The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-30
HIS ONLY BURGLARY.
How a Travelling Man Came Into
Possession of a Fine Watch.
From the New Orleans Timcs-Dcmocra

From the New Orleans Timcs-Domocrat.
This watch was part Of the spoils
of a burglary in which ] participated
in 1881" said a guest in the st. Charles
lobby to a reporter, drawing out a
handsome gold timepicce with cur
ious spiral pattern engraved in heavy
relief on the lid
1T was my first affair of the kind,
and / regret to say l bunEleG it. and
got caught almost Immediately. What
is the joke, did you ask? There is no
joke it is perfectly true. it happened
like this In the fall Of 81 when
was quite young and green, l got a
job travelling for a Chicago grocery
house, and one Of the first places l
visited was a small town i'm northern
Ohio. | arrived about II at night ana
went out TO take q stroll and smoke
a cigar before going to bed. Passing
through side street I noticed a liCht
in little jaWclry store, and also that
the door was aj9r. That reminded mo
| had recently broken the handspring
of my watch, ana ! sauntvred i'm 10
leave il for repairs. As | entered a.
young man arose from the further end
Of the counter. lie seemed startled,
which was not unnatural AT such Il
late call, but he regained his COM
posure while ! explained the purpose
of my visit and told me he had closed
some hours before, but happened 20
remember some things that had been
left out Of the SAFE and returned to
put them back. when | handed him
my watch | asked him to lend me an
L. 10, 1. ts,,a.,
he gave me one at random from a tray
on the counter. This is it on my chain
now.
Next morning" continued the story
teller, Il was lounging in the hotel
office when the town marshal tapped
me on the shoulder.
Let me see your watch he said.
81 pulled it ont mechanically, ana
was at once pie ccd under arrest on the
charge Of robbing The jewelry store.
1t seemed that it had been burg!araed
during the night, and somebody in the
hotel had noticed my reCuliar-looking
watch and reported it to the police. It
was promptly identified as part Of the
stolen goods, and, needless to say, my
story as to its acquisition was laughed
to scorn. | was Obliged to admit that
il seemed little Gauzy myself. and I
can't say I blame the authorities for
declining to give it credence. At any
rate. / found mvself IL the deuce Of
II fix. My old watch had been carried
of by the thief and there was absO-
lutely nothing to confirm my state
mcnt except the bare fact that mono
Of the other goods We're found in my
possession. That, however went for
very little, for it was argued that I
had abundant time to conceal my
plumber. In my agitation and excite
ment | must have presented a E""iect
picture of guilt, and the toWLgpeopln
came near mubbing me on the way d
Jail. They Kept me there for exactly
three hours, the agony of which will
dwell with ne if ! live to DE a mum
dred Meanwhile the sure enough burg
lar had been bagged in an adjoiuns
town with all the loot including my
timepiece, i'm his valisc, ard when I
was finally released he was bundled
into my cell. If he hadn't been caught
/ don't know what might have hap
pcned. | don't like to think about II.
The authorities made groVelling apolo-
gigs ana the ieweler was especially