The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1913-05-23
An Arrest
BY JAMES B. BARSTOW

talent Tor languages, Tor she coulu
pose as Il native of any civilized land
One day my chief told me that he
had reliable information of this accom-.
plished confidence lady; that she was
living In apartments and he wished
me to so and arrest her. GO In plain
Clothes" he said, land keep your wits
about you. She is very slippery and
will elude you If you give her the
slightest opportunity"
started out with the intention of
being thoroughly on my guard. knew
that fathouses are apt to be conven-
lent for those who wish to light out
suddenly and took with me sufficient
force to watch from every direction.
rear and on the roof of the adjoining
building, | rang the bell ut Mrs. Bur-
RACES door. The summons was an.
swered by a maid dressed in uniform
IA black dress. apron and cap. She
held silver salver in her hand for a
card.
But was not there for a call. nor
|
name ] brushed past the maid and
passed through the living room to II
bedroom. where found lady in dis.
habile.
What are you doing here?" she
asked, betraying foreign accent
Il have come, madam. to ask you to
make call upon the inspector"
The Inspector! What does this
mean?"
That you are under arrest"
She pretended for awhile to be be.
wildered at the idea of being arrested,
but when she found l would listen to
her no longer she agreed to accom-
pany me without urging if ] would per-
NIT her to put on costume suitable
to the street. After examining the out.
lets and seeing no possible way of her
making an escape consented. The
room was at the end of the suit. on the
fourth floor. and no fire escape within
reach There was no possibility of her
getting out except through the living
room. So | retreated to that apart.
ment. but insisted that the door be-
ticiently ajar for me to hear, though
not to see.
There was but one door opening
from the suit to the hall, and at this
door had stationed a man with orders
to let no one pass. On one side Of the
fat passageway was the living room.
on the other the dining room and kitch-
en-. But what interested me was the |
bedroom In which I had the prisoner
cornered. l could not for my life see
how she could escape me.
Mrs. Burrage. Or whatever her name
was, took her time about dressing
listened for every move. and she made |
enough Of them for me to know by the |
sound that she was still there. This |
was gratifying, for. though I saw no
way for her to escape me. would have
felt uneasy at any lengthy silence.
When quarter Of an hour had passed |
and she did not appear asked her IL |
she was not ready. She replied that |
she had no one to hook the back Of her |
dress. told her that had often per-
formed that service for my wife and IL |
she would come into the living room |
would accommodate her. She said she /
would prefer that come In to her.
Resolved not to grant anything she |
proposed, told her to come out to me.
which she did with evident reluctance.
hooked her dress for her. and when
she went back to her bedroom to put /
on her coat and hat flung the door
wide open. so that she could complete
her toilet under my observation. She
was so slow about 1t that finally told
her that would give her FIVE minutes
by my watch to finish. She got into
her wraps within the time and said
that she was ready to accompany me-
But she must ask me to go through
the rooms with her-if would not |
permit her to go alone-to see that
they were in order for locking up. |
consented, and we passed through the
other bedrooms and finally entered the
dining room. My prisoner passed
through 1t to pantry between II and
the kitchen and. opening door,
looked down lift used for sending
up supplies. Thinking she would at
tempt to escape through it. caught
her skirt.
She turned toward me and smiled
"You may take me to the inspector
If you choose" she said. "but ! am
not the person you are after. am the
maid. My mistress you passed Mt the
door. She got word Of n visit by the
police and Immediately changed clothes
with me. When you came to me she
made up for man. went down on
this lift to one of the apartments be-
low and has doubtless passed out
through the main entrance. l have
been delaying you In order to give her
the needed time Here pointing to
the servants room. "are her maids
clothes"
I cid not take her to the inspector.
went back to him myself and got
laughed at
Some years later went to arrest the
same woman and succeeded. | asked
her how she got wind of her intended
arrest. and she told me that she hap
pened at the time to be looking out OF
n window down on the street and saw |