The National tribune., 1897-06-24

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"Plaze curb yer tongue little, Mr.. Riley,
fwhen y're shapking about the city author
ities," said Con, with dignity. SIT is MT be-
coming to citizen; and, besoides, ye don't
! know fwhat y're talking about"
/ don't, eh ?" retorted Riley, irritated
at the appelation Mister" which had a
distinct offensiyeness as between Coal Yard
ers. Know ez much as you, Mr.. Purtell,
with all your airs. / say the police are lazy
loafers, who don't earn the cost of the but
tons on their uniforms"
MIR. Riley. yer liar,''' said Wat, with
authority. Besides that yer chatter is dis
orderly; hits agn the law. Stow hit hat
once"
will 1? Mebbe you kin make me, you
bull-headed butcher" roared the enraged
beaver
THAT can Hi," responded Wat with great
promptness, leveing a straight right-hander
at Mr.. Riley's face. A very promising affair
| was only averted by the simultaneous en-
trance of Mesdames Sparger and Riley,
and their resolute insistence that the sup
pers, which were on the tables and would
| fight, which could come off at any time.
Kent told his story to the Superintendent,
who listened attentiveIy, and at the con-
cluslon said to the stenographer:
Mr.. Briggs, cail up Capt. French, ask
him who was on duty this afternoon on
| Madison near the river, and tell him to send
him here at once"
That was before telephones were even
thought Of The means of communication
between the police stations were by step
by-s:ep" or dial-telegraphs. These were
a combination of clock.work and electricity
working long finger, which clicked around
a circle on dial until it came to the letter
on the margin which the sender desired.
| In this way the words were patiently spelled
out letter by letter. All manner of abbre-
viations and omissions Of unimportant let
ters were employed to hasten the sending Of
! the communication. Kent, full of Curl
osity rs to everything pertaining to police
methods, followed the s!enographer to the
instrument and watched the finger slowly
click around as it spelled out the questions
| and answers
The stenographer rang the signal for the
Union Street Station, AID inquired
whit Offer ws On Ndsn & Rvr beat tbs
| afternoon?" ~
Edgar Olesen, No. 1856"
"Whr is he nows "''i'
Al station-hse asleep"
asend hm to sup't's 6fce imdtly
80. K" - 10
"The officer was Edgar Olesen, No. 1856
He is now at the sfation-house asleep but
will be sent over here reimmediately," reported
the stenographer. n''~ ,,
"Verv GOOD y rass1iad' fba Cb;af
Kent struggled 70 ,repress his impotence
until the officer shbuld arrive. He went TO
the desk, and BEGIN Helping examine the
contents. He spread out one after another
ofthe sogey and blurred papers, and labori-
ously deciphered their, contents. They were
mainly letters frofh men connected, or who
wanted to be connected, with mines and real
| estate, and each addressed to one Of Raga-
| beri's aliases All were Of recent date and
none promised to be OF importance.
Underneath the Whole pile. and resting
{, on the bottom of the top drawer, was a
blank envelope, which had been carefully
sealed with wax.
Kent jumped at the conclusion that it
contained some paper of grave value, which
Ragabert had hidden away in this manner.
He slit the end of the envelope with his
knife, and carefully extracted Il sheet OF
letter paper, which had printed at the head
ELISHA NJ. STANDARD,
Dealer in
Dry Goods, Boots and Shoes, Groceries and
Farm Supplies.
Highest Prices Paid for All Kinds OF
Produce.
Zambota, Ills.
An exclamation from Kent brought the
Superintendent and the others to his side.
They saw at once that it was find OF the
greatest value, and treated it with extra
ordinary care. Kents slender def fingers,
trained in the printing Office to careful
handling of papers, came into good play.
The letter was spread out, back downward,
on clean sheet OF white blotting paper, and
another was delicateiy pressed upon its face
to dry it, while removing as little az possible
of the ink. The drying was finished on q
sheet Of tIn held at Il safe distance above
the argand gas burner and the letter then
read.
Mr.. WALTER K. RAGABERT.
SIR: BY what yon would term an acci-
dent, but what to me seems an act of Provi-
dence in the interests OF justice, have be-
come informed as to your present where
abouts and occupation. When we separated,
years ago, and ! saved you-probably mis-
takenly y-from the heavy hand of the law,
it was on account OF the heart moving APP
peals OF your respected family, and the most
solemn oatlis and promises on your part that
you would reform and make complete resti-
tution to those whom you had robbed. So
far rs can learn you have not amended one
of your evil ways. Though | was the
heaviest loser in money, l care much less
about the restitution to me thar to those
who were far less able to bear their losses
than l. Had you repaid them, or showed
any disposition to do So and left me out
should have been silent. Had you even
lived the life OF an honest man, | would not
have troubled you, though | have through
all these years contributed oat of my slender
means to the support, OF those widows and
orphans whom your srascality robbed of
everything. But so far from undoing your
former evil you are constantly schcming
ard perpetrating moreS | cannot reconcile
it with my consciesIceb4o make my silence
act as your accomplee Iany longer. shall
90 to Chicago on itbe 18th, on the train
which reaches there about 6 O'clock. 1
shall expect you to meet ME, and give me
good reasons why fsHdll not give the in
formation in my possession to the authorities.
Your obedient servant,
ELISHA M. STANDART.
| Wat gave a low Whistle when the reading
was finished. ;.m
aTbat,s IN order Cor n neck tie for sor,a