The daily Alaskan., 1905-08-15
4 Detective. Burglar

whose dull wits no one need fear. It was natural enough that the officer should feel sore and revengcful. There was plsCe In private detective agency awaiting him, but after think Ing things over he concluded Co turn criminal himself. He had been honest and Squarc, but if be was not Co be re- waricd be would be the other thing He knew scores of men who were looked upon as suspicious characters who were no doubt pickpockcts thieves and burglars and they sceihed to get along an right and have a pull" over him.
 \ man who had been pursuing crim- mals for years and years on the one side and dealing with honest men on thc other cannot break away from the routine all at once. lt took the dctcc. tive six weeks to fully make up his mind and locate a "job" Co be done, but he got at it at last As a dC,cc. tive it had come to his knowledge that a certain rich old woman had a cash 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 Co caution her against such carclCSSncSs. He knew her hahits-how best Co enter the houSe-where the box was kept It would be the easiest kind of a Job Co break in and carry the plunder away, and who in the world would suspect himy The eN-otiiccr 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 frmly convinced that by no possibility could be 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 Co state prison
 At 10 o'clock one dark and rainy evening the cx-dctcctive set out for the house he was Co rob He had dis cuiScd himself Co look like a working man and had put on false whisEers. He had a slight limp in his gait This he did not take Into consideration. A cross eyed man does not 60 around thinking that everybody takes notice Of his mflrmiy. He had been a hit lop shculdercd for years, but he did not pad the shoulder up when ho donned the coarse clothes. He would l have argued that on such night and in such disguise not one chance iu a million would come up Co give him away. He knew that he was always studying criminals. but that they | should study him was a different thing. He passed two men when with in a 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 tho 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 Co | spring it back. This instrument was left on the front stcop near which he was working after being used. There was plenty Of mud on the crossings | NcOuecn had won several eases by the muddy or dusty tracks left behind There was grass at hand on which Co clean his boots, and he entered the window without doing so.
 The treasure box was in an unlocked bureau. wkile the owner slept In a l room adjoining. Nineteen burglars out of twenty could have got the box without awakening the woman, but as Il McOueen got hold Of it be knocked a bottle or the bureau with his arm The old woman screamed out and hS fled. leaving his dark lantern on tho bureau. He had planned Co react home by a certain route after th' burglary. As he started to take that | route he saw policeman barring the way and had to take another. Almost at his own door be encountered e third criminal who knew him In spite of hi. disguise. To crown an the owner oi the box had finally taken his advic' and deposited her bonds and most oi her cash in a bank, and all the detec tive got for his crime was S26.
 The case was given to about the poor est detective on the force. Mcqueen fe Hcltated himself that be was perfectly | safe, and three days later when arrest cd and he saw the evidence arrayej against him he was appalled,. The hi and brace and instrument for spring Ing the window catch were traced (, the seller, and he said the buyer wal McQueen. There were six or elgh muddy tracks on the floor or the bed room, and they were found to ft tn ex-detectlve's shoes, As a matter O fact, some Of the mud was still clinginl to them. be having failed to take th, most common precaution. The secon' night after the robbery he had got ri' of the box by throwing lt in a pom back of the house. A hoOdlum of boy housing around had seen his aC tion and next day recovered the box
 SiIliest and most foolish of all th
 man had taken his old dark lanteri -N-s