Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-02-04
MESSENGER BOY
Gets A BURGLAR
GAIA" SAYS A. D. T., WHO READS
DIAMOND DICKS, AND PRoWL-
Err TAKES FRIGHT
BARREL SLAVE FOR BILLY
Chicago Court Hears Thrilling Story
Showing That Even Nick Car
ter Literature Has Its Good
Points.

Chicago, Feb. 3.-Not in vain has
Albert Beck, A. d. 7. messenger NO.
972, taken the trail with Diamond
Dick and single handed brought to
justice all the outlaws from series NO.
l to series No 4S5, inclusive. Not IN
vain has he run down desperate
thieves and murderers with Old Sleuth
and baffled the pursuing crew with
Nick Carter, the terror of them all.
So it was that when his time came.
as he knew 1t would some day, to face
the villain and take his man in the
face Of fearful odds he was at no loss
to know what to do and how to do 1t
in the most approved style. But for
this ready resourcefulness Of the
young hero George Wall would not
have been captured red handed rob
bling the hero's apartment, 1916 Wa
| bash avenue, and probably would not
now be serving a six months sentence
for burglary in the house Of correc-
ton.
! Young Beck who is 16 years old,
| told his story to Judge McSurely yes
| terday in the Criminal Court build
| ing, and the accused Wall added con-
| firmatory details that indicated that
| he had no idea he was going up
against one of the terrors of the old
| school when he crawled through the
window of the messenger boys room
Judge McSurely and the spectators
No messenger boy ever painted from
one deed to another in his beloved fic-
ton with more bated interest than
| these staid seniors followed the incl
dents in Beck's adventure.
Twas Dark and Stormy Night.
at was the night of Dec. IS. about
calmly eying the Judge. 1T was a
| cold dark night. and the wind howleC
and ratified the windows terribly.
| had had q hard days work, and | went
! to bed early-about the same time as
my mother, who slept in the next
room with the door open.
About o'clock l was awakened by
some noise in the room, and In the
darkness l could dimly see a MAI
moving about. I knew it was a burglar
and so lay still thinking what would
do.
"Once he came over to the bed and
| looked at me. and I closed my eyes
and made believe | was aslep. because
thought he would shoot me If he saw
| | was awake.
"Then he went on searching the
room. and I opened my eyes again ant
watched him. | could see he wa:
about twice as big as I am and full
grown man. and l thought l would
have a hard timetaking him red hand
ed and single handed without any
gun or knife. I thought he probably
was armed to the teeth, and would put
up desnerate battle.
Says "Aha" in deep Base Voiea."
80 at last I decided there was only
one way to capture him and bring
him to justice and that was by ruse
decided to make him believe l was
q man and scare him SO he would sur
render. So / spoke up suddenly will
a deep bass voice just like man anc
said:
aha, you've got into the wrong
place this time-it's up with you. In
police officer and I've got you where
I want you. Don't you move or you're
| q dead one!'"
| Young Beck was initiating the deeI
voice in which he had spoken these
words-a hoarse, STACEY voice In which
there was an occasional squeak. Thu
| spectators We're clustering around the
| judges bench from the vicinity O.
| which frequent smokers began to es
cape The accused burglar sat will
his eyes averted and sheepish ex-
/ preston on his face.
Did you have a revolver" asked
Judge McSurely.
mo, sir replied Beck, mot even {
knife I would have given a good dea
for a gun, but there wasn't one in the
house. l just jumped up out of tn
bed making a lot Of noise like biz
policeman getting up and TALKING
fierce all the time to the burglar.
Points Finger Just Like a Gun.
"'Hnads up. there I said, talking 81