The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1909-07-15

n
ieties assailed him. including the dread
Of taking cold. us he grumblingly made
his way downstairs.
In the lower hall he listened. Be-
yond doubt there was some one in the
library. Olmstead opened the door
and entered. The room was dark save
for feeble. 1uttering light which
suddenly settled upon Olmstead with
a brilliancy that surprised him.
Throw up your handsr' said
voice.
'Oh, nonsenser' said Olmstead. and
he felt about on the wall for the but
ton that controlled the lights. The
burglars lantern revealed it to him,
and he instantly made the room bright
Seeing that Olmstead had no weapon
the burglar did not retreat. but took
some steps forward, holding his re-
tolver ready in one hand while with
the other he clasped the ebony jewel
box as football player holds the
ball.
When they We're 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 aud stopped for
the revolver. whereupon the burglar
drew another from the side pocket Of
l.: do, Ill
coolness of aim from distance of
about ten feet The bullet struck
Olmstead Oh the upper edge Of the
left eyebrow and glanced off He was
stunned. but only for q few seconds.
When the servants came running at
the noise of the shot their master was
already on his legs again and feebly
attempting pursuit of the marauder.
The case was Immediately reported
to the local authorities. The suburb
Of AIarchmont has 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 thief in the
bakeshop of Mrs. Sophia Neely. 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 rascars capture.
for the description furnished to me
was excellent. It's most salient fca-
ture was Il reddish, brushlike mus
tache. The burglars hair was dark
brown. but his mustache was unde.
niably red and not false in Ohm
stead's opinion.
Singularly 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 a month ago. wher
some silver. stolen from Marchmont
residence. had been found in his shop
The barber said that the parcel con
tanning the silver had been left witt
him by customer who was to cal
for it and that he himself did moi
know what the contents were. but tht
story had obtained no credence.
Upon hearing Olmstead's description
the local police Immediately exhibited
Swartz
''Swartz looks. very much like N.
burglar" said Olmstead, except tina
he has good eye. The other fellow
had bad one don't believe Swart:
is the man."
The case stood thus when tool
hold. That evening, while was talk
ing with Miss Olmstead and he
brother and Mr. McKellar in the Il
brary. there came loud. sudden raj
at the window. Olmstead. who wa
naturally nervous. nearly jumped on
of his skin. but he was the first maj
to reach the window. He raised til
curtain and the sash. and by the ligh
that streamed out from the room h
saw the ebony box lying on the We
randa. The person who brought it ha
escaped.
Olmstead was overjoyed. AS th
box showed no mark of violence th
diamond stomacher must be in 1t. an
with the anticipation of seeing thi
treasure again Olmstead's hands shoe
so that he was fifteen minutes openin
: the casket. He did not let us Sc
how he did it. The .casket was empt.
will not enlarge upon the mysterie
involved in this performance. Ther
was no reason why anybody shoul
have returned the jewel box excer
upon the belief that the diamonds wer
in it. l was doubly convinced of th
fact after l had persuaded Olmstea
to show me the trick of opening til
caSket
Somehow my suspicious rested upo
: Swartz. and I made searching II
vestigation of the man. discovere
that he had brother who was pr,
! fessional thief. no doubt the man WI
had left the silver with him. Th
brother was unknown in Marchmol
except to Swartz himself. and coul
J. not trace him up until a sudden h
xpiration came to me.
The petty thief captured in Mr.
Ncely's bakeshop had entered Swartz
+ shop first. The police believed that