The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-01-27
GREAT AIR OF MYSTERY
POLICE HIDE THEIR FINE SKILL IL
SOLVING THE REDMOND CASE
Speculation as to n Prisoner Held
Red Tape Now Thrown About
the Department.

There is a bogie man at the police station.
Superintendent Colbert heads the chorus
that moves on tip-toe around the decrepit
old building. ever and anon a "s-s-s-h-h-h
full-volumed as escaping steam, rush
ing across his lips, whereupon the Keen
eyed sleuths, marching in time with him,
all follow his example and sibilate likewise.
Then an intense stiffness prevails, the
sleuths all rolling their eyes ceilingward,
till presently the chorus lunges forward,
jerks heads about, and listens expectantly.
The gentlemen who sleep over night in the
bum room have reached a state of nervous
collapse, for they cannot tell what it all
portends. 1t is that air of mystery which
breeds panic in any mans midrif.
The bogie man is the harmless reporter
in search of news. In the bosom of the Su-
perintendent and likewise in the bosoms of
his trail of sleuths is one magnificent secret
of all secrets. and if the bogie man should
get one inkling of that secret all would be
irretrievably lost.
There is a clew in the Redmond murder
case-that's the secret, and it is believed
that the police have found the man who
saw a man that knew a mar that had a
mustache last Wednesday. perhaps the
most important clew the police have OBJ
tanned so far in their magnificent secret de-
tective work. In one of the rooms at the
station is or was a stranger, as mysterious
as the Man with the Iron Mask-eveh more
mysterious-for he is there and yet he is
not there, according to the best informa-
ton obtainable from the superintendent.
This stranger was dragged into prison be-
fore daylight yesterday morning, and a
hurry-up telephone message sent TO the SUI
perintendent. who in turn commanded the
operator to send Old Bill and the top bug
gy' up to his house. old Biz made the
snow fly as he whirled the superintendent
10 the station. and the police officer, collar
less in his haste, Topped out of the top
buggy" and in a trice of time was closeted
with the mysterious stranger who may
have seen q man that knew a man who had
a mustache last Wednesday. Or, maybe,
this stranger himself was a man who had
a mustache once upon a time. Be that as
il may. the world will never have more def
mite Information than is here impaired, for
anything further is embraced In the great
secret which the superintendent and the
SleuthS carry in their breasts, and il will
probably never be revealed
Inquiry upon inquiry. inquisitorial device
upon inquisitorial device was tried on the
superintendent in vain. He looked blankly
and holplessly towards a distant wall. fear
full that even, his very glance might betray
that secret of secrets. Was the man under
arrest a suspect in the Redmond case?
Nothing at all to say, nothing at all to say.
quoth the superintendent; falteringly. and
ll' C. NAll'th l"D ~ w 80
there a man really under arrest? Nothing
at all to say. Was there apt to be any de-
velopments? Nothing at all to say. And so
it went the l~ivelong day. Chief, wagon
driver. telephone man, bicycle copper all
had the same refrain, Nothing to say,
nothing at all TO say"
This prisoner was brought in by Detec-
tives Kinney and McGuff and was kept at
the station till last night, when a private
tip had it that he was gone. as mysteriously
as lie had come. Mr.. ElGridge. who was
robbed the night of the murder. was not
even to see If he could identify
the suspect. That would hardly be in ac-
cordance with the ethics of artistic and
high-claSS detective work.
To-day the coroner Will hold the inquest
in the Redmond case and he may get some
more definite information than that which
it is presumed the police may have.
The little red tape which Superintendent
Colbert wove and put into use when the
Board of Safety allowed him two men on
bicycles at night and one during the day
time. has spread itself over the entire de-
partment. The policemen. almost from the
captains down to the wagon drivers and
humblest patrolmen, are afraid to tell their
names. Everything has to emdnate from
the office OF the superintendent. or il does
not emanate. A policeman don't dare open
his mouth about the most trifiinG matter.
He must now write out a report of any
thing he may have and send it to the super
intendent'S office and from there the public
is given just what the department sees fit
the public shall have.