The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-25

| henects to Some Extent Upon the
Sagacity of Pair of Mayor Kie-
fer's Young Men-COmpIaint Will
he Made to the Mayor
Detectives Christianson and Meyer, re-
Gently appointed by Mayor Kiefer, started
out Friday night to prove to the mayor
his wisdom in selecting them in pref
erence to experienced patrolmen for the
detective jobs
For days they had worn their stars,
aye. very nearly week
Yet Paper Collar Joe" had not wildly
brandished a gun under the nose OF
either nor had Slippery Sam, the sailor
boy" entfced them into the old den under
the docks, where the evidence of mid
night crimes was accustomed to vanish
in the dark, mysterious depths of the
| river.
Ennui is bad for detectives Liquor
has caused the downfall of more of them,
possibly, but ennui is a personal discom.
fort in a way.
Besides, something must be done. The
mayor was waiting, no doubt for soma
stellar achievement, which would dis
play, even to the most casual reader of
the opposition press, that in these, his
last appointments, Mayor K1efer had en-
FILTERED forever the lives of captious
critics, and compelled admissions of his
executive sagacity from the lips, pens
or typewriters of his most caustic and
unrelenting opponents.
There were hold-ups nightly. Should
1t be highwayman? Meyer. athletic,
would have relished an adventure of this
sort. Selling the ruff1an by the throat,
! Inspector - held the desperate MUIR
derer of dozen men in as many cities
until the patrol wagon arrived, and -
Wouldn't that have looked fine in the
papers?
But then there were other possibilities
besides highwaymen. Christianson IS not
as big as Meyer.
| Forgers are not necessarily muscular
In build, nor are shoplifters as massive
in frame as literal suggestion of the
! term would carry. Indeed, shoplifters are
generally women, and any real detective
with star, could successfully land a
woman. The brother detectives finally
| compromised
| Hying themselves into Lower town the
| two sleuths hunted about for shadows In
which to Turk. No real detective would
| Turk anywhere but in shadow. It was
discouraging at first, however, for shad-
ows were scarce. Indeed, the moon was
not out to cast one, and 1t looked as
though they might be forced to stand
out in plain sight where everybody that
passed would know at a glance that they
were detectives Finally at John ana
| eft
in front Of a window from which poured
a stream Of light, and, with his athletic
frame, made a shadow In which Deteo-
| tive Christianson could crouch. Then,
with bated breath, the sleuths lay in
wait
'Hist," suddenly whispered Christian
son, some one is coming"
| The fact that any one was on the street
| at $3.50 o'clock in the evening, in city the
size Of st. Paul, was conclusive evidence
| of-something.
Earlier hours than this had seen hui
man souls ushered into eternity by the
murderer's reeking hand.
1t might be-but what might it not be?
| The detectives, firm to the last, waited
and gripped their revolvers tighter.
The wind, bowling about the caves OF
| the old store, blew aside skirt and re-
vealed the trim footgear Of woman
| And on her head a quill pierced a felt
| CONNECTION, She also wore a dress, in
stead Of q macIdnaw and trousers, as
might have been the case, had the belated
/ shopper been a man. All these things
were significant! Who could tell what
mysteries might be concealed in the bas-
! ket which she carried!
The woman turned into John street
and hurried past the detectives, starting
in alarm as they peered into her face.
/ She was neatly dressed, OF middle age.
| Should they shoot or investigate further.
| They followed the woman. She might be
a shoplifter, with a basket full Of laces
and silks stolen from some Of the big
stores. Dodging behind trees and fences
they hurried after her. The woman saw
! she was followed and became alarmed,
| thinking footpads were about TO h,&I her
up and rob her. 1t was four blocks to her
home, and the nervous fright endured In
travelling this distance made her sick and
| faint. At Lafayette avenue and Bruno
| street the detectives rushed at their prey.
| The woman screamed, and one of the
sleuths grabbed her by the arm.
Now we've got you," they cried.
''What have you In that basket?"
| The woman, frightened half to death,
begged the supposed highwaymen not to
harm her, explaining that she had only
q few Christmas presents and some pro-
| visions.
you can't give US that game" answer
| ed the detectives 1--WE are onto the shop
| lifting dodge; we are officers of the law,
in fact have been on the force almost a
| week, and you can't fool us; we'll have
to frisk the basket" And with one ac-
cord the little carpenter and his COM
pan1on flashed" their stars.
| Seeing the men were detectives, the
| woman explained that she was Mrs Hen
| ry Fox, living at 565 Lafayette avenue.
She told the officers she was employed at
| the Golden Rule, had gotten off early,
and, after visiting her sister, on Olmstead
street, was hurrying home with a few
| Christmas purchases. The detectives re-
fused to accept her statement, saying
they were paid to protect the public, and
| would have to search the basket. Then
! Mrs Fox asked them to go to J. A. John
| sons confectionery store, across the
street, where she could be identified The
officers didn't want to go, beginning to
| realize they had made a mistake, but
! finally consented. At the store Mr.. john
! son told who Mrs Fox was, and after
| overhauYing the basket, discovering some
tea, sugar, and a couple Of small toys,
| the enthusiastic sleuths cook their do
| parture.
| 1T was an outrage declared Mrs. Fox
| Yesterday, speaking of her experience.
| death by following me. I was SO sick
next morning I could scarcely go to work.
| I have never suffered such an indlgnlty
| before, and if there is any redress 1 In
| tend to have 1t. They questioned me
| about thieves and criminals, asking me If
| I knew lot of people that I never heard
Of They kept me on the street, near my
home, where my neighbors could see my
embarrassing position, practically arrest