The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-12-17

n,,a. daring--at a house in the suburbs
ana of this robbery l had been able 4
make nothing 1 could get neither tn
slightest clue to those who had done II
nor any trace of the plunder
The thing had been done on a SUNDAY
afternoon during church hours ano
while there were at least two servants
An the house. and AL the things taken
were from a cabinet In the drawing room,
IN which they had been displayed TO the
best advantage This drawing room was
on the first fat, and facing the road
so any one with quick eyes might have
seen the gorgeous display and been
tempted TO appropriate there and then.
This fact made me suspect the robbery
10 be the work OF a mere tramp OF nun
rry wanderer. and l fully expected 70
hear OF the silver in a day or two In
some Of the pawn Offices; but when not
a trace OF IL appeared ! began TO think
that the robbery had been planned ar
falr--a suspicion which was strengthen
ed hy the fact that there were imprlnts
OF more than one pair OF muddy feet
on the drawing room carpet.
The muddy footprints were OF the color
OF that thin and almost impossible pool
which used 10 lie IN wet weather on the
Dalkeith road between Preston street and
the house ] am anuding to; | therefore
concluded that the feet had come out
from Edinburgh and not merely delayed
a little while going In.
In all my huntings and searchings
had sond.y hoped that the plunder would
not go TO the melting pot and had boldly
assured the distracted owner that he need
not distress himself with that fear. and
my reason for thinking so was that such
OF the articles as were OF real silver were
OF no great weight. but all OF
them were very old and rare. and
had note OF their age and history pasted
upon them There was. therefore, II the
thieves could but understand it. a great
deal more to be got for the things as
they stood than by melting them Some
of them. indeed. were only of brass or
bronze. covered with curious groups and
pictures In relief and IL was upon some
OF these that the owner placed a supersti-
tious value. But as days went by and
got no trace OF the things, / began TO
fear | had made mistake. The owner,
/ am certain IL he could possibly have
got at the thieves without our assist
ance. would have quietly compounded
with felony. and brought back his things
rather than risk their destruction: but
when he hinted at such a proceeding, l
promptly warned him that he would only
prison, at which he sulked and growled
not a little.
Now eon4ss-tAe- e-Feasea-ef- nay -amiable-
friends. the successful thieves. being en-
ragged. From my want of success | rea-
soned that the robbery might have been
planned and executed by strangers, and
there was one stranger on my list OF
arrivals whom | had never laid hold OF.
and without evidence of any tangible
kind j suspected him OF having had a
hand In the pie. This was a smart look
ing fellow named Fred Oakes, but known
commonly by the name OF Croppy. Pos
sibly II was a twinkle of his eye or an
over dsmure expression of face when /
was on the hunt, that first reused my
suspicion. but got out of temper at last.
and went and grabbed him I'm the midst
Of his friends, In a lodging at the head of
the Bow. A novice would have fought
and set his friends on to fight; but
Croppy was no novice, so he affected un-
bounded Indignation, and said he would
make IL the dearest mistake l had ever
made.
What am took for? and what evil
dcnce have you against me? that's what
] want to know" he kept saying: and as
could not satisfy him on either point,
his rage Increased. and his protests be-
came so roluble that at last incautious-
ly declared that / would book him for
. long sentence. and therefore he had
better bid goodbye to his friends ac-
cordingly
There was great bowling over this
statement of mine. especially by Crop
pys wife, who was a passionate young
Glasgow girl of the tiger sort. The hor-
rible threats and blood-curdling language
xntH Hfrh hof uft
my head before could get away her be-
loved would have made some men faint
on the spot. They were actually fright
full enough 20 startle and horrify even
me. and ] felt quite a relief when l got
Croppy safe into the police office and her
out OF hearing.
The worst Of IL was that Croppy en-
gagged an agent TO defend him. and when
II was admitted that he was suspected
of having n hand in the Ashgrove House
robbery, this agent worked so strenuous
~ fer -reiease-that- -hegan- 10 fear
] had made laughing-stock OF myself
with my big threat Croppy, I saw, would
get or, and / exerted myself to tho ut
most TO rake up his antecedents: and at
length, with the greatest d'ficulty got
a man TO come through from Leeds In
time TO arrest him for some cleverness i'm
that town, just az he was discharged by
us. Croppy was taken TO Leeds on a
charge OF house-breaking. tried there.
and sentenced to ten years penal, as well
as the unfulflled years OF his former sen
tfnce.
The rage OF his grass widow was
fearful. She not only used her tongue
upon me whenever we met, but made no
secret OF her intention to have me pitch
ed into" upon the earliest possible op-
portunity.
''yon'ii not believe Il till you lnd your
self Tying stark dead some morning" she
said. too enraged 20 notice her own
blundering. or understand why I smiled.
and then she gave me a fresh dose OF
her wonderful adjectives. enough to make
ones hair stand on end.
could have taken her away and got
her to cool her anger by thirty days
oakum- picking. but ! thought she was an
noisc and no action. ] did not even NON
lion 20 any one that had hcon thr at
ened or had cause 10 fear an attack. I
had seen 50 many cases IN which these
misguided wretches profcssed the most
profound grief or lively rage at being
deprived OF partner and vet practical
~ forgot a. all In week or two. This
omission on my part was not unfortunate
v,,rdock Blood Bittcrr gives man I.