The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-27
Jenkins Joke.

| station, detective. and messenger DO!
| play star parts. Incidentally pair o
diamond cuff buttons, diamond stud. ant
a heavily barred cell in the basement o
the City Hall appear in the background
The remarkable thing about the story i:
that it is true.
George Y. Brown is downtown banker
I who has a handsome home on the NORTH
Side. Fred J. Jenkins is note and bono
broker. whose office is in one Of the biz
| skyscrapers and whose house is within g
block of Browns. Brown and Jenkins are
| intimate friends and though both of them
are men of dignified bearing they are al
| the same time fond of practical joke
| In the joke line honors have always been
| even between them until-but that viii
| develop.
Some weeks ago the gang OF porch
climbers. who have been mingling in So
ciety OH the North Side. paid Mr.. Brown
the honor of a call. Among the other
portable property which they ,von Nth
them as souvenirs of their visit were a
pair of diamond cuff buttons and diamond
stud. The jewelry was intrinsically valu-
able and was especially dear to its owner
because it had been given to him by some
early associates in business. Mr.. Brown
offered a large reward for the return of
the property and often mourned its loss in
the hearing of his friend Jenkins. 1t is, of
course, unnecessary to say that up to the
present time no trace Of the missing
trinkets has been found.
One day recently Mr.. Jenkins sat at his
desk in his downtown office, when bright
thought struck him. He looked out of the
window for moment with an absent ex-
preston in his eyes, while a smile slowly
gathered about the corners of his mouth
Then he slapped himself on the thigh.
BY George" he said, half out loud, "I'li
do it,
When he went out to lunch he stopped
at department store and bought pair
of gold-plated cuff buttons set with glass
and stud of the same description. He
had often seen the jewels stolen from his
friend Brown and 1t was no trouble at all
to select limitations that were almost an
exact match for them
Broker Jenkins did little, work that
afternoon, though his stenographer noticed
that he chuckled frequently and seemed
busy about something. He seemed to be
practicing writing with his left hand and
half filed the waste basket with pieces
of writinA paper. The stenographer was
in fact somewhat alarmed for her en-
ployer's sanity. Finally, however, he COM
pleted the work to his own satisfaction.
With infinite pains and in a scrawly IN
formed hand. misspelled several words and
punctuating only with large blots, he had
written a note to Banker Brown. 1t read
as follows.
Il am de chap what pinched your flash
lights. Deere nuthin but glass ard no
diamonds at all. You ought TO be
ashamed to wear such bum stuff an to
lead a a. cuss inter temptation all fer
nuthin. I send your ole glass sleeve but
tons and yere imertation stud back to
yer an | don't want none Nv yere money
Your cheap guy. see?''
There said Mr.. jenkins. finally. as
he smeared another dab of ink across the
torn scrap of paper, II guess that'I fool
old Brown. all right
Then he wrapped up the pinchbeck
jewelry in piece of newspaper and called
a messenger boy. The boy was instructed
to deliver the message and the little bum
die to Mr.. Brown personally at his bank
ing Office, but not to wait for an answer.
and under no circumstances to say who
had sent him. Then Mr.. Jenkins sat down
to gloat over his joke. which he felt sure
would be successful.
The boy found Lir. Brown, handed him ]
the package and note, and started to walk
away. As Mr.. Brown started to unwrap
Il : newspaper. the studs and cuff buttons
fell out on his desk and. without reading
the note. he at once called out to the pri-
vate policeman outside the railing Ito stop
that messenger The boy, considerably
alarmed, was brought back to the bankers
desk and detained. while one of the bank
officials telephoned to the Central Station
In r;fvHt
over.
Meanwhile, the boy was asked where he
got the message to deliver and who had
sent him. Acting according to instructions.
the youth refused to tell. and the contro-
yersy was still in progress when the officer
appeared. n iUnfer police questioning. he
vas finally persuaded to give the street and
room number of the man who had sent
him on the errand. 1t is probable that
1t this point a light began to dawn on
Banker Brown but he made no sign. In
stead. the lines around his mouth only
and his eyebrows went down
over over his eyes.
The detective and the messenger started
1t once to find the man who had given the
ewelry to the boy. Meanwhile Mr.. Brown
cad over carefully the note which had ac-
.ompanied it. 1t has since been charged |
as that CT his friend Jenkins. |
hough subsequent developments would not
eem to carry put this theory.
jenkins. the broker was still chucklng |
Il his desk when the detective and the boy |
|
DO you know George Y Brown" asked |
he officer. proceeding promptly to bust |
less as soon as the boy had pointed out
he supposed culprit.
Yes sir
Did you write him note and send him
yer little package this afternoon"
Mr. Jenkir- did not know what game
Brown was up to, so he hemmed and hesi-
ated until the detective was thoroughly
convinced that he had the guilty man.
finally, as matters seemed to be getting
erious. he admitted that he was the att
hor of the note.
Then, sir, | place you under arrest"
aid the officer, placing large ard heavy
land on his shoulder.
Mr.. Jenkins smiled. He thought the
oke had gone quite far enough.
ITS Just little joke between Mr.. Brown
nd myself" he said lightly. He and l
re great friends and | was Just trying to
ave little fun with him.
This explanation was altogether too nat
raj and simple to deceive the astute de-
ec'lve.
Yes" he said sardonieally. "of course.
'ou and MIR. Brown are old school friends.
.aised together. weren't you? You just
hinned up his front porch to have little
un with him, didn't you? Punched all
he jewelry in the house just to make the
BIKE good and strong. didn't you? Come
long over to Central with me, and per-
APPS Mr.. Brown will come over and pay
on social call. He's your old friend,
eorgie, amt he?"
In vain Mr.. jenkins pleaded and ex-
lained. The detective felt certain Of
"utenancy at least as a reward for break