Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1903-06-06
MY ONE DETECTIVE CASE
(Original.1

me KISS ana cneereu me as wei rs
she could.
/ l resolved to go from door to door in
the business part of the town, without
reference to the kind of business. l
had visited some twenty stores and
manufacturing places when | struck
the headquarters of the police depart
ment. True to my resolution, l went
in. The inspector was in bad humor
about something, and l considered 1t a
mere waste of time to apply to him,
but would not go back on my resolu
ton.
What do you want?" he asked
grutfly.
Anything. Detective work, if you
have any"
"Detectives! Blunderers rather. I
want good detective right now, and
can't get one. How much experience
have your
None
He sat for moment thinking, then
said: MY detectives are all known to
the crooks. l have a mind to try you
The -th National bank was robbed
last night, and the robbers are trying
to get out Of town with the swag. If
I arrest them, they won't have the
money on them, so I'm letting them
run. Suppose l put you ON to one Of
them, do you think you could make
yourself out stupid enough for him to
send the stuff out of town by you?"
Il can do Il very hard job Of trying"
l replied.
He considered awhile, then instruct
ed me to 20 to certain cheap hotel
and put up as a guest from the coun-
| try Bill O'Ncil, one who was suspect
ed of the robbery, was there, or had
been there. l was to gain his conf
dence in the hope that he would send
me out with at least a part of what had
been taken from the bank. | fixed my
self up in country costume and went
to the place designated. A man an
swering the description Of Bill O'Neil
was sitting in the office when | went
up to register. l paid no attention to
him nor he to me. l went into the din
ing room, ate a good meal and on going
out saw O'Neil sitting where l had left
him. l bought a five cent cigar and
while l was smoking it walked up to
O'Neil and asked him if he knew when
the next train left for Spottswood, a
village twenty miles out. He answered
ha J,,t% h,,k I
down beside him and began to talk
about the price Of corn, hay and other
country commodities. Presently he
called out to the clerk, asking him
about the Spottswood train, and re-
ceived a reply that it would leave in an
hour. He then asked what road it was
on and on being informed said to me
that he was going to station OH the
! hither side of Spottswood and we
would go together. THAT is" he add
ed, 'if I can see man before train
time" He couldn't see "a man" before
train time and asked me if l would
take parcel to Cottonwood. He would
telegraph his partner to be on the look
out when the train stopped to receive
it.
1t looked as if the man had fallen
into the trap, but suspected he hadn't.
At any rate l knew there was game
to be played and my eyes must be like
myriad of telescopes.
"All right" l said. Gimme yer bun
die"
Come up to my room. I've bottle
there and I'll blow you off"
1t was plain he wouldn't act where
others could see. We went to the room
and he gave me the bundle While he
was getting out his bottle with his
back toward me jabbed sharp knife
into the package. The blade met with
no resistance and l caught sand and
sawdust in my hand. l had just time to
put up the knife and thrust the bundle
into my pocket when O'Ncil turned,
and l received my liquor with a smile.
l asked for a second drink and a
third and so on as long as O'Neil
would give me one. | waXed merry as
l drank, and soon saw by the express
sion of O'Neirs face that he was quite
willing l should get drunk. At last in
stead of taking my train fell over on
the bed In an apparent stupOr. Had l
not possessed n strong head l would
have been all appeared. 1t was now
quite dark, and l was snoring Justify.
O'Neil turned off the light, and heard
a key turn and drawer open. Then
he went out, locking the door on the
outside. jumped up, glanced out the
window. hung outside on the sill and
let myself drop twenty feet or more to
an extension and then down another
big drop to the street. taking position
on a corner where l could see every
e5ress. l waited half an hour and was
nbout to give up the job when l saw a
"hayseed" like myself go out through a
side door. Something-I don't know
what-induced me to shadow him.
tracked him to a railway station, where
1 directed a depot official to call po-
liceman while l watched my man. In
a few minutes the "hayseed" was ar
rested. On him was found the plunder
done up In bundle similar to the one
that had been given to me.
O'Neil was also arrested. He told me
that as mine was a new face he was
uncertain whether | was detective or
not. Finally he concluded that what
ever | was he would send me off with
a dummy bundle. Then seeing a chance
to lock me in he transferred the money
II n IL