The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1906-12-10
:ssS"sesSesSsOsssssseoooee
: How | Became a Detective /:
,sOOSSOSOsOssOsOooOosooOoS

with city people. Having SUFFICIENT
funds to keep me while hunting for a
situation, packed my traps, took a
train for Chicago, found boarding
place and began my hunt
One day when came to my room in
the evening found an envelope that
had been left for me by the postman-
| had left my address with the post.
master-contalnlng a simple advertis-
Ing card. | was about to throw both
into the wastebasket when I noticed
something written In lead pencil on the
card. Taking 1t to the light, read:
! A. q - 1Oh N - S42h 9Th.
It seemed to me that some one had
been figuring on the card, and again l
started to throw 1t into the wastebas-
ket. But, having an hour before din
ner. with nothing to do but brood over
my failure to obtain a situation, I sat
down with It and amused myself try.
Ing to puzzle out what the writer had
been figuring. Having nothing to guide
me, | fRtled to make even a start.
When | went down to dinner I left
the card on the table. On returning IN
my room while debating whether |
would puE In the evening among the
gay crowds on the principal thorough
Iares or In my room l took UP the adj
yertlslng card and began to puzzle over
the writing on It,
After considerable study | made up
my mind that 1t concealed n message
Suddenly a possible int ,rpretation OF
the 4 - % occurre to me. The day
was April goth. April was the fourth
month, and the 22d would be the day
after tomorrow, The next possible In.
depreciation ! reached was 342L5 9th,
which decided meant 342l5 Sixth
street or avenue. With these two
links was not long In deciding that
lO3 meant half past 10 O'Clock at
night II this was a correct decipher-
ing something was to happen ON the
22d Of April at half past 10 In the
evening at 34215 Sixth street or ave
nue. There was no Sixth avenue In
the city, so 1t must be sixth street.
l was so curious In the matter that !
| went out at once to visit 342h Sixth !
street II there was q half number I |
would suspect my Interpretation to be .
correct, was astounded to find the (
half number. could scarcely believe
my eyes. The house was only about
twelve feet 'front.' a very old brick .
shanty. There was no light In 1t, and
II was locked tight.
II O1nttFead 10 v,,a khak . A.. ........
for whom the card was intended did \
not get 1t the scheme-if 1t was a
scheme-would be spoiled. SO the next
day | returned 1t to the postofflce.
was between two horns of a dilemma.
The first was, Should | go to the DO
lice with a story that would almost
certainly prove me fool2 and the Sec
ond was to watch alone to see II any
thing happened. l spent two days OF
wearing indeclslon, and when the
night OF the odd came ON had come
to no conclusion. At 10 o'clock l went
to the building in question and wait.
ed. II may seem that l should have
notified the police. but who except a
crack Drained fool would have made a
case even for suspicion out OF such
gauzy evidence?
At half past 10 exactly cart came
numbering along the street and stop.
ped In front OF 342A. The cartman
went to the door, looked about hlm-I
was concealed behind tree box r
gave two light raps and after few
seconds third, the door was opened,
and he was admitted. | expected to
see light In the building, but did not
Presently two men came out carrying
a box. One locked the door, and to-
gether they carried the box to the cart
put Il in and drove away.
oh. why had not had the courage Of
to notify the pollce1
I followed at a distance for several
miles, when the men drove into q lane
running past the rear Of a country
house. on which was barn. They took
the box into the barn. went near
and. listening. heard them up In the
hAyloft Then they came DOWN. get
ting out Of the way. Of course-and.
Jumping on the cart, they drove back
10 town.
Marking the spot % that I should
know 1t again, lost no time In max
ing my way back to the city and to 20
Ice headquarters. I simply told the In.
'pector what I had witnessed, and In
len minutes he. with two policemen
Ind myself, was driving to the barn.
Cautiously prying open the door. We
entered. went up into the loft ana
'ound the box concealed under the hay.
Taking Il back to headquarters. the In
lpector invited me into his private OF.
Ice. where II was opened. II contained
gold. bank notes and bonds to ths
amount OF $24S,00
was eniOinsd to keep the matter q
iecret. the barn was watched and the
men arrested. They had robbed a bank
! long while before and had kept the
proceeds In the brick shanty. Being
by the police. they dared not
openly and did % by the
lse OF the advertising card. Th0y