The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-03
Postmaster's Patience
and Pluck Like That
Of Sherlock Holmes.
SAW SHADOW
PASS WINDOW
Next Moment His Eye Met Eye
Of Thief, Then Waited Until
He Came Down Only Ave
nue. of Escape-Arrested
and Delivered Negro
to Police.

Exhibiting qualities OF patience and
pluck which might have made him a
second Sherlock Holmcs, Postmaster
Edgar Allan. JT. after waiting more
than an hour for, his prisoner, at ~
o'clock yesterday arrested Charles
Williams, colored, twenty four years
old, who is now awaiting trial to-day
on Z charge Of houscbrcakinS. The
arrest was made at the mouth of an
alley opening into First Street, and
the negro Is charged with having com
mitted tho felony at 1o5 East Main
Street.
The methods employed by the post
master In catching the negro in tho
very act OF committing theft Indicate
q shrewdncss In manocuvres and a
keencss Of eye which may cause
professionals to shiycr with envy.
From the opposite side OF Main Street.
Mr.. Allan, who owns the house In
which the crime was committed, spied
Williams in the front room on the
second story.
Mr.. Allan Sees burglar.
The residence has been recently va
Gated. and Mr. Allan is making i'm.
provenents with a view of converting
It into stores. He was examining tho
work, which has been under way for
several days, when a shadow strangely
passed the second story window. This
attracted the postmaster, who took
notice. and moment later his eyes
met those OF the thief. The black
head disappeared in an instant. and
Mr.. Allan, without calling assistance.
went to the rear.
The self-appolntcd sieuth realized In
a moment, he gays. that not one negro
Ia thousand would dare attempt an
escape in the presence OF crowds OF
churchsoers in Main Street. and know
ing that there was but ono other
chance, for lssrs TO se ava; !. n fr- Al Han
stationed himself near the mouth oc
the alley.
Hc waited for ten minutes. but no
one came. Gradually his watch moved
around from the eleventh to the twelfth
hour, and patiently the determined
postmaster awaited his man. Just as
tho hands of his timepiecc met in the
middle OF the dial a shuffling noise
WAS heard twenty feet away, and In
another minute, or as near this as the
excited post-ofice executive could
Judge. crouchInS figure started
through the gate. Mr.. Allan. with Il
threat. commanded the negro to stand
still.
Postmaster Faces Thief.
The Two men faced each other. The
fugitive appeared as II about to make
a. dash for liberty. said Mr.. Allan,
'and was determined to check any
advance he made. The negro spoke
first. There was no fight to be had,
however, for In another minute my
captive was making excuses and ! had
him firmly grasped in the collar"
I ta e. plr that he
ploycd by the contractor; but the
postmaster was not to be foilcd, and 1T
was soon proved that real burglar
had been caught.
Connie Johnson, an cmploye Of the
City Sheriff came to Nir. Allan's as
sistance, and together they took the
prisoner to the patrol box at First and
Main Streets. Not until his prisoner
had been placed in charge of police
officers. and the automobile had start
cd on It's way back to the station house,
was an examination made OF the prem
ises, Enough evidence was found to
indicate that tho negro was at work on
the second floor. and there Is little
doubt but that he will servo a peniten-
tIary term for his crime.
Find Evidences OF Crime.
Williams entered TIL, house by fore
Ing a clasp on q window In the rear.
downstairs room. the same one through
which he came in his effort to escape.
Tho contractor on Saturday had
made holes In tho walls on the second
floor, exposing the pipes. and 1t was
at these the thief at been working
when he came too near the front3wtn-
dow. He had succeeded in cutting the
pipes. and had a pile Of lead heaped in
the floor. He left his bundle behind
after being detected.
Mr.. Allan said last night that no
will be present In Police Court to-day
to mako his statement of the case an
public, Chief of Police Werner and
Captain Mcmahon. of tho detective
force, were delighted with news OF
the capture, which may serve to enl-l
phasize the fact that "pipe cutting" Is
i felony. and that violators, if found
guilty. may be sent to the penten-.
10 4 Z.