Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-11-15
TheGibson
Robbery
A Smart Piece of
Detective Work
BY cLARIssA r1AcKIE

private office Of the Junior member of
the law firm
II am Rogers" said that young man
rouueomSiy My partner Mr. Harley.
has not yet returned from lunch. hid
you wish to see him particularly
No. Either one will do" returned
the other hastily Il was directed here
10y my friend DIR. Brown lie gave ne
to understand that your firm did . III
tie detective work now and then
Hardly that" returned Rogers. plac-
ing chair for his client ana regaining
his own seat. hut in the course Of our
practice We have CHANGED upon mum
her of curious eases that we were for
tunatc enough To unraycl. AZ u matter
of fact. We are rather fond of that sort
of thing, although il is not = branch of
our business.
The visitor frowiied thuughttully iog
Il moment and then looked sharply N
the young lawyer
In spite II what you say perhaps
can prevail upon YOU to undertake z
delicate matter Tor me. II is In the
line or detective work. but il requires
unusual tact. something that the aver
age detective does not possess. This is
not the mere Shadowing of suspected
party. 1t is an cndcavor to tind Il thicf
among u group of people none ~
whom could possibly bc guilty ~
theft" He leaned back and smiled nj
Rogers look of dismay
Tough proposition chf'
Rather II sounds interesting With
out consulting my partner III say that
we will take II up rs recreation after
business hours
Done returned the visitor heartily
Drawing u cardcasc from his pocket.
he laid bit of paStcboard on Rogers
desk and leaned back in his chair
My name Is Gibson james addison
Gibson. he said. nodding toward the
card. and my house was robbed last
evening of $4,000 worth Of jewels.
Rogers sat up in his chair and lis
tened ntcntly.
1T happened At my country home ri
tanning six friends from Manhattan.
all people Of refinement and impccca
bic honesty.
During the evening Mrs Gibson
mentioned that she had just received
necklace of diamonds as Il birthday
gift from me and She brought out the
jewel ease ana displayed the necklace
TO her friends II was greatly admired
and | was about 10 close the case aud
replace IL In my safe IN the library
when both my wife aud myself We're
summoned Ia the telephone by an
urgent message
Was the message really an urgen,
one:"
1T proved To be an error. There
was some mistake about the number
and the Mr.. and Mrs Gibson called for
were really my brother and his wife
who lived over on the East road
80 your absence from the room WAS
really Unnecessary"
$50 II appears"
IBID any one enter or leave the room
during your ABSENCE
Il cannot find that amy one rcmem
bers. | have questioned the servants.
and all are unanimous In the protest
that they had not entered the room
that evening
who brought the message from the
telephone"
PUN Shah my Hindu butler
and then he asked one more question.
did Pun Shah enter the room when
he called you and Mrs. Gibson outside.
ar did he stand in the doorway"
He merely stood in the doorway and
gave the message
MAY | have the names of the six
guests who were present that even
ing"
Mr. Gibson nodded
Rogers drew forth u pencil and note.
book. Please give brief description
Of each one aS you mention the name.
not forgetting to give me the chief
characteristics that mark each ind
vidual
First. there WAS Rodney Stone. III
poet. q dreamy Young chap. with his
lovely wife who Is quite content I"
shine Ia the reflection Of his glory,
Then came Dr. Iatimer. brilliant
physician. now driven TO death with
an immense practice. II he keeps
on his present pace without rcssation
from work he win end IN u madhonsc
Resides pr. l.atimer there was Nine
Finclli the prima donna. who as
you no doubt have heard. possesses
an emotional temperament as well
as u wonderful voice Last of all
were the IIuxforls. father and son.
busy Wall street men. almost too
tagged ont 10 recullcci what the neck
lace looked like five minutes after my
wife had displayed H."
"'rhose were the six who were alone
with the iewesT''
"Yes -
And they are all unanimous IN say
ing that not one person entered the
room during Vour ahSence;"