The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1914-01-15
A Successful
Hiding Place
By JOHN l.. LARNED

Talking about hiding things In places
no one would suspect, the way to do
1t Is to put them in such plain view
that the seeker can look right at them
A good way Is to give them to him.
l never felt so much doubt as to my
being fitted for detective work as once
when | was fooled by an old woman
crook whom | knew to be guilty Of
what l was trying to prove on her
My chief told me one day that "a num-
Der of banknotes had been stolen FROM
q cashiers drawer, and he wanted me
to get on to the thief interviewed
the cashier, who told me that certain
man had been In the store when he
placed the bills in the drawer and saw
him do 1t. The cashier was called to
the rear for few minutes, leaving the
man where he was outside the counter.
When he returned the man was gone
and so were the notes
Fortunately the cashier could give
pretty accurate description of the bills.
They were all fives, all new and all
on the same bank The suspected man
was arrested. but nothing was found
on him but little silver change. 1t
was evident that he had got rid Of
the bills. nosed around among his
haunts for awhile. hoping to learn
something At several stores In the
neighborhood left description of the
bills and asked the proprietors to let
me know If any Of their customers
presented one of them.
Happening In at one Of these stores
later on | was shown a bill answering
a description Of those stolen. 1t had
been paid for groceries by an old wo-
man who lived near, she receiving 81
or So in change | gave the grocer
another bill for it and took 1t to the
cashier from whom the money had
been stolen. He identified 1t as one OF
the lost notes
Investigation showed me that the old
woman and the man suspected OF
stealing the money were known to be
crOnies. She was a notorious receiver
of stolen goods. and there could be no
doubt that she was spending the stolen
money. Doubtless she had the whole
or what was left of 1t in her posses
sion, for the man who had been arrest
ed for stealing II would not dare carry
or pass any of it himself and would
not be likely to have more than one
confederate in the matter. Added to
I FOLD nv nf hnr nniUh-
bOrs that she knew the old woman had
the money in her possession.
/ preferred not to take the chances
of making Il slip by getting out
search warrant, so | suddenly appear
ed Mt the woman's house, locked the
door on the inside and went to work.
Beginning in the garrett found 1t pref
ty dark and called on the occupant for
a light She gave me candle. making
no comment on my proceedings what
ever, taking the trouble to light 1t her
self. Having finished the garnet, rip
ping up loose boards in the floor and
tearing away plasteriDg. descended to
the second story, where | ransacked
every nook and Granny. Being an old
hand at the business. I looked especial
ly In shoes. in crockery. In stoves-in-
deed, in any receptacle where one
would ordinarily not expect a hiding
place because it was In such plain
view. ! stretched an arm up chin
ney and pulled a lot of SCOT down on
me, but no bills Coming on down to
the main floor, looked In closets, I'M
der carpets. In everything hollow.
Having finished this floor. l went
through the cellar. extending my can
die between the joists where they rest
ed on the brick walls and turning over
everything II contained. From the peak
of the roof to the cellar floor nothing
was found.
Going to the main floor, l found the
old woman peeling potatoes as uncon-
cernedly as II she were not under the
slightest suspicion Placing the can
die on the table, | sat down on chair
to rest and think over what had bet
ter do. did not think to blow out the
candle, which had burned low. In
deed. 1t had reached some folded pa
per tndt uuu btth WldPpto oiOuho ito
bottom to keep it steady in the socket.
which was too large for It.
Are you through with the lightT
asked the old woman.
Eyes. | confess you've beaten me.
know there are some stolen bank
notes in your possession, but I can't
find them"
She blew out the candle and resum-
ed her work of peeling potatoes.
Tell me where the stuff is. mother"
added after some thought. land I'll
get you of"
On. you'd better go over the house
again You might find 1t next time,
and you may do enough damage to
make 1t pay me to collect from you"
She gave me knowing look when
she said this. | knew II meant some
thin@. hut | was a trifie slow in inter
prering ii.
oh yes" said presently. You
should be paid for the damage I've