Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1900-02-16
A THOROUGH VII, AIN.

eitltt&a,z : messenger came Ito tUesAu-$S
quarters from one OF the substations
with the information that the mi,tilateG
body Of !, Handsomely dressed man had
been found humping with the tide
against one. of the. East river bul1Sheads.
8! happened to be on duty at the. time
and at once made my way to the wharf
where the Iody was secured.
j. when the body was drawn from the
water and stretched out, all dripping,
upon the dock Il s,noth cred cry of horror
burst from the lips OF the bystanders az
their eyes fell Upon a terrible cash in
the dead mans forehead plainly 'indi-
eating that he was the victim of a foul
murder. =. .@.E ~. y r. r..
Upon receiving, permission from the
coroner proceeded to search the vic
TINS CLOTHES. but sor.stcae, His murder
ers, as correctly concluded. had antic
ipated NC. i -fotnd netting but few
grains Of burned coffee in. his vest
pocket. ~ --.@. -
1.-The body was ordered to be taken: to
the n,org;e for Identification. and ,rc-
turned to the Office, taking the coffee
grains with me- had already formed a
theory and had some slight hopes Of
working out the mystery.
''For three days the body remained at
the morgue before it was identified. Al
Boston firm had seen the keepers adj
vertisen,ent, giving description Of the
mans dress and general appearance, and
when one of the firm came on he at once;
| recognized the remains as those of their
! confidential clerk, who had left Bostonl
for New York about week previously
on business for the firm. <s-
!! Il called on this gentleman and learned
from him that Mr.. Freeman. the murder
ed man. had been the owner of beauti-
full watch: diamond studs and sleeve but
tons and that he most likely had sew
eral hundred dollars in money about him
at the time he was killed. -:
"Having ascertained this much. I went
to work. To me the coffee grains spoke
| volumes. and read my way out of the
mystery quite clearly.
''My first dodge was the adoption of
suitable disguise. l assumed that of a
'canaller.' The latter term, you know, is
applied by thieves to all greenies from
the country. When properly rugged for
my purpose, | sailed forth. and, COM
mencing at a point some ten blocks be-
low where the body was found, I took in
every drinking place from thence on the
river front up to ten blocks above. was
| looking for barroom where coffee
grains, allspice~ and cloves were Kept on
the bar as taste killers. But they were
all low places that l entered. and / did
not find those condiments set out in any
| of them, so l took one street back and
traversed the same as I had the river
! front. and. finding none there. / took the
| next, and here I found my gin mill with
coffee grains on the bar. 1t was situated
| on the corner Of the street which ter1ni-
mated or the pier near which the body
| had been found: a
$50 far. so good: l was satisfied in my
own mind that l was now in the house
which the murdered man had last visited
previous to being brutally murdered.
''The first glance fastened upon the
barkeeper satisfied me that he was bad
one thorough villain, but a coward,
| one of those chaps who try to intimidate
+ by loud talk and slang phrases. 81 IS 4 a
when I walked up to the bar and ask
| ed for something to drink. he eyed me.
disdainful1y and came seemingly reluc-
family forward to wait on me. r, So.
"But when disclosed a well filled wal
let and laid down. a 500. bill his whole
manner changed instantly and he was
quite agreeable. ~
| "At length he excused himself, went to
! the door and .beckoned to youth to come
over l understood that movement.
| was pleased, and you will learn why
shortly.
1.-The youth came over. when the bar
tender said: 80
"'Johnny, tend bar for me a little
while, ] want to go to the BARRIERS,
Then, turning to me. he added: Don't
leave, old man: there will be some of the
| lads in by and by, and I'll be back in
few minutes -
''You may just bet, Herbert. that had
no intention of leaving: things were
| working nicely. It. was fully 20 min
| utes before the bartender returned. and
| when he did so noticed that he had not
been shaved. but as l meant to shave him
tri1e close I did not bother myself
| about this II i Sys - 5-ezS
:"Five minutes after hissretilrn the bar
| tender was followed by two Of the worst
looking villains I had ever seen-two
fsweet buds OF the first water. + =. 81 :
Il was soon introduced to these plugs
and invited to drink. drank. of course.
Drink followed drink. Cards were pro-
posed. played and won. It was a fog
gy, disa sreeable night-excellent weather
for murder. - &Ssss@ = u. .sz.
-'h' wv .lhtels wv
should go on hoard Ship out on the pier
and they would s. a genuine bottle.
Of brandy from thakta plain, who was
friend of theirs..I not bother your
| readers with my expressions of reluc-
lance to going out there nor the subtle
arguments they usedtto persuade me, hut
at last I consented, Of course We had
proceeded half way up the pier when
|, concluded it was two against one and
things had gone far enough. wanted
them both. Turning suddenly, dealt one
a tap on the head with a club which I
had kept concealed. and he reeled and
fell. quickly clasped .wristlets' on the
other before he fairly realized what was
going on EE5sS.t
s" What is this .for?' exclaimed the ruff
fan with an oath. = -.
!" Murder / replied quietly as / ad-
justed the cuffs on him and pinned him
to the other one. & b - b.
Such volleYs OF oaths and curses as
listened to while taking these two pirates
for that's what they were river pirates
Ito the Office was caution: but Il was /
used to that. sss