Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-04-26
A Fiashy Couple
lOriglnal.l

York a ball was in progress. There
was no evening dress-indeed, no one
present had eve been arrayed in such
hnery. They were a promiscuous
throng, composed of rogues Of various
types, some Of whom had served one
or more terms in prison.
when the noise, the music, the laugh
ter, mingled occasionally with a curse,
were at their height a couple entered
VINO outdazzled the rest in the resplen-
dence of their costumes. The man
wore a plug hat, a suit Of check
clothes with a waistcoat of a leopard
pattern, while in his shirt front glisten-
ed u scintillating white stone. The wo-
man was dressed in a costume that
appeared to have been cast off from
the property room of q theater. 1t
might have been gypsy, it might have
been Corsican. it might have been
Egyptian. On her head was a tawdry
hat with q bedraggled red feather. Her
myers We're covered with rings, one of
which sparkled as if set with a real
gem.
The music, consisting Of Il fiddle and
a harp the orchestra was a street
band-struck up as the couple entered.
They took position in Il square dance,
and it was soon evident that for high
kicking they were the best in the room.
There was not 4 crook present that
did not covet the jewelry Of this Pc
nI11i1p nois .o,,,J thn.;,,,,+;,,o l. ,44.:,
it was enhanced from the fact that
they were doubtless professionals and
to relieve them would require talents
Of the highest order. Several persons
at different times attempted a light
fingered maneuver, but We're only
laughed at by the couple for their
clumsiness. Seeing four men dancing
vis-a-vis in another part of the room,
the two walked over to them and in
sisted on joining in their gyrations.
BY this time, by their resplendence
and high kicking, the man in the stove
pipe" and the girl in the effulgent cos
tune had attracted considerable at
t%ention, and a number of mel and wo-
men gathered about to see what they
and the four dancers would do in COM
pany. Another couple made eight, and
there was a quadrille which for bril-
liancy Of leg and arm singing beat
anything that had yet occurred on the
premises. The man in the plug hat and
his girl, not satisfied with contortions,
began to sing, or, rather, to screech, un-
til the proprietor at the bar rushed for
ward and demanded that they cease
their yelling lest they bring down the
police, but they sang all the louder, and
the 1ashy man discharged a revolver
at the ceiling to help along the concert.
In vain the proprietor threatened and
pleaded; 1t was without avail. The
strangers seemed bent on a row, and
the woman. following her escorts ex-
ample, also drew a six shooter from
her pocket and, yelling at the top of
her voice, discharged the six shots in
quick succession through an open Win
dow.
It was now certain that within a few
minutes the police would be on hand.
The four men whom the couple had
Joined started for the door, but the
lashy man and his girl also made for
it and, getting there first, instead Of
going downstairs, barred the way with
weapons pointed at those who would
offer to force a passage. They did not
have to hold their position long before a
sergeant Of police, followed closely by
four policemen, came running up the
stairs. The proprietor was near the
door and called out:
'"That galloot and his gal done all the
racket. Run EN- in"
"Them four men has got our rings"
said the man with the plug hat. Il call
on you to arrest 'em. Me and my grill
go along, and if our jewels amt on 'em
" needn't ever believe an honest man
again."
The proprietor held to the fact that
the couple had tried to break up the
dance, and the policemen were about
to take them without the others when
the man in the plug hat whispered
something in the sergeant's ear which
apparently was a pointer on the four
men, for he decided to take them as
we'll.
The five policemen, realizing that
they had tough customers in charge,
slipped handouts on every one of them
and, followed ly a motley crowd. the
procession moved to the headquarters
Of the chief inspector. The official was
sitting behind his desk reading a news
paper when the disturbers Of the peace
were lined up before him. The sergeant
related the circumstances and inform
ed the inspector that the 1ashy couple
accused the four men of robbing them.
The mel were searched, and the jewels
were found in their pockets. They
were the only one surprised. They
looked at one another, then at the cou,
pie, as much as to say, "We've been
done"
The inspector turned to the fashy
man and asked him his name.
Jacob Mattuck, plain clothes man,
at your SERVICE" and, opening his coat.
he revealed a policeman's badge.
"You don't mean it," said the inspcc-
tor. who's your grip
I'm Johnny Miller Of the detectives"
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