Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-03-14
DAILY SHORT STORY
A FLAsHY COUPLE.

one OF the lowest streets of lower New
York Il ball was i'll progress. There
was no evening dress indeed, no one
present had ever been arrayed in such
finery. They were IL 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 curse,
We're ut their height a couple entered
who outdaZZled the rest in the reSplen-
dence of their costumes. The man
wore Il plug hat, suit of check
clothes with Al waistcoat of Il leopard
pattern while i'll his shirt front glisten-
eel Il sciutillating white stone. The wo-
man was dressed in costume that
appeared to have been east off from
the property room of Il theater. 1t
might have been gypsy. it might have
been Corsican. it might have been
Egyptian. On her head was 4 tawdry
hat with Il bedraggled red feather Her
fingers wore covered with rings, one of
which sparkled as If set with real
gem.
The music. consisting of fiddle and
4 harp - the orchestra was 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 Il crook present that
did not covet the iewelry of this pc
culiar pair. and the incentive To attain
it was enhanced from the fact that
they We're doubtless professionals and
to relieve them would require talents
of the highest order. Several persons
at different times attempted IL 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
tention. and number of men ana wo-
men gathered about 10 see what they
and the four dancers would do in com
pany. Another couple made eight, and
there was quadrille which for bril-
liancy of leg and arm singing beat
anything that had yet occurred OH the
premises. The man in the plug hat and
his girl, not satisfied with cOntortions,
began To sing. or, rather, TO screech, I'M
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 fiashy man discharged revolver
at the ceiling to help along the concert.
In vain the proprietor Threatened and
pleaded: it was without avail. Tie
strangers seemed bent on 4 row, and
the woman. following her escorts ex-
ample, also drew q 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.
1t was now certain that within few
minutes the police would he OH hand
The four men whom the couple had
Joined started for the door, but the
flashy 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 q 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 'em In
Them four men has got our rings"
said the man with the plug hat. Il cal
on you to arrest 'em. Me and my girl'l
go along and if our jewels amt on 'eni
v needn't evx' believe an honest mar
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
well.
The five policemen, realizing that
they had tough customers in charge,
slipped handouts on every one of them
and, followed by a motley crowd, the
procession moved to the headquarters
of the chief inspector. The official was
sitting behind his desk reading q news
paper when the disturbers af the peace
We're lined up before him. The sergeant
related the circumstances and inform
ed the inspector that the flashy couple
accused the four men of robbing them
The men were searched, and the jewels
were found I'm their pockets. They
were the only ones 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 policeman's badge
'You don't mean it ~ said the inspec.
tor. 'Who's your grip
''I'm Johnny Miller of the detectives"
said the girl, and, tearing open his
dress. he showed his own badge.
81 heard" said Mattuck, "that these
men, who are wanted for the - bank