The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1912-04-12
CHAPTER !.


1t was cleverly planned, opportunity
timed and successfully executed. 1t
was good haul, too. Forty thousand
dollars in crisp coin of the realm is
pretty high pay for almost any Grim
t2al for few hours work and risk,
and that is what tina perpetrator got
out of it
You will notice that | said Grim
inal." l did that to distinguish it from
the operation of gang of thieves;
FOR as 1t turned out it was the work
OF a single individual and not the
combination of effort OF a coterie.
That made it still more difficult to
solve. AS chain is no stronger than
its weakest link, so is the cunning
OF a combination of men no keener
than the wits of it's dullest member
That is why conspiracies generally
come to grief-somebody turns out to
be weak. In the matter of which am
speaking there were as many battling
points as there are to a hedgehog, and
for time it seemed impregnable. AS
for the sleuth hounds Of the police,
they cams up to 1t with caution,
smelled about 1t discreetly and then
drew away, looking wise. to ponder
over it, and for all know are look
ing wise and bordering yet. But with
William LeDuc the case was differ
snt.
LeDuc had been something of a
friend of mine ever since we were
schoolboys together, and he did real
ly brilliant work on tho case. Every
thing conjured up by the human mind
is capable Of human solution If we
80 about it right, and LeDuc found
the way. Just because q dog Is help
less before a bristling porcupine it is
no sign that all animals are. The wild
cat isn't. He is too quick for the
bristler. He feints him out Of his de-
fensive posture by lightning play
and eventually gets him by the un-
protected nose-which Is the begin
ming Of the end Of the problem. Just
what LeDuc did has never been made
public up to this time for the reason
that none but he or is competent to
give the inner particulars of the run
ming down of the thief, and up to this
time neither of us has cared to tell
But 7 feel that must do so now.
That happened to know more than
anybody else about certain incidents
connected with the affair and was
kble to supply LeDuc with the proofs
of guilt was due to the fact that
lived with Uncle Abner at the time
the crime took place. I, also, was the
one who found him lying bound and
unconscious. Also 1t was myself who
reported matters to the police and in
troo Iced LeDuc to my uncle. AS for
the time when the burglary took
place, I happened to be away from
home, having stayed at hotel in the
business district quite few miles
from where I lived.
And now at the outset am going
to emphasize one fact. While 1t is an
unpleasant thing for me to do so.
Am going to tell everything l know
regarding this crime. am going to
spare nobody's feelings, faults or repu.
tations. That l have not done so be-
fore was because Of a reason which
will be apparent when all the other
facts are known. But now that a
certain event has happened l fee
free to make everything known.
In writing this account have
thought best to do so chronologically
when possible. Therefore, must &C
somewhat into matters which pre-
coded and were more or less directly
connected with the crime In order
that the motive may be shown and
that there may be the proper per
spectiye. To do this must tell more
or less about people not absolutely
connected with the burglary, but who
are necessary to the narrative BY
reason of their propinquity. How
ever, they are simply the shading
and side lights that 60 to make up the
picture. And while LeDuc may disap
pear for considerable periods In tht
telling, the mistake should not b.
made OF thinking he Is nowhere
around. That Is what he did In the
actual ferreting out Of the case, ant
that Is what misled the criminal. Bu'
when his fine Italian hand did appear
at the finish, 1t wore a glove of mail
Right at this point l find myself
somewhat at q loss to decide JUS
where to begin the recital. This Is
mr. the reason that I am not q write1
trained In the art of building UP &
mystery with such skill that 1t stands
intact until the time comes to demol
fab II: when with ore deft blow the
keystone is removed and the whole
fabric comes down with crash
therefore all can hope to do is tt
simply and plainly outline the char
acters which seem to me to be per
t,nent to a full understanding Of con
ditions, and then 60 on and relate
events as they happened. Perhaps
had better begin with brief descrip
tion Of Uncle Abner, his pecuiiaritfe'
and meannesses.
When you look at that last sen
tence again you will begin to under
stand that l meant 1t when ! saio