The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-10-07

I
the opposite side OF the aisle offered
him his key ring with n number OF
KEYS ON IL that he might see II any OF
them would tit the lock. lie tried them
all, but found none of them available.
Perhaps said the man who had
loaned the keys. this gentleman re
ferring to me--'has II key that will
serve your purpose
II handed him my key ring. and he
tried all the keys on II. but without
effect"
mfr Tourtelotte" ! said. II am in
clined to think that this episode may
have some connection with the rob-
berry"
Twin you kindly explain how?''
II assume that the key Of your safe
was on the ring"
1T was"
"Were your eyes on your keys every
moment they were in the others pos
session.
mo. His. back was toward me
when he was trying them"
| sat bordering for awhile before
saying anything more.
II fear" | said at last. that shall
have to give up the case. There is q
possibility that some game was played
on you by this man to whom you loan
ed your keys. but to find him would be
impossible. Besides. it would require
all the ingenuity Of first class modern
l
chance momentary loan of keys on a
train could result IN money disappear
ing from your safe without that safe
having been forced open"
"Why do you decline to suspect Miss
Martini"
Because she has very expressive
face and 1t would be impossible for
her to carry such secret without be-
traying it. Moreover. l have perfect
confidence in my ability to tell Il rogue
from an innocent person by looking
into the eye"
Very well. sir: since you acknowl-
edge your inability to ferret out the
matter you are welcome to retire
from it."
| learned afterward that lie employ
ed another detective. who worked ON
the lines he indicated, and Miss Mar
tin was kept under surveillance. But
she was never known 20 spend cent
that she could not afford to spend. and
no clew was found against her. ] met
her on the street one day. and she rec
ogniZed me as having been mt the house
where she was employed Immediately
after the robbery. She told me that
Mr.. Tourtelotte had dispensed with
her services. but she did not know
why. did not cnlighten her. Before
left her ! entered her new address
In my notebook in accordance with my
habit of keeping the addresses of per-
sons in any way connected with my
cases
There was a special reason which !
did not know at the time why Mr..
Tourtelotte wished TO Fix the robbery
Of his safe on Miss Martin. He had Il
son whom he suspected of being in
love with her. He Informed that son.
Edgar. that he was convinced that
Miss Martin was a thief. but since he
could not prove it he made no charge.
But. not desiring to have one whom he
did not trust member OF his house
hold, he had sent her away.
This was the first Edgar Tourtelotte
knew OF his fathers suspicious. He
came at once to me to hear what
knew about the matter | told him
that ! had no suspicion whatever OF
Miss Martin: on the contrary. | was
sure that she was an innocent girl
This pleased him very mnch. and he
begged me to try again TO discover
the guilty person. agreeing to pay me
for any time spent in doing so !
told him that. not being one OF those
detectives who could work up case
of II cigar. would not undertake to
work up one in which | had no clew
whatever. added that believed his
| fathers safe had been robbed 10y pro
fessional criminal and there was pos
sibility that NJ some future time an
| explanation might come out by some
crook in limbo.
The lovers were In time relieved by
just such an explanation. II came to
me In roundabout way. lot OF
us detectives were sitting together one
evening swapping yarns when one OF
the party told that crook who had
given him samples OF his ingenuity
related the following with great pride:
He had marked rich man for bis
quarry and noticed that he left the
suburb In which he lived every morn
Ing by certain train for the city,
One day, well dressed the criminal en-.
tered the SAME car with the gentle
man. followed by confederate. On
the way 10 the city he pretended to be
lawyer with "A case coming off In
court that he must try when he reach
ed the city. In this way. aided by his
confederate. he secured the rich mans
safe key long enough TO take an i'm
preston Of II in wax. entered his house
by a trellis. opened his safe and Sc
cured "A good lot OF swag.