The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-08-17
RACE FOR A Thief
Wild Chase Through the Streets
In the Heart of London.
A DETECTIVES QUICK WORK.

The Police OTioer was Not Onit
Rapid Himself, but Compelled an
Unsuspeotins 6ystander TO Join In
the Mad Flight and Capture.
In defending the London police from
charges of incompetence a contributor
TO Blackwoods Magazine narrates an
incident In which he figured a few
years ago, when ne accompanied his
wife to a Bond street jewelers., where
she went In to match some pearls and
have some gems reset, he awaiting
her on the street. where he smoked
his cigar. He says:
81 noticed three well dressed men
go into the shop and several women,
when suddenly one of the well Dress
ed men came out through the glass
doors Of the shop and pushed rapidly
past me as he turned up the street
At the same moment was seized
violently by the arm by a milkman
who had been arranging his cans on
his handcart Just In front Of the shop.
".Quick, governorr he shouted Aft
er him or we lose himl Look; he's pass
ed the bag to pair
Nov, for the life of me cannot
tell you what impelled me. I'm not
the kind Of man that you can picture
tearing up Bond street In the wake
Of an agitated milkman- But there
was something in the grip that man
took Of my arm that impelled me. &c
that l threw away my cigar and ran
after the man with the bag neck and
neck with the milkman, who exhorted
me to continue In my efforts by shout
ing:
Throw a leg, governor! If We
lose him we lose him foreverF
I'VE tore up Conduit street l DOM
know what the passersby thought.
had no time to think of them. When
we reached Regent street our quarry
dived into the traffic like frog into
mill race. We went In after him.
How l missed being knocked down
don't know. The milkman took the
same risks. We were across almost
as soon as the man and sped after
him. don't know what streets we
doubled down. | know that at this
period 1t flashed across my mind that
| was making a conspicuous ass OF
myself. Here was racing down the
slums of Soho at the bidding of q
strange milkman. who never stopped
In his exhortations to me.
keep 1t up and We'll get himP
"Our quarry doubled and tackled. but
we stuck to him till just as we were
street Of the lot he suddenly slipped
into a low house, OF which the door
was open. My milkman never lost a
second He whispered hoarsely In my
ear:
"'Stop here. governor, and grab the
nrst person as comes out Of that
house. no matter who he Isl know
the way behind
'Tn fash he was gone. He had
nipped down an alleyway and disap
peared. felt a real fool. and the
whole folly of my action rushed In
upon me. I had left my wife strand
ed In a shop in Bond street l hat
lost my hat and my stick. and here
was In an almost deserted street
standing outside a door waiting will
orders from a strange man to grail
the first person that came out of 1t
In two seconds more l would have
left the place and gone to the nearest
halter. a wiser and chastened man
But just at that moment boy OF
about fifteen came ont of the door
My milkman must have left his spell
upon me. for Immediately threw my
arms around him.
"'Lemme 60. governorr he shouted.
i amt done muffin to your
HE struggled hard. and the more he
struggled the more 1 felt impelled to
hold him. And then suddenly, as II
BY magic. two policemen appeared on
the scene and seized my boy for me.
My milkman. wreathed In smiles. ap-
peared In the doorway from which the
boy had Just come. saying blithely and
quite respectfully:
you've done that very well. sir.
We've got the other two inside He
then added. I'll just put my hands
over this young feller.'
He took OF the boys battered hat,
and out Of the lining came roll of
ESQ In Bank Of England notes. He
then went through the boys clothes
and produced out Of his socks pair of
ruby and diamond earrings which. to
my astonishment. ! saw were the very
gewgaws that my wife had taken with
her to have reset The detective. for
my milkman was nothing less, then
pinched the boys ear and said:
Where's the lady's bagY
"'In the yard. SIR he answered sulk-
lily enough.
THE milkman retrieved It. and. sure
enough. 1t was my wife's bag.
But I said to the detective, how
did you know that l was connected
with the lady who owns this bagY
Its our business to know a few
things he said But II you hadn't
been game to run we should have lost
the lot We were only just In time
I'VE left the boy and the two men
In the house in the custody Of con-
stables and took a cab back to Bond
street, and here the strangest part Of
the story comes In. We found my wife
still discussing her pearls with the
jeweler. quite unconscious Of the fact
that her bag was zone"