The Savannah morning news., 1900-12-24
onIME ~ NATIoNAL oArIrAL.
4 Negro Caught by - Clock-A Thief
who stole Hcd-IIot steve.


From the Washington Post
An arrest was made under very iaugha
BILE circumstances In Washington several
years ego. when the striking Of an OLD
fashioned loud toned clock was the mean
Of the capture Of q thief An old colore'
. ..,-.-- .. r.a4 Washington com
plained 10 tho officer on whose beat she
resided that some time during the mornins
her house had ben robbed Of "A valuable
old clock The negrcss wept bitterly over
the loss. declaring that the aged time
piece wa a family heirloom and was al
chat she had left 20 remind her Of "th'
good old days before de wah.' Inquiry
developed the fact thar the only visitor
she had mad during the morning was d
negro peddler. who had purchased from
her some old clothing.
but" declared the tearful, "aunty.
''he couldn't have took de clock, Miftah
Officer. for he wasn't alone IN daa house
more den a minute
The officer thought differently, however
and soon located the peddlcr Few blocks
40 the street. engaged IN a purchase. The
policeman approached the peddier and
sold
Look here uncle. what dld you do whh
that clock YOU stole this morning.
Clock" exclaimed the gray-naired old
sasssifs. Go s=sy. boss. ! sessF stole
clock or anything else. deed, / didn't
The officer was about 20 put another
question 10 the peddier when their came
to his ears che sound OF a swee'-toned
bell-"ding ding. ding, ding
The oHi,er smiled. while the peddler's
face assumed as sshen color a. IA me-
gro's countcnance can. The policeman
pulled out his watch. and. after glancing
al Il, remarked:
"IfneIe that clock you have under the
rags in your cart Il ten minutes fast
when We get TO the police station you
can st q by the clock IN the sergeants
room"
The Old man broke down when the
much wanted clook was pulled out from
the bottom Of the wagon. where u had
laid under a lot OF old rags. ITS a warn
ing from o. good Lawd," cried che me-
gro II ain't a-going 90 steal no more. -
And neither I'D he Tor six months, I'M
less q was done ia Jail.
A number Of years ago one Of wash
ingtcn's aleuth- hounds captured n0to-
rious thief in a way that would have done
credit 10 Sherlock Holmes Tha detective
who made the arress was one OF the clev-
crest and most fearless thief-takers ever
ia Washington. and he stiil resides in the
Capital city. on one Of the fasntouable
residence streets OF the city woman
who had become reduced Ia circumstances
kept a boarding house one day she was
surprised and gratined when she answered
her door bell 60 see an Old friend, a lady
whom she had known IN years gone by,
when she was more fortunately situated
Il Is needless 10 say that the good board
lng-house keeper at once made her Wis
ltor az home and assigned her the best
room ln the house. A few days went by.
and the woman 81 che house missed sev-
eral hundred dollars IN gold, which she
had. by stri.t economy. managed 10 save.
She looked high and low Tor the missing
money but. unable to find ~, finally re-
ported her loss 90 the police department.
The subject % this story was assigned
10 tho case He called at the residence
and closely questioned all Of the inmates.
He inquired particularly as 20 the wO.
taan who had recently come 10 visit tho
boarding house keeper. and, u course.
the good woman al once resented any r..
nection up0n her friends good name.
Are you quite sure" asked the detec-
tive. that there have been no strangers
in the house OF late"
Route sure" seplled the woman. But,