The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1912-11-15
A PRACTICAL:
EXPERIENCE
In Obtaining a Plan For a
Detective Story
By NATHAN JERNEGAN

y. ny Nathan SLNNGoN 4
| / am literary man-that is, If detec.
tive stories may be called literature
OF course my work involves the inNen.
tive faculty, and invention invoil e.
mental labor. l often thought that IL
could obtain real cases, such as the
sharp detective works out, would be
able to dispense with the hardest part
Of my work. / applied to the police
for such cases, but all I got was the
tracking of thief, burglar. or
murderer by some slip made by the
perpetrat0r or some one else. There
was not enough in 1t to keep a reader
in anxious expectation through several
hundred closely printed pages
One morning l had a real case come
to me without any inquiry. ! was sit
ting in my study racking my brain for
material when maid entered and told
me there was an expressman at the
door with a package for me. l went
downstairs, receipted for it and, taking
It to my den, removed the cover, open
ed the box and saw some jewels. Re
moving a tray, there lay twenty OF
thirty stones apparently of great value
I examined the address on the wrap
per, thinking that l had receipted for
something intended for another, but
there were my name and address cor
rectly written in every particular.
:: Il "a Af GpanH.
ing the rest of the morning trying to
invent a detective story, / was occu'
pied in endeavoring to explain why
and from whom these jewels had been
sent me- 1 found the job more difficult
than producing plot. At last / made
up my mind that l must go about II
methodically, just as detective begins
work in a criminal case.
1 First / went to the express office to
see if I could learn there who sent the
package, but no one knew anything
about it. The expressmen don't keep
records Of the senders of miscellaneous
packages. The next question was,
"Are the jewels real or tmitatonT
This I might learn by submitting them
to an expert. But until the mystery
was explained l did not care to have
any one but myself know that they
were in my possession. They might
be stolen property, and had no mind
to 90 to Jail as the thief. However,
selected one of a few small stones
found in the tray and took it to
dealer in gems for inspection. He
pronounced 1t genuine.
/ returned to my study, threw myself
into an easy chair and began to
ponder. The jewelry had been sent
me by some one whom l did not know,
for had never before seen the hand
writing. There could have been no
mistake as to the intention. But what
was back of the intention?
Suddenly an explanation flashed on
my brain like the fame of gun at
night. The jewels had been stolen, and
whoever had stolen them, fearing to
be caught with them in his possession.
had sent them away. After all, was
not that a good scheme? Internal
machines and poisoned food had been
sent by express and the shipper was
never discovered. The thief would
doubtless open communication with
me after the danger their possession
would bring him had passed.
Then there was another flash in my
brain, and another idea was born.
might work out myself and make II
the theme Of thrilling tale. How
should begin? Attempt to discover
the owner of the gems? No; it would
be better to my purpose that should
make that separate problem. Should
/ take the police into my confidence
BY no means-at least till the denoue,
ment when the guilty party had been
traced through the labyrinth Of circum.
stance and the hero detective, point.
ing his finger at him, cries, 'Thou art
the manp' My plan would be to show
up the ingenuity of my hero in con-
trast with the stupidity of the police.
Should 1 advertise the Jewels in such
q way that the thief would recognize
that they were the property In which
he was interested? Not till he had
time to feel assured that those hunting
the jewels We're not on his track But
this would involve delay, and was
anxious to pull the thread of my inves.
legations at once. SO l advertised that
II the party who had misdirected some
property sent by express would ad.
dress me at the office of the newspaper
containing the ad. he would learn some
thing to his advantage.
received no reply to this, but very
soon a note came through the mai
stating that certain property had beer
addressed to me by mistake and If
would return 1t, asking no questions
half the value would be deducted. II
was plain from this that my theor,
was correct. The jewels had beer
stolen, and the thief was inclined t.
bride me to return them to him with
out giving him away. To ease my con
science he said the matter rested on {
family affair that he was not at liberty
to reveal.
I replied that 1t was true / had re
ceived by express a package that wal
unexpected, and pretended to be de
ceived by the family affair."" writing
that I was not in the habit Of pokint
into other persons business and coult
readily understand why it should b,
kept from me. l was ready to accep
the terms offered. A reply came t
this stating that IL were disposed t
play fair and not attempt any "she
.nanigan" / would be paid $1,000 II