hnftlo NJ madicino ho had M,