The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-06
picking OF A PIGEON.
-, JBTTH ABOUT THE PAIIN"
1HE I'm uUO WIS FOUND DEAD.


r,,.,,. and Was now the soIs occupah' y, =" 20
~ $3.50 ,,,yt.rs" as he said eurhemisucaIly'
W.. ,,,,n yril from his own consciousness the
tiN' nt. situniirn The doctor had d.
,,,, he should have the freedom OF ths
Lou during the DAY, with an hours ex-
h'''" ~, en-, y,ri but this latter privilege had
i. ,,,r,rti,i for the old man. who dreaded
u VI" ,,,,,e,t ra--ing of visitors realizing that
,.,,, his former POSITION and the notoriety OF
,,,,,ss he was regarded US one OF the sights
=, -. rerreutiary. Fo" tho most part ne
,,.,.j within his quarters, where he had been
i',,,I n gather some few attempts at
comfort hoon nam.
.,i ,vns now act ug az head OF the white
So ,o,r II was recognized by the authori-
.,,s mat Snlithers had executive abilitv-he
onril driv, the decorative hoboes TO remark
iii. r.srlt- His method was direct and sim.
mia 1, thu dllgent he gave frenuent bits OF
,,locco, 10 The indolent. furtive but energetic
Li,Ls Reward and punishment comprised
smithsrs's system. and It worked we'll which
more than he did himself. for when he had
IN, .cn'Tolding M ard the men scraping and
,,I,.bIng AWAY at the tobacco stains for dear
,,o.ns.vss greatly inclined TO sneak into the
roIoners quarters for talk.
,rho ,ntimacv between the two was odd In
~. vav. they had como from the extremes OF
,,. N reet In the mean Of disgrace. But
sw,.h,rs was symrathetic and ready OF suG-
o.,,on and his Difference was grateful to the
Colonial giving back to him that sen az OF per-
sonal importance which had once been the
breath Of his unstrtls.
nm. afternoon the colonel lying back on his
straw pillows. and Smthers, curled up Ike a
gnome on a three legged stool. had been talk
Ing about mysterious disapnearances.
We hal a case in our hank ten years ago"
sold The Colonel which has ALWAYS been an
nm solyed problem to me. The paying teller.
man BY the name OF Briggs. was found dead IN
an obscure hotel over on the east side. with
hullst through his heart. There was a revol-
YER by his side. hut whether the wound was
pei.lntlicted or not was never definitely de-
tsrmined'
"Apythtp' nlssun'9" asked Smithers the
eon man.
Yes" replledsthe Colonel: that was tho
strange part Of t. His a counts were found
4, he all right but when his box. the teller's
box. YOU know. in which he carries along n
considerable amount OF morey from day to
day was examined. It was found 20 he short
$4,000 Three packages. each containing
$1,000. were gone"
Two and two makes four" remarked Smith
orr with an evil wink.
Now It was at first thought" continued the
Colonel somewhat severely, that there must
have been an old lefalcation which Briggs had
discovered anG concealed until the worry OF 1t
caused him to seek relief in death. His pred
ccessor. you see, had been a wild follow: in
fact. the board had discharged him on account
o. his habits. The receiving teller, however
who sometimes worked On RrlgGs's desk. set
tied this theory toy stating that he was posi-
tive he had seen the three missing pack
ages on the dav before Briggs disappeared.
Then 1t was thought that the money mi zht
have been stolen from the teller's desk during
the day; YOU know, Smithers. better than do,
how thieves manage to fish out package with
q bent wire"
Yes replied Smthers. with apparent art
lessness, Il know cousid' rable about outside
stealin."
Following up this theory" resumed the
Colonel 1T was thought that Briggs either re-
ceived word from the thief to meet him at this
hotel for the purpose Of compromise or that
he had in some way tracked tho rascal. and
then mad fearlessly confronted him. Now.
the first hypothesis seems untenabc 10 me: for
why should the thief be willing to give up any
part II his plunder?"
You needn't waste any surmisin' over that
II
swag was good long greens without any rig
istered collaS. YOU Kin bet your sweet life you
couldn't redeem il for less than hundred
That's true" agreed the Colonel. The
other alternative is the rattona! ono. alth ough
Ss%n the some points Of dncS HreFs
his faithuness Indeed. was 80 much i'm
pressed with this view at the time that the
to his widow aud infant children, who. other
wise, were pennitSS"
He vas a pous man, / s,pose; KunneI;; sun
Srs the con man.
!, oh yes an exemplary character. We kept
Tie closest watch On our young men. and only
promh,"
No. theiT testimony WAS unsatisfactory
e,Inriy that Briggs had taken room the night
toun Fs da Wi'h mo- rcEisterng. and had been
snIa ths house had shady reputation. as be
ing, ing re resort a lash. sporting men. and vel
they had 70 admit thar this very fact made the
s.yt} ,prubabe. since both proprietor and he
s S9nd a p iqtned TO attend strictly to thei
-. That's right Kunnel; a pryir' nose is apt tc
fu pnnohed IN them places. Briggs had ne
IA nbb.'t tsh ,hlngs There was q new satchsl ~
th he '4nG , entirely empty. Now it was PROVED
IIN n; ~, fbrEE. bought satchel about this time
,I ~. ne ne merchaut with whom he dealt swot'
.n n M was not the one he had sCld to him
nnnonRh u wns cN4cfIy similar to IT, l n,
WAYS relieved that tho man lied for some un
hnprh reason, but ho showed the stamp o
enI1;hef Nrn n the leather lining"
..Mti.' what dlI the other dealer sav?"
4. re sad that while he couldn't RENE mbe
m "hon he ilI sell this particular satchel. ii
wa. ,r T%r e he never sold it TO briggs.
''oVS i'"nl IN the hotel room. s'p"se:"
Why. YES. there was" reulisd the Colonel
Ter ~ lWent reflection Nov. as | recpl
~ II ,hrec or four packages of blank paper
~ ana -lel 10 resemble IA package ri baul
Tis' were found on tho nlDr of the closet
hul the iete"tiy0s said there wa- nothinl
s,InMEC about his, the honsn was frepucntr,
Nv EIeeh Z, od- men, VINO used such dam mi"
~ an' 'hl'hn"ries and these might very we
,uhEe Ten EFT by some former occupant q
They bewel evcrythln' right an left so a
h''or. hey." 'N ''''
!, wei, yes admitted the Colonel "Th
n ~ hTp - IA" contrary constrained Ms =
~ we I-'"n'ei the benefit Of his bameles
'''"E. j" l-f'!t wa charged 10 profit AM
i''' ana ID the rrc-s OF other cases the &c
r'"h lost interest: 80 the mystery r.
.IH'h- lNN"'"rN. and poor ErlGgss murder
", I,29o' sAHnn.,", said Smithors after raus'
Ie 'n"N i,'rh really arlrPciatCd what TAI
,,."', SOM" '' VOC lHnklu' nObs were. they
",,Yir i'~ J''it" chances. OF course. the
",M ,uu' N"t""'INss cant see through mil
III. Hn 80 ''"s II hlg staNr IN The othC