The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1913-12-11
My First
DetectiveLesson
By ELLIOT MANSFIELD

way TO learn anything is TO do It
There's u gang of countcrfeiters to be
run down. and I'll put you on the job
Cant you give me something easier
to begin on:" l asked
II give you this because 1t Is easy"
he replied a counterfeiter is handi-
capped with workshop. He must
have his contrivances to make his bills.
and after he has made them he must
get good money for them. Therefore
he is In constant danger; he's the easi-
est rogue OF all TO get"
The job he gave me was very easy
because It was already half done. A
man in b.. who lived alone in a
house he had rented. that was big
enough for a large family. was sus-
pected. and I was sent to locate op-
posite him and get information as to
what he was doing. l hired a room.
look right down on to his house. and
began my watch. Closer had told
me that the surest way OF getting him
was through his mail. The postman
and would drop his letter in an out
side box for that purpose. Seeing
him do so one evening after dark.
went across the street. took the box tc
my room. opened II. took out the let
ters. steamed the gum by which the
envelopes were fastened. read the
mail. put the letters back In the en-
velopc and replaced the box
The letters were nearly all from
business houses to which the man had
applied for position. nothing what
ever discriminating in any OF them.
wrote Closer that there must be some
mistake. mentioning my capturing OF
the suspects mail. My instructor re-
Piled that the letters had been pur-
posely left in a box to throw n shadow
er OF the track must look else
where for the real mail
The next day n telegraph boy called
Mt the fellows hou-e with dispatch
and couldn't get in. While he was
ringing went over and asked him
WnODu ne HtllltFl
dispatch. which opened and read
Cant you come home for the week
end?" was all there was In IL. and IL
was signed Mother" Giving the boy
dime. I sent him away. The envei-
ope had been loosely gummed. and
had no trouble In putting II together to
look as II IL had not been opened
showed 1t under the door and went to
my room. I hadn't been there long be
fore the suspect returned. opened the
dispatch. read II md went into the
house.
When reported this to Closer he
wrote me that the fellow had doubt
less sent the dispatch to himself TO
mislead n shadower. I'd better look
out for some means OF communication
not so public. Asking me II there We're
any deliveries Of supplies made Mt the
house. told him that bakers boy
carried loaf OF bread there every
morning Closser wrote me to lie In
walt for loaf and take II in. I didn't
see any sense In doing so. but obeyed.
The next morning l was up early. and
when the boy came along and left the
street. took the loaf and broke II into
small pieces. Finding nothing In 1t. I
reported the fact to my chief. who re-
piled that II l had been seen by the
man opposite ] had blocked my own
game. One thing I noticed-no more
bread was left Mt the house.
Closer wrote me that II might be
a good idea to scrape an acquaintance
with the suspect met him (pur-
poseiyi Just before he went into his
house and asked him to tell me the
as willing to talk as was. and I soon
learned that his uncle owned the
house he was In and permitted him to
room there while he looked for a posi-
tion. This seemed to explain every
thing. and ! wrote to Closer that he
had sent me on n fools crrand. | was
tired Of 1t and was going home. He
replied that I'd better remain one day
longer. which I did
The next day about noon I saw sew
erai men lettering around the suspects
house and presently saw the suspect
led out with a pair OF bracelets on
his wrists. / was dumfounded- Not
knowing any better way to find out
the facts. went home and straight to
Closer.
who arrested that young manT'
HE was arrested by my order"
But I've found out nothing agninst
him"
mo. you haven't. but others have.
You wanted to learn something. and I
sent you where you could do so. had
the fellow nearly cornered md sent
you to watch him In order to throw
him or the trnck OF Che reai detectives