Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-08-09

While In the detective business sent
Z man to state prison for two years.
Before he went up he reproached me,
with tears in his eyes, because 1lhed
taken livelihood from his wife and
children. felt so sorry for them that
I kept the wolf from the door during
the term Of the husband; and fathers
Imprisonment. When he was dis
charged he came to me. thanked me
and said IL 1t ever came In his way,he
would do me a good turn.
Some time after this received, an
anonymous note stating that Dan Nc
Cornell would attend an evening func-
ton to be given by Nathaniel Ames,
prominent in society, that night, for
the purpose Of plumber. Mcconnell
bad got away with perhaps hundred
thousand dollars Of loot, and there
were rewards out for him to the
amount Of $4,000. If could nab him
I would be well set up. rather fan
cied the information had come from
the crook whose family had befrfend-
ed, though confess it was the first
bit Of gratitude from a criminal I had
ever heard of.
Unfortunately didn't get the infor-
nation till about 10 o'clock at night.
I got into evening dress, hurried
around to the house in question and
was ushered up to the mems robing
room. I had thrown OF my wraps and
was going downstairs through hall
when saw gentleman coming out
OF. one Of the rooms. He gave an in
voluntary start upon seeing me, but he
persued his way while I, walking slow
u as I passed the room from which he
had made an exit, looked In. From the
apparel I saw lying about and other
indications Judged it was lady's
bedroom.
This made me suspect that the man
who had emerged from It had had no
business there. Could 1t be that I had
had the luck to light on Mcconnell on
my very entrance? I hurried down
stairs and saw the man had observed
Just going up to speak to the host and
hostess.
''Who Is that gentleman asked.
''6ir David Peaks, an Englishman re-
Gently arrived, In search Of an Ameri:
can wife, they say. He brought let
ters to Mr.. Ames. I believe. y (
Ny hopes Of an easy find were
dashed.
From that time forward I kept my
eye open for suspicious character.
Mcconnell had never been convicted
and no picture of him had yet been
taken.
Feeling some one jostle against me
from behind. turned and there was
Sir David. He begged my pardon with
an English accent and passed on. It
wasn't ten minutes before I saw the
host coming for me with an ominous
look on his face.
'''Have you received an invitation
here2" he asked.
'.'No: have your replied without
showing the least discomposure
though felt that something had gone
against me.
''Confoand you, sir; live here"
Well. all have to say to you is that
you live In deuced fine house."
was trying to gain time to get
away from several listeners. While we
were talking Sir David came up and
heard the dialogue. Then he broke In:
That's favorite way Of robbery
among the London crooks. They go to
functions as guests and take away the
3ewelry. You'd better search him."
was marched into room by the
host and two others, where there was
no one to see what was going on, and
searched. What was my astonishment
ut the finding in a pocket in the skirt
! Of my dress coat Of q brooch belonging
to one Of the young ladies Of the Ames
family.
Like lightning, my having seen Sit
David Peaks coming out Of ladies'
bedroom and his having jostled me
cart flood Of light on the situation.
He was Mcconnell personating q
knight which he could well do since
heI had come from among the better
iHneitsh classes, being his family's
black sheep. Knowing that had seen
him leaving room In which he had
no right, he had slipped the brooch
into my pocket and then in some way