The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-11
HOW A DETECTIVE WORKS.
illustration of the indianapolis Sher-
lock Holmes Methods.

The Indianapolis police department thinks
it has a Sherlock Holmes in the person of
Detective Kinney, who, with his running
mate" Detective Tom" Stout, made a
catch Monday evening. The detectives
say they have a case against Mack David
son, a colored man charged with burglar
izing the Worlds Fair store, that cannot
be beaten.
This store, at Washington street and
Capitol avenue was broken into early Sun
day morning and robbed of several suits
of clothes The thief entered the store by
breaking one of the plate-glass windows
Detectives Kinney and Stout were put on
the case.
Last April Mack Davidson was released
from the State Prison after serving a SEN
tence. He was known to the police, and
particularly to the detectives. 1t is a GUS
tom of these officials when they meet an
eX-convict to extend a hand and offer a
word of encouragement. ''It don't hurt to
Jolly 'em along Bit said member of
the force recently. Monday evening Detec-
tives Kinney and Stout were coming east on
a Washington-street car. Near Missouri
street Kinney saw Mack Davidson
come out of a restaurant and start west,
The ex-convict had on new suit of clothes,
and Kinney at once thought of the Worlds
Fair robbery. Wen get off here, Tom,"
said Kinney, and the detective jumped from
the car as Davidson turned south on the
Big -Four Railroad. The detectives Sepa-
rated, and Kinney, making a detour Of the
block, met Davidson face to face walking
on the track. AS the detective approached
Davidson thrust his right hand into his
pocket
Hello, Mack" said the detective; chow
are you gettin on? What, you won't shake
Id -
shake with the left. It's the right
hand or nothing with me-" The ex-
convict looked hopelessly and reluctantly
drew his right hand from the pocket of the
new suit. The detective scanned the hand
and saw that the two black fingers
were swollen. He noticed, too, that the
as if they had come in contact with sharp
pieces Of glass. The shattered window of
the Worlds Fair store flashed across the
Davidson was arrested and sent to the po-
lice station by Detective Stout Kinney went
over to see the eX-convicts mother in the
was very profuSe in her greeting. why,
bless you, honey, DAT boy, Mack, wan t
out of dis house all Saturday night. He
slept right dar in dat bed" And the mother
indicated a couch in an adjoining room.
AT the Jail the detectives had an interview
with Davidson He did not know that they
had seen his mother. He declared he was
in the country last Saturday shocking
corn. He said he got home at very early
hour Sunday morning.
The Worlds Fair people were unable to
identify the suit of clothes Davidson had
on when arrested and the detectives start
ed out among the pawnshops and second
hand stores. On East Washington street
they found new pair of trousers that had
been brought in on Monday The proprie-
tor of the store permitted them to examine
the garments. on one leg Kinney discov-
cred a dark red streak. The trousers had
never been worn and the spot showed
plainly The detectives thought that the
man who picked up these trousers must
have had a wounded hand. In another
Washington-street secondhand store the
detectives found pair of new trousers that
showed bloodstains. Last night the propri-
etors of both the stores went to the Jail
and identified Mack as the man who had
sold them the goods. On a vacant lot on
Chesapeake street the detectives found
tags that had evidently been torn from
new ready-made clothing. They also
learned that Davidson had been seen in
that neghborhood. Thus the case was
worked up.