The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-10-14


Seeing that Olmstead had no weapon
the burglar did not retreat, but took
some steps forward, holding his re-
volver ready in one hand while with
the other he clasped the ebony jewel
box as football player holds the
ball.
When they were quite close Ohm
stead sprang upon the man so sud
denly and with such skill that he
caught his right wrist and held the
arm straight up in the air. The bur
glar let fall his weapon, which made
loud noise on the floor. Olmstead
hurled him backward and stopped for
the revolver whereupon the burglar
drew another from the side pocket of
his coat and fred with a considerable
GOODNESS of aim from n distance of
about ten feet. The bullet struck
Olmstead on the upper edge of the
left eyebrow and glanced off. He was
stunned. but only for n few seconds.
When the servants came running at
the noise of the shot their master was
already on his legs again and feebly
attempting n pursuit of the marauder.
The case was Immediately reported
to the local authorities. The suburb
of Marchmont has a chief of police
and twelve patrolmen.
The chief and ten of his men turned
| themselves loose on the trail of the
| Olmstead burglar. with no result
whatever The eleventh man remain
ed in charge of the station house.
The twelfth man patrolled old March
mont village and caught a thief in the
bakesbop of Mrs. Sophia Nicely, where
there was the sum of 81 in the till
He had effected his entrance through
the adjoining barber shop of Gustav
Swartz, where there was no money.
Three days later my services were
requested by Mr., Olmstead. who was
walking about with some plaster over
his eye and not much the worse for
| his adventure.
After hearing his story l was able to
give him hope of the rascaPs capture,
for the description furnished to me
was excellent. Its most salient fea-
ture was q reddish, brushlike mus
tache. The burglars hair was dark
DrOWu, Out Ills uuStuChe was uhuS-
niably red and not false in Ohm
stead's opinion.
Slngularly enough, this description
perfectly fitted the only suspicious
character then known to exist within
the limits of Marchmont, except the
petty thief above referred to, who was
smooth shaven. The suspicious char
acter was Gustav Swartz, the barber.
Swartz had borne an excellent repu-
tation until about month ago. when
some silver, stolen from a Marchmont
residence, had been found in his shop.
The barber said that the parcel con-
tanning the silver had been left with
him by a customer who was to call
for it and that he himself did not
know what the contents were. but the
story had obtained no credence.
Upon hearing Olmstead's description
the local police Immediately exhibited
Swartz.
"Swartz looks very much like my
burglar" said Olmstead. Except that
he has a good eye The other fellow
had bad one. don't believe Swartz
is the man."
The case stood thus when l took
hold. That evening, while ! was talk
ing with Miss Olmstead and her
brother and Mr.. Mcclellan IN the IL
brary. there came loud. sudden rap
at the window. Olmstead. who was
naturally nervous. nearly jumped out
of his skin. but he was the first man
to reach the window. He raised the
curtain and the sash. and by the light
that streamed out from the room he
saw the ebony box lying on the We
randa. The person who brought it had
escaped.
Olmstead was overjoyed AS the
box showed no mark of violence the
diamond stomacher must be in It, and
with the anticipation of seeing this
treasure again Olmstead's hands shook
so that he was fifteen minutes opening
the casket. He did not let US see
how he did it. The casket was empty
will not enlarge upon the mysteries
! involved in this performance. There
was no reason why anybody should
have returned the jewel box except
, upon the belief that the diamonds were
, in it. l was doubly convinced of this
, fact after l had persuaded Olmsteat
to show me the trick of opening the
, casket
, Somehow my suspicious rested upoI
/, Swartz, and I made q searching In
vestigation of the man. l discovered
: that he had brother who was pro
fessional thief. no doubt the man wht
had left the silver with him. Thi!
brother was unknown in Marchmon
|, except to Swartz himself. and ! coult
not trace him up until q sudden in
spiration came to me.
The petty thief captured in Mrs
Neely's bakeshop had entered Swartz'
: shop first. The police believed that h
: had done 30 to steal and had thel
s. passed on to Mrs. Neely's. | had
. different theory. believed that tn
:, man had broken into the BARRIERS sho
: to shave and. being alarmed, had fle,
!, through to the other building. not I
. steal. but to escape.
With this idea in mind took DIN
!, stead to see the thief Olmstead coul
not be sure. He said. however. tina
q IL he had to choose he would identif.
r this man by his eyes rather thai
, Swartz by his mustache.
n "They ,ook very much alike" b
% said. and l had begun to think sc
r. too. though at first had not seen tn
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