Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1906-05-24
BY CLAUDE PAMARES
Copyright, no, bu Homer s0rague


Of siding in the bus and paying a
quarter extra. He didn't make a rush
for tie bar as soon rs he arrived. He
didn't cuSs the train for being late
or cuss the town OH account of the
mudholes ia the streets. He took the
landlord into his confidence at once and
explained that he was in poor health
and might spend Il month in recuperat-
ing. lie ate supper ard then sat down
in the barr0om and smoked and doZed
and answered but few questions and
asked none at all, and it was the gen
eral verdict Eefore he went to bed that
he didn't amount to shavings compared
with other arrivals.
George X. Jones. as the man who ar
rived had given his name. moved about
town for the next week without at
tracing any particular notice and
without any one caring particularly
about his health. The landlord of the
hotel had just told a friend OF his that
Jones was apparently a softy, who had
tired himself oct in wondering why a
coffee mill turned to the right instead
VI llt iclls " liCll Ilt WIS slShttl LDI "
private interview. He instantly made
up his mind that Jones wanted to stand
him off, but he granted the request.
In two minutes there was Il great
transformation. Jones OF the sleepy
eyes and tagging feet became rs alert
as fox. He acknowledged that he
had registered under Il false name; he
confessed that he WAS not what he
seemed; he owned up that he was at
the head of detective agency and
ready to do business with his host on
the most liberal terms. There hadn't
heen any crime of any account around
Briggsvile for several years. but this
state of affairs could not last much
longer. There would be a crime wave
sweeping along pretty soon, and his
agency wanted to he in it and make
most of the arr ests and receive most
of the rewards
lie was there il advance of the wave
TO lay his wires. lie wanted to make
OF the IInGrofd q detectilc ,.aal old
sleuth of the first order-and lie had a
printed commission duly dated and
signed that would be exchanged for a
twenty dollar bill The landlord was
TO spot robbers and murderers as fast
as they turned up and send in his re-
ports and rocoivo half the rewards.
1t did not take the proprietor of the
Clarion over five minutes TO decide on
handing over. His income from the
detective business would not be less
than $1,000 Il year and might run to
three times that, and his opportunities
for 'spotting" were Al.
OF course he was told that looking
wise and saving wood was the found5-
tion of detective work and given many
verbal Instructions, and half an hour
later he was dawn in his bar and siz-
ing up three OF toHr old tppers he had
known for fifteen years and wender=
ing which of them was plotting muir
der. That evening he picked out no
less than seven men to keep an eye on
in future, and it was generally remark
ed that he seemed more alert than
usual.
Next day the man who arrived Saun-
tered into the livery stable. !Ie had
sauntered in there l}cfoT' .ai@ei horse
for few minEtes ana then -, ,-.tered
put again much IS ihe disu.J OF the
owner This Tine he 4Qa't tails horse,
The liveryman WAS ali ai1Ae, DIT he
was taken to the rear end of the barn
TO be communicated with Mr.. Jones
had noticed that he had a head on him.
Jones had also noticed that be had an
eye like an eagle and Il perspicacity
that enabled him to tell Il horse from
a COW on sight. The liveryman was
fattered. He couldn't help but be. He
lad been called Il fool often enough |
for trying to conduct livery business
IN county where there We're 2G4 sep
arate, distinct and steen hills ana 10 |
find that all the people had been wrong |
about 1t all the time was like pouring |
sweet oil on burn
After an hours conversation the man |
OF horses and Duggies gave up $25 and |
received n commission to act as detee- |
tive. He was not to be confined to any |
one sort Of crirpe, hut could 30 ahead |
ana 10 BUSINESS with criminals or all |
sorts regardless of ge or sex. Before |
Mr. Jones had left the sta p!es the new
ly made detective had made up his |
mind to keep an eye on the landlord of |
the hotel He had long suspected that |
counterfeit money was being made III |
tbe garret of tie Clarion.
Tbe man who arrived took another /
saunter that day. He sauntered in to |
see Mrs. Bascomb. who kept a small |
millinery and notion store. He had |
not come for q fall hat or Il paper OF |
kairpins. What he had come for he re- |
lated In whispers, accompanied by a |
confidential demeanor His agency |
needed women detectives A word |
caught up now and then as a woman |
customer was trying on hat q ..uy-
Ing a yard or tape mlgnt IeaU 90 tne un-
earthiug of a great mystery.
Mrs. Bascomb was located next to |
the postofIice. She could keep her eye
on the postmaster. There was n black- |
smith shop opposite. She couid hare |
the smith and all MS customers under
Constant espionage. As it was duh
simes in the millinery business, IL ta9A
. full hours talking to make AIRS. bas-
CENT? part with $40 IN cash in exchange
Tor detectives commission, but she
finally parted and was advised TO
spot all crosseyed men mailing let
ters at night after the postofiice nua
closed
D,.ius Tue neat week the man who
arrived was on the saunter most of the
time The two dry goods merchants
and one of the grocers refused TO bTy
commissions on accent " re,gl0us or |
some o.her spruples hut everybody |
Ftse approached had only 10 be talked
10 for few minutes to pay 4 price, II
they wouldn't paS s&u, the price was
gradually reduced TO So. The arrest of
a single murderer, they were told,
would make them good a thousand
times over.
Not less than twenty womop were
included In Mr.. Iones. iisl, and when
AZ could Secure ma more clients In the
Town he worked the surrounding coun-