The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-01-06


and I at onos Get to work lodging bid
Footsteps after he had left bis lodgingG Id
tho public house which be frequontsd Z
came across man, to whom had preyii
ously spoken, who seemed to know LAM
prey In a very distant sort Of way, and
turned the conversation on the man I
wanted.
"Ahl I've Just seen him. said the fell
low. About an hour ago, or mayhap q
little more. He was going to Maccles-
field, be said, to catch the early train In
the morning into Stafordshire, where he's
got another job. He seemed in mighty
hurry too
III had reason aficrward to think that
this man was the one who had given Lam
prey warning, but whether that was so or
not his information that night appeared
TO be correct, for met several people who
had seen Jack going across the fields to-
ward MARBLE, which was his best way Of
getting to Macclesheld from the place he
lived In; but when I arrived al MARBLE
station was at fault again, for no train
had been out for quito two hours, and al
though waited till the last train to Mac
clesfield had gone Lamprey did not show
up.
"Tired 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
might never catch him now that he was
aware he was being tracked.
"Sure enough the something did turn
up in the morning. and something which
confirmed my fears, though felt that l
had got my man dead If / had missed him
alive. The postman came round soon aft
er z, before 1t was quito light, and had
only just got up when a boy came running
with letter, which had been delivered at
the police station. 1t bore the MARBLE
postmark and was addressed to The De.
tectiye From London.
Clearing 1t open, read something like
this:
From John Lamprey know you
are after me, and know what for. /
managed to keep out of your way tonight
and I meant to try and get down south,
but youare sure to have me sooner or later,
80 I've determined to make an end Of IT.
Look at the church steeple when you get
this tomorrow morning.
"The church steeple was tall and
prominent feature whichever way you
turned, and had only to 60 to the end Of
the street to get full view of it. When I
got there and looked up, I saw something
that gave me o start. In the uncertain
light OF the early morning could discern
against the gray sky, hanging by the neck
to one Of the iron loops which served for
ladder on the side Of the spire, the figure
of mani
so much for Jack Lampreyr said
to myself as 1 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 1t was broad day
light, and, of course, the body hanging
aloft had been seen and crowd had al
ready collected, every one recognizing it
as that of Jack Lamprey.
GA strange freak, remarked to the
sergeant who was with me.
/" Il don't think So, he replied. ia
had made himself sort of hero over
ing up the spire to repair the vane, q
there was nothing more likely to occur
his mind than to finish his career at
same place
"There was no one around Stockport
who would venture up the spire, and q
telegram had to be sent to Stalybridge for
man to come and get the body down. II
was past midday before the steeple jack
arrived, and by that time half Stockport
had heard of the affair. Work was dis
carded and an immense crowd collected
to witness the sight. Every foot Of tho
mans way up the steeple was watched by
thousands of eyes, and when at last he ap-
preached the swaying body of Jack Lam
prey the tongues which had been loudly
wagging were hushed as by common con-
sent
II shall never forget the few minutes
that followed while the steeple jack, now
looking the size of little child, made his
way very cautiously close up to the body,
and, fixing rope to it, made his prepara-
tions for lowering 1t to his assistant, who
was waiting on the top of the square tow
er to receive 1t. There was something aw-
fully sad and solemn about it all.
"In due course the assistant received the
corpse, which he let down to the ground,
and every one around mo remarked that
he swung it roughly to the GARTH without
showing the respect which might have
been looked for In fact, some actually
called out 'ShameP
But all at once the hush which had
fallen upon the crowd was broken by
storm of jeers and laughter The thing
which had given us all this trouble was
nothing but guy, and never felt such q
fool in all my life.
$50 that he might get nearly days
start Lamprey had cleverly misled me the
night before. While had been wasting
my time at MARBLE, he had been employed
in stuffing the suit of clothes which no
had taken from his lodgings with straw,
making very passable representation of
himself and in the middle of the night he
had climbed the steeple, which was child's
play to him, and left his effigy there to de.
ceive me and lull me into inaction.
II need not dwell upon the chaff re.
ceived. 1t Is too painful, even now, for
me to recall without annoyance, but you
may be sure that quickly made myself
scarce
"Did the fellow get clear away" asked
some one.
eyes. He took the train to the east
coast and succeeded in getting to Holland
unnotioed," replied Inspector Hookyer
"But he hanged himself in real earnest
some considerable time afterward, leaving
letter behind admitting his guilt and
stating that his conscience troubled him so