Smyrna times., 1899-03-08
A TRAPPED BURGLAR.
THE NICELY PREPARED BAIT WAS
EAGERLY TAKEN.

IL Cost the Ingenious Man Who De-
Fised the Scheme $1OO or $500, and
1t Cost the Burglar -Four Years,
Time.
"Of course, said the retired burglar.
"a man in my business is always ON
the lookout for traps and most of 'em
he can clrcumvent without much trou-
Die. But men go to lot of trouble and
expense to lay traps, and sometimes
they get up something that is new and
ehectlve. L suppose that any man 60
ing into dwelling house would be sure
TO look over the bureaus and dressing
tables IN the sleeping rooms It was
thls well known professional habit no
doubt that had suggested the idea Of a
trap came across once. which a man
mad had built with a view to catching
anybody that might stand in front of
the bureau in his room.
II imagine that this man must have
been visited before and been verv mucb
lrrltated by 1t, because he never could
have gone to all the trouble and ex-
pense he did just for mere protection
there was clearly some feeling in it. It
was handsome room, promising look
ing from its richness, and when turned
my light on the bureau. where I went
naturally enough, to begin, was not
disappointed. There was a glitter of
glass and silver in the bullseye. and as
swept the light along it struck a
pocketbook that didn't glitter much.
but that looked fat and comfortable
and watch that did shine, and. takeit
altogether, it made me think that here
was the home of a man that didn't
have to work nights to make both ends
meet And so l set my lamp down ON /
one end Of the bureau-it made ma |
laugh, actually, to think that there was |
so much good stuff there that 1 had 10
shove something one side to make room
Tor lt-and put my bag down on a chair
mat was there and began cleaning the
things off
d just put the silver hairbrushes
In the bag and had turned around to
the bureau again to pick up the pocket
book and the watch when heard. or il
seemed as though felt, a little click.
and just the faintest touch of a iarrino
or yielding under my feet, and the
next instant, a long time before l could
Jump or do anything whatever, a piece
OF the floor under my feet about three
teet square dropped out from under me.
and down l went.
But | didn't give up, by a long
shot. | was an ablebodied mar. and
my hands were free-my lamp being
then on the corner of the bureau and
my bag on the chair-and l wasn't 90
ing to give it up yet, if l was going
down trap. The trapdoor was hung
on hinges on the side farthest from
the bureau, and laughed TO myself as
put up my hands and thought how
easy 1t was to grab on to the edge Of
the solid floor running along Just in
front OF the bureau and haul myself mn.
Truly 1t seemed like a waste of money.
all the expense this man had been to to
put In the trap without guarding
against the chance of escape from it bv
just this means, and l already imagined
myse1 climbing out as l threw up my
hands, which ! did before I'd dropped
much more'n half of my length below
the level OF the floor, gripping that firm
edge very tightly. was going to make
sure of that
And got it all right, but in about
mllllonth part of a second 1 became
conscious of the fact that it wasn't
stopping me at all; was carving il
down with me. 1t was the front edge
Of another trap cut in the floor under
the bureau, hinged at the back and held
up In place by spring just strong i,
enough to keep 1T in position l held on
as hard as could, but if had had iron
myers and steel muscles couldn t have
1eld on after the trap had swung down
straight. l went down like a ton of {
cad, and the next minute l found nv /
'elt sliding through smooth board {
'unnel not much bigger'n enough to
ct me slide comfortably. and the next q
minute I'd been shot into a box or room J
'bout seven feet square through an /
,ther trap in the top of it that closed /
lush after came through. a
NOW, there was a situation for Won. 9
he In square box Of hard pine, an. L
'arently IN the cellar Of the house. no
penlng in it anywhere and nv bag t
With all my tools in it up there on the P
hair by the bureau and me down b
here with nothing, not blessed thing s
o work with. But while there's life S
here's hope, and ! never should have
hought of such a thing as giving nm If C
could have had chance. But didn't =
hadn't been in the box two minutes p
efore there was slide pushed back up
ear the top on one side, and a man =
'oked In. 1t was the boss of the shantv.
md in five minutes the police We're !;
here, and then found they had a door = =
this box big enough to get a man out =
have seen other traps as elaborate. D
ut none more costly. He had to cut -
Is carpet, to begin with. around the -,
APPS In this room. OF course that didn't =
ost anything MUCK, but it spelled his e.
arpet, and then the cost of the trans y, :"
nd the time contrivance, whatever it y
as, that was attached to the main -,
ap that let me stand on IL for min -
te or two before it dropped, and then bs
le shoot and the box and the whole
couldn't have cost a cent less
ian $4O0 or $500. It cost me four
aarS' fiTt1a - VII