The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-06
DETECTED DETECTIVE.
OLD CoNUNDRUM, "QUIs CUSrODI-
ET?" ANSWERED By A TEUTON.

&c Avay.' Said He. ana Then He Cried
"Thievesi" ana '.PoIice!- Until n Uni
formed Man Came TO the Rescue OF Capt.
O'Brien's shndowy sleuth In n Doorway.
To the ears Of Chief Sleuth Stephen O'Brien
came the news n fortnight ago that q celebrated
crook was visiting a certain house in a side
street of Harlem. Mr.. O'Brien Immediately
bent all the resources of his brain and his office
to put a stop to those visits. He sent for two Of
his slouths. and to them he spako solemnly:
go and watch this house. II Jimmy tho
Lizard goes there, let me know at once. Watch
night and day and report progress"
Watching night and day from the hard, cold
curbstone OF n Harlem highway is no easy Job,
so the two sleuths hired a room and did their
guard duty from there, with occasional turns at
walking up and down the street for variety.
One Of them took the day trick and the other tho
night. The rent Of the room was put down to
necessary expenses" 1t was n pleasant, easy
Job for the two detectives. There was only one
drawback. and that was that the pair could find
no room directly opposite the house under sur
VIGILANCE, and SO had to content themselves with
ono half way down the block. The watcher
would sit in the window with q pair Of opera
glasses. which he levelled at the suspected
place every time anybody approached the door.
The spectacle Of a man seated in a second-story
front window with a binocular glued to his face
aroused uerlblOn among inc nelRnDOrS.
The night man had his troubles, too. The light
of an intervening lamp post threw the doorway
of the house into deep shadow. so that to watch
it properly the detective had to spend most of
his time after dark on the sidewalk. Therefore
he was regarded as a purposeful criminal by the
householders of the neighborhood, and the
policeman on that beat was many times re
quested to chase him away. Night and day for
two weeks the two detectives, taking turn and
turn about, kept their eagle eyes and opera
glasses on that house. During that time Jimmy
the Lizard came not, or IL he did come entered
by the back windows or the scuttle. which is a
way that gentlemen Of that style Of nonencla-
ture have. At any rate, the watchers didn't see
him. and they SO reported at intervals to the
chief sleuth, being weary Of their vigil.
stick to the work." was all that the Spartan
O'Brion said.
This was getting more difficult every day. and
more difficult still every night. Everybody in
the block put in his or her leisure hours watch
ing the watchers, who became very unhappy
under the supervision. In particular the janitor
of the fat opposite the suspected house made
himself obnoxious to the detective who was on
duty at night by peeping through the door at
intervals whenever the sleuth stepped into the
portico to lean against the pillar. which was
easier than patrolling the street. Once or twice
he ordered the officer away, and on the third
occasion tnat worthy told VINO ne was.
Don't believe it" said the janitor.
Thcrcupon the detective got the policeman on
the beat to back up his statement.
oh, that's all right, then,' said the janitor.
could fitG see sef rom @ P'a t6er En- BIZ BG, T Sers's a. k SSly 10 { tSe
outside door. so you can get into the vestibule
This offer and the key were thankfully accept
ed. and late at night, after the tenants were In.
two doors and watch from there. All went well
until Monday night, when the sleuth did what
" sIi"an he Is sn eoTs S or Yesned % against the e't door
or accidentally fell against a bell, is not known,
6pt about 4 A; n; he ne was suddenly ie awakened fsem BY
gas in the inner hallway, which had been turned
up suddenly. BY the light the detective 6ehSld
clad in a night shirt. standing on the lower stair.
The %H doSr S T9s RHS5t sYe Sp sSs person.
d Nv af ySS a"s s sSi !, VI Inquired the man inside.
,"Iguess me you vas a tief, Ell T. surmised the
n msin ca m VIZ WY S 'S"% DON !" fS sRhp ssH "'"'e "''a'
It's ali right" began the detective.
in the night shirt. ".Vots all rigid. I ask You.
YOU shResf into der doorway. You shteal der
No HS,' said the detective. LET me come
sftsrtsa Tor he door; II 20" come ny der door
BY way OF backing up this threat he whipped
out a big revolver. The detective Gaspcd.
Don't shoot" he begged. "PHp.point that
thing the other way. Ill tell you all about II.
Call tho janitor.
"You tink Icall!' retorted the German; und
! keep my pistol pointed, too. pon'd you a move
make, or j make you u pad preak." Then. raising
his. voice. he beloved, "Roppers! T,iefs! Policel
Hel;lup! Come away, here, qvick! l hat n tief
py dor doorway caught"
People swarncd from every fiat. Some
shrickcd. Some sworc. The janitor came. He
laughed; The policeman came. He howled with
Take that condemned pistol away from that
qualified Dutch lunatic," he said to tho officer.
But the Teuton declined to give up his weapon
until a full explanation had been made. Final.
ly he WIS prevailed upon to go upstairs. but he
was still full OF SUSPICION.
IL watch - he said: IL watch all night, TO der
mornings. Don'd you come Ply mein door II you
don'd want to god shood by mine pistol"
The detective spent the rest OF the night on
the sidewalk. 1t is said at Headquarters that
he has made O REQUEST for a change of duty.