The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1905-07-20
A Detective.Burgla

Copyright. 1905, by T. c. McClurel
1t was q political change that lost
Detective Mcqueen his place at last.
A criminal league with political pull
| finally brought influence enough to
bear, and his place was taken by one
whose dull wits no one need fear. II
was natural enough that the officer
| should feel sore and revengeful. There
was a place in a private detective
agency awaiting him, but after think
ing things over he concluded to turn
criminal himself. He had been honest
and square, but if he was not to be re
warded he would be the other thing
He knew scores of men who were
looked upon as suspicious characters
who were no doubt pickpockets.
thieves and burglars-and they seemed
to get along all right and have pull
over him.
A man who had been pursuing Grim
inals for years and years on the one
side and dealing with honest men Oh
the other cannot break away from the
routine all at once. 1t took the detec.
tive six weeks to fully make up his
mind and locate LOB" to be done,
but he got at it at last AS detec-
tive it had come to his knowledge that
box in the house and was in the habit
of keeping bonds and a considerable
amount Of cash therein. In fact, he
had felt it his duty to caution her
against such carelessness. He knew
her habits-hOw best to enter the
house-where the box was kept. 1t
would be the easiest kind Of job to
break In and carry the plumber away.
and who in the world would suspect
him? The eX-Officer sat down and
went all over the case point by point,
as he used to his other cases, and
when he had finished he was firmly
convinced that by no possibility could
he be brought under suspicion. The
crime would be laid at the door of
some crook, and they would run in
some one of the fraternity and railroad
him to state prison.
At 10 o'clock one dark and rainy
evening the eX-detective set out for
the house he was to rob. He had dis
guised himself to look like a working
man and had put on false whiskers.
He had slight limp in his gait This
he did not take into consideration. A
cross eyed man does not go around
thinking that everybody takes notice
Of his infirmity. He had been bit
lop shOuldered for years, but he did
not pad the shoulder up when he
donned the coarse clothes. He would
have argued that on such a night and
in such disguise not one chance in a
million would come up to give him
away He knew that he was always
studying criminals, but that they
should study him was different
thing He passed two men when with
in block of the house. They spotted
his limp and his lop shoulder.
TO effect entrance to the house Nc
Queen must cut and bore away a stout
wooden shutter. He provided himself
with a new brace and bit and saw
When the shutter opened he laid the
saw on the ground, where it was found
next morning. He knew what sort of
catch was on the window, and he had
come provided with an instrument to
left on the front stoop near which he
was working after being used. There
was plenty Of mud ON the crossings.
Mcqueen had won several cases by the
muddy or dusty tracks left behind.
There was grass at hand on which to
clean his boots, and he entered the
window without doing so.
The treasure box was in an unlocked
bureau, while the owner slept In
room adjoining. Nineteen burglars out
Of twenty could have got the box
without awakening the woman, but as
Mcqueen got hold of it he knocked
bottle off the bureau with his arm.
The old woman screamed out, and he
fed, leaving his dark lantern on the
bureau. He had planned to reach
burglary. AS he started to take that
route he saw policeman barring the
way and had to take another. Almost
at his own door he encountered third
criminal who knew him in spite Of his
disguise. To crown all the owner Of
the box had finally taken his advice
and deposited her bonds and most of
her cash in a bank, and all the detec-
tive got for his crime was $26.
The case was given to about the poor
est detective on the force. Mcqueen fe-
dictated himself that he was perfectly
safe, and three days later when arrest
ed and he saw the evidence arrayed
against him he was appalled,. The bit
and brace and instrument for spring
Ing the window catch were traced to
the seller, and he said the buyer was
Mcqueen. There were six or eight
muddy tracks on the floor Of the bed
room, and they were found to fit the