Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1903-09-03
WITH A FALSE
- ARM ~
By william II. Osborne


arm, the false one, rested partly on the
tray of diamonds. On the hand of that
arm he wore a conventional glove of
black. He was a well dressed man,
with a smooth shaved face. He was
examining some high priced stones.
With his other hand, the left one, he
finally picked out a small diamond,
probably the least expensive of the lot,
and asked the clerk to wrap it up. At
the same time he pulled from his trou-
sers pocket roll of bills at least three
inches thick and with the left hand
deftly counted out enough to pay for
his purchase
The clerk took the money and the
purchased gem and then seized the
tray to replace it in the case.
AS he did so he rapidly counted with
bis eye the remaining stones, as was
| his custom There were two missing,
| in addition to the one he himself had
| taken from the tray He glanced sus-
| piciously at the one armed man.
|
litely, but reaching as he did so for his
revolver underneath the counter, but
| there are two stones missing. have
| YOU taken themf' lie made this in
| qury with hesitation.
The one armed man looked the clerk
squarely in the eye. You are quite
right to be careful" he said pleasantly,
t.,1~ I I.., Oh
many We're there beforer
The clerk told him. Come return
ed the man: 1--WE will count them to-
gether, then"
They did so. They found the tally
right There was none missing. The
man was right and the clerk was
wrong. He apologized profuSely, but
the one armed man took no offerse
whatever at the incident. He received
his diamond and his change and spent
several minutes chatting about dia-
mond robberies and safeguards against
them and then went his way.
Queer thing happened then" called
the clerk to another. 81 came near
telling thai swell that he was a thief;
thought that he took a couple of bril-
liants / counted 'em wrong and told
him that he must have 'cn. He said
he hadn't. Then | counted 'em over
again and found 'em all right. And he
wasn't mad about it either
"Are you sure they're right nowt'
returned the other an older man. Let
me see the tray
The tray was produced Before it
reached the counter the old man seized
the two largest diamonds It contained
and held them 10 the light.
dome, by George" he exclaimed.
"These are made of glass; that's all"
Sneakers" Kelly, the crack plain
clothes man at headquarters, was put
on the case at once.
I've heard of this fellow" he an
nounced 10 the jewelry firm. He's n
new proposition and slick one at that,
understand, and there have been 4
good many complaints about him. We
haven't bee, able 10 make Il touch as
yet. I'll see what can do, but guess
it's best for you to charge the thing up
to profit and loss right now. Even if
overhaul the man It's ten TO one | won't
get the stones I'll do my best, though,
gentlemen"
That happened in Chicago In Janu-
airy of the next year, ON q cold, crisp
day, two prosperous looking men stood
almost side by side in a fashionable
jcwelry store.
One OF them was dressed in furs and
wore rich jewels lie was a snowy
man, with red face. This was
Sneakers" Kelly Of Chicago.
The other man was a man of grave
appearance. He wore gray beard
and his hair was tinged with white.
BY his appearance he was an aristo-
probably the president Of a bank.
In his left hand he held fur mitten--
only one. His right was clothed in q
light colored suede glove. He was
buying diamonds.
Kelly watched this man closely
more closely than did the clerk. Final
~ the clerk handed ont q few small
bills and a small white packet and he
left AS he did SO Kelly followed him.
When they reached the sidewalk Kelly
touched him on the arm. The man
glanced at him but once, and then
swinging around suddenly struck Kel-
~ In the head with his right hand. It
was hard as iron. Kelly was stunned.
He reeled ana fcIl, When he came to,
the other man was about to enter a
carriage which stood at the curb The
carriage started Off but before the
door was shut Kelly had succeeded in
Selling that right false arm with a
tight and unrelenting grip The man
beat him about the face with the other
hand and the coach went faster and
faster but Kelly chung desperately to
the hand, his feet dragging upon the
street below.
Suddenly, as they swung around a
corner, there were snap and a jerk
and Kelly fell face downward on the
pavement. 1t was late I'm the after
noon and dark and no one had noticed
what had happened. Kelly lay for a
moment, but soon recovered ana scram-
bled to his feet, Just IN time to avoid
being run down by heayy truck.
And as he rose he grasped something
tightly in his arms This object he
bore TO brilliantly lighted window
md pvarnfraI ~