Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-01-09
HIS RARE SKILL.

oil d pdPClt anu LII Iheib "a
" pacity he solved the riddle of the
celebrated Sykes robbery case. The
story was printed from one end of the
country to the other, and it made
hero of Green, especially as he received
slight wound from stray bullet i'll
the fracas that took place when Sykes
and his confederates were arrested.
His injury won him a months vaca-
ton, which he resolved to spend at his
home In Kent. Ashford was not very
lively place in the winter but Green
was not looking for recreation.
He wanted to see Ethel Watson, who
in his opinion, was the sweetest and
snartest girl in the world.
On the afternoon of his seventh day
in Ashford Green drove up to the Wat.
son house to take Ethel for a drive.
There had been fine fall of snow the
night before. Ethel was standing by
the gate talking to Joe Sawyer, who
also was in love with her, but didn't
dare to say so openly. Joe was a law
yer, and the only one in Ashford who
had any practice.
Hello, Sherlock Holmesv' said the
lawyer. Have you heard the news?"
NO" answered Green, sourly.
I'm really surprised" said Sawyer.
You should have deducted it from the
state Of the atmosphere and the price
of potatoes"
Il haven't" responded Green.
Justice Hawkins house has been
robbed" said Ethel, "and l think it's
positively providential that you're
here"
Green looked at Ethel and he saw
that she expected him to perform great
miracles. He looked at Sawyer and
saw something quite different.
Get in here, both of you," said
Green, "and we'll see what, we can
do"
They drove to the Justices house.
The robbery had been discovered by
old Mrs. GubDtns, lifelong dependent
of the judges family, who went
through the house three or four times
a week to see that all was well. but did
not live there. She had reported the
case to the local police-a day and a
night watchman-and these function
aries: were present, with dozen of the
neighbors, when Green and his COM
panions arrived.
Green consulted his watch, and then
he slowly walked into the hall, where
the old-fashioned safe built into the
wall gaped emptily. He glanced around
with hstless eye, while everybody
watched him. Then he walked into the
parlor and stood for half a minute by
the mantelpiece.
From this room he passed through
all the others in the house, a slow pro-
cession following him. Finally he led
them to the starting point, the broad
hall, and there he sat down upon the
stairs and looked at his watch, which
he had consulted occasionally in the
course of his stroll.
Nineteen minutes and a half" said
Green. "Nr. Jones, believe you are a
deputy sheriff of this county as we'll as
q constable of the village l will make
my report to you, sir. This robbery
was committed by two men who do
not live in Ashford, and who are not
here at present. Where they are
we will consider later.
Zone of them is about six feet tall
and rather slender. He has red hair,
but is bald ON the front part of his
Uranium. He wore long black over
coat and heavy rubber overshoes The
little finger of his right hand has been
broken and Is bent almost double.
st may interest you to know how /
discovered this. The thief lis tall be-
cause he bumped his head on the
swinging lamp in the parlor, and that
is about six feet from the floor. He
left upon it small portion of his scalp
and one red hair. If he had not been
bald in front he would have left more
hair and less scalp.
"The prints of his overshoes show In
the dust on the floor of the kitchen
closet. The print Of his little finger is
in the dust on top of that table, or was
before Joe Sawyer sat down on it."
'"There wasn't any dust here-not a
speckT' exclaimed Sawyer, jumping off
the table.
Green, calmly.
10 COQI1Que. IQe OLQer rODDer was
short, thick-set and dark. He wore q
pea jacket and a fur cap. He had a
heavy black beard. which may, how
ever, be false. l cannot tell from the
single hair which l found upon a piece
of bread In the kitchen until l have
examined 1t with microscope. He
was an Irishman."
"Great Scottw exclaimed the con-
stable. How do you know that?"
From his method of knocking out
the ashes from his pipe" replied
Green. \ "1rishmen have peculiar way
of doing it. have not time to explain
in detail"
sThe tall man walked on this side, y
said Green. "Mark the longer stride
and the prints of the overshoes. With
out doubt they walked across the mea-
dows to Chartham and took the 7:1O
train for London"
why not the $50 for Dover:" ask.
ed Sawyer.
Thieves with plunder always strike