Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-02-06


he handed them back, saying:
81 agree with you, Mr. Barnes. The
writing is the same. What deduction do
you draw from that fact?''
What deduction? Why, 1 found this
description of the stolen jewels in the
pocket of a dress belonging to Rose
Mitchell "
What? Do you mean to say that she
was the woman who was robbed?" The
blank amazement upon Mr. Mitchel's
! face disconnected Mr.. Barnes, for if he
did not know this, the mystery seemed
deeper than ever.
DO you mean that you did not know
it?" asked Mr. Barnes
How should 1 know?'
This caused silence. Both men stop
! ped a moment to consider the situation.
At length Mr.. Barnes said coldly:
Mr. Mitchell, am under the painful
necessity of placing you under arrest F"
Upon what charge?'
Upon the charge of having stolen
jewels, and perhaps of having murdered
Rose Mitchell "
Are you in hurry to take me with
your" asked Mr.. Mitchell coolly.
why do you ask:"
because if not I should like to ask
you one or two questions. P"
'You may do So.
First, then, as the robbery was COM
mitted on a moving train, will you tell
me how you supposed it TO have been
accomplished, since the passengers were
searched?" Mr.. Barnes had his own idea
ON this subject, which he did not choose
to tell. He thought it well, however, to
pretend that he had still another theory
At least he could observe how Mr.
Mitchell received it.
GAS you say, all were searched. The
first was Mr.. Thauret Nothing was
found. Let us suppose a case. This man
Thauret was in the same carriage with
the woman Rose Mitchell When the
train stopped at New Haven, suppose
that he took the satchel, left the train
and passed it to you through the win
dow of your section, thinking that only
his carriage would be searched. After
his own examination he left the train at
Stamford. Why may he not have tapped
upon your window and have received
back the satchel?"
''That would make him my accom-
plice. You are wrong. do not know
the man at all"
"You admitted having met him when
Miss Dora Remsen introduced him to
you. F."
"Once only-at a gaming table. That
is why / was displeased TO see him in
ha ,f ;,,tn r.,
robbery, then-for despite my denial you
may think your explanation correct,
g end l.iy iH5g might !t. agrse with yon-let
crime and then go to the extreme of
killing a woman?"
Il do not. But, having committed
the robbery, and then having discovered
that this woman, who, you say, has
blackmailed you, had actually taken an
apartment in the same building with
your affianced, you may have gone there
to urge her to leave and have killed her
to save yourself.
"Plainly you do not know me. There
is one point in what You say which is
interesting. Did understand that this
woman had an apartment in the Thir
tieth street buildingY"
Certainly, and you knew it. "
"You are mistaken. LGt US return to
the Jewels You think that these are
the missing gems. If prove TO tho con-
trary, will you agree not to place me
under arrest?'
"With pleasure, - said the detective,
feeling safe in the idea that what Mr.
Mitchell offered TO do was an impossi
bility.
"Thank you That gives ne my free
dom, in exchange for which courtesy
promise you all the assistance in my
power in finding the murderer. Say
ing which, Mr.. Mitchell touched an cleo
trio button, and when it was answered
sent a message up stairs asking Mr..
Charles to come down. In few mo-
ments that gentleman appeared.
"Mr. Charles" said Mr.. Mitchell,
would it be possible for me to enter
these vaults without your knowledge?"
"It would be impossible for any one
to enter here without my knowledge.
said Mr.. Charles.
''You keep my key, do you not?"
Eyes, sir. :"
Have 1 ever taken it out of this
building?"
mo, sir.
"Then you think it impossible that |
should have been able to have dupli-
cate key and to have entered here with
out your knowledgeT'
"An utter impossibility, sir. "
"Can you remember when was here
last?"
Certainly. 1t was about two weeks
ago, when you told me that you were
going to Boston.
"Thank you very much, Mr.. Charles.
That is all. " Mr.. Charles retired and
Mr.. Mitchell looked at Mr.. Barnes with
u smile, saying:
You see you are wrong again The
Jewels were stolen yesterday morning,
and have not been to this place since,
and therefore could not have placed
them in this box. Are you satisfiedT'
"No. If you were able TO commit the
robbery ON the train while | watched
your section all night, and to have sue
ceeded in getting the jewels away al
| though you were searched, you are in
9enious enough TO have found a way of
getting here without the knowledge of
MIR. Charles. Or, he may be paid TO lie
for you. ! feel too sure that these are
the gems TO be so readily convinced to
| the contrary.
$50 you did watch me that night.
| Well, l am sorry you had so much trou-
BILE. l must give you further proof!
Very good. Examine these. He took
out a package Of letters aud from them
extracted q bill Of sale, dated five years
previous, in which was once more an
accurate description of the jewels and
| case. In addition there was pinned to 1t
receipt from tho New York custom
house for the duties paid, which paper
was also dated back This was evidence
which Mr.. Barnes could not retute.
| Plainly this particular set Of jewels be
longed to Mr.. Mitchell
"That is sufficient. II would be folly
to arrest you when you could show those
documents to any judge and be released.
At the same time shall not forget the
coincidence Of these two lists, and that
one of tho button y
"By the way, Mr.. Barnes, would you
mind saying where you found that but
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