Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-06-10
TRAPPING
A CROOK
A Detective Story
By DONALD cHAMBERLN

It is generally supposed that We de-
tectives have to deal exclusively with
low grade criminals. Most OF our small
robbers are Of that sort, but OCCASION
ally we run across either a gentleman
or one who Is very capable of personal
ing a gentleman.
One OF the dangers thieves and rob
bers encounter is being given away by
q pal. 1t Is singular how many cases
there are of quarrelings over the d.
vision Of plumber taken by rascals who
work together, and once break Is
made among them 1t widens indeh-
nitely. Revenge is always within
reach by informing. though this course
Is liable to react on the informer.
One morning the mail brought my
chief a letter, badly written and mis-
spelled, Informing him that Jim Nc
Farland, alias slippery Jim and several
other aliases, would that evening at
tend as guest function to be CIV
en- by one OF the swells OF the place,
his object being to get away with GER
tain articles of value. No description
of Mr.. Mcfarland was given-indeed,
no other information than here men
toned. I was directed to examine the
police records and the rogues' gallery
with a view to discovering biography
or a photograph Of the crook. But
found no mention OF any such person,
SO inferred that II the Information
received were genuine he must be a
newcomer. I believed that 1t was genu-
inc, for I could not see that anything
was to be gained by sending In false
statement Indeed, 1t was apparent to
me that thieves had fallen out and
honest men were likely to get their
dues.
I must attend the function. but /
must do so either without an invitation
or the host must know that l am a
detective. To secure admission as a
detective would require taking the host
into my confidence and as many others
as he chose TO confide In. These people
would all be looking for the crook, and
he would be scared away. l preferred
to 60 to the ball myself incognito.
Sometimes a guest will be known to
the host. but not to the hostess, and
vice versa. Therefore a person with
out an invitation stands good chance
to attend function without being
questioned. On this chance | relied.
/ got myself up as Immediately as
possible. parting my hair in the mid
die in order to give me the appearance
OF superhne gentleman. In the dress
ing room l made remarks upon the
weather to several different men In or
der to give the impression that l was
acquainted with them and went down.
stairs chatting with man who SEEM
ed not averse TO my advances / re-
Trained from going at once TO salute
the host and hostess, keeping away
from them purposely while they were
together SO they could not compare
notes concerning me.
had not been long on the main floor
when began to scan the faces for my
quarry, though l expected to find him.
II at all, upstairs. made frequent
visits to the dressing room and after
the guests had ceased to arrive and
the upper stories were deserted took
the risk of looking into rooms, some
times opening the doors in order to get
an inside view. In one Of these ex-
plorations / opened the door Of a room
where nurse was sitting beside q
child in its crib. 1 apologized for max
ing a mistake and withdrew at once.
Among the guests l noticed one who
seemed to be receiving the lions
share OF attention. asked who he
was and was informed that he was the
Hon. Clifford Radcliffe. a younger son
of British earl. He seemed to be
quiet sort OF person. listening to
what was said to him rather than talk
ing himself and not flattered by the at
tention paid him. While observing
him / save a man presented to him
one In fine clothes, but with very or
binary face. His hair and beard were
Of disagreeable shade of red Edging
near enough to hear him speak, / found
that his accent was English. What
especially struck me was that, while
could not be sure he dropped his his.
the word shave" sounded very like
cave"
While I am never disposed to jump
at conclusions. this red headed indi-
vidual seemed to me to look more out
Of place than any other of the guests.
At any rate, l resolved to keep an
eye on him. Considering that all We're
moving constantly. this was not easy.
Some time after l had first noticed him
looked about for him, but did not see
him. Thinking that might catch him
upstairs purloining. went up there.
Returning to my expedient Of opening
doors 'by mistake" turned several
knobs. On one of these entrances l
was surprised to see the red headed
man standing at dresser. He had
Invested himself of his dress coat and
had mt on a sack At the momant 7