Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-04-21

but We took q train which was just GO
ing out Of the station. and In a few
minutes were at Cheadle. there mad.
certain that my man had got out H.
had booked for Stockport and had giver
up his ticket. but do all We could W,
could get no trace OF him. He had lef
the station Immediately on leaving tn,
train: no one knew him and we coulG
find no one to tell us anything more. So
hoping perhaps to pick up clew on ths
road, we walked back to Stockport lnG
on to the town where he lived. which
was a few miles the other side. but ou,
tramp was In vain.
I'VE had left instructions at Stockpor
for Lamprey's lodgings to be watched
but by some blunder a man had no
been sent there for some time. and
much to my anger and disgust. when
arrived at bis house found that he hat
been there, just for fve minutes. biz
landlady said. and had left again with Z
bag Of clothes.
Il was mighty savage. you can guess
soth with myself and with the police OF
the place for not keeping q better look
out. but 1t was no use losing my head
over It. and ! at once set to work dog
gin. his footsteps after he had left his
lodgings. In the public house which hs
frequented l came across a man &c
whom l had previously spoken. who
seemed to know Lamprey in a very dis
tant sort of way, and turned the con
versat tion on the man I wanted.
"'Ah! I've just seen him. said the
fellow. About an hour ago or mayhaI
little more. He was going to Maccles
field. he said. TO catch the early train
IN the morning into StaffOrdshire, whefs
he's got another Job. He seemed in q
mighty hurry. too
Il had reason afterward to think tina,
this man was the one who had given
Lamprey warning. but whether tina,
was so or not his Information that night
appeared to be correct. for met several
people who had seen Jack going across
the fields toward MARBLE, which was
his best way Of getting to Macclesfield
from the place he lived in; but when
arrived at Marple station l was at fault
again, for no train had been out for
quite two hours. and although l waited
till the last train to Macclesfield had
left Lamprey did not show up.
Tried and vexed beyond description.
| tramped back and got what rest |
could, hoping that something might
turn up in the morning to assist me in
recovering the ground l had lost. but
afraid that for once had let my quarry
slip, and that I might never catch him.
now that he was aware he was being
tracked.
Sure enough. something did turn up
In the morning. and something which
confirmed my fears, though felt tha!
had got my man dead if had missed
him alive. The pOstman came around
soon after 7, before it was quite light.
and had only just got up when a boy
came running In with a letter. which
had been delivered at the police station
Ii bore the MARBLE postmark. and was
addressed to The Detective from Lon
dom
..Tearin II open. l read something
like this:
From John Lamprey. know you
are after me. and know what for
managed to keep out of your way 10
night and / meant to try and get down
south. but you are sure to have me
sooner or later. So I've determined to
make an end OF II. Look at the church
steeple when you get this tomorrow
morning
The church steep,e was a tall and
NH,
turned. and ! had only TO go to the end
of the street to get a full view of it,
When l got there and looked up l saw
that gave ME start. In the
light of the early morning
could discern against the gray sky.
by the neck to one of the iron
loops which serve for a ladder on the
side Of the spire. the figure of a man!
so much for Jack Lampreyr l said
to myself, as | hurried to the police
station. He has saved me any more
trouble
BY the time had been to the station
and back TO the church II was broad
daylight. and Of course the body hang
ing aloft had been seen and crowd
had already collected, every one recog-
uizing 1t as that Of Jack Lamprey.
"A strange freak remarked to the
sergeant who was with me.
~ don't think so,' he replied. Jack
had made himself a sort Of hero over
going up the spire to repair the vane and
there was nothing more likely to occur
TO his mind than to finish his career at
the same place
There was no one round Stockport
who would venture up the spIre and a
telegram had to be sent to Stalybridge
for a man to come and get the body
down 1t was past midday before the
arrived and by that time
half Stockport had heard Of the affair.
Work was discarded and an Immense
crowd collected to witness the sight
Every foot was watched by thousands
the swaying body Of Jack Lamprey the
tongues which had been loudly wag-
zing were husbed as by common con-
sent.
Il shall never forget the few minutes
that followed, while the steeplejack
u
made his way very cautiously close up
to the body. and, fixing a rope to II,
made his preparations for lowering II
to his assistant. who was waiting on the
top of the square tower to receive It,
There was something awfully sad and
solemn about 1t all.
IN due course the assistant received
hn Lot do h.
ground and everyone around me re-
marked that he swung 1t roughly to the
,arth. without showing the respect
which might have been looked for In
,act some actually called out 'Shamer
But all at once the hush which had
g9@(@)1l(g0
O.