Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-09-04

| bureau in Albany. y. Y, there was n
ring at the telephone one morning, and
| the chief, being busy, asked me to re
ply TO it.
MY name is Ormsby," came over
the wire. - l.. Ormsby of No -
Walnut street. a man called here this
morning ostensibly from the city wa
/ ter department to examine the plumb
| ing for leakage. Last night my wife
was at n function and wore a valuable
pearl necklace. She laid 1t on her
( dresser when she came in, and it had
not been put back into the safe when
! the man came. He was in the bath
room adjoining her room, and when he
| left the necklace was gone. What can
you do for me?"
| repeated what he had said to my
chief. who took up the phone and ask
ed for Il description of the man. 1t
was given as about five feet six inches
high. weight about 40 pounds, hair
sort of sorrel. no beard, red mustache,
well dressed in check suit, negligee
shirt with blue stripe, white collar and
derby hat. Asked how long the man
had been gone from the house, the re-
ply was ''about fifteen minutes"
We Immediately sent out word to all
the police stations to watch for man
of the description given. Ny expert
ence had taught me that thief with
such valuable haul would be likely
to try to get out of the city with it,
and l was not surprised when reply
came from the Union station that
man who tailed with the description
given was there and had bought
ticket for Utica. | asked how long be-
fore the next train left. The reply was
that no train would leave for twenty
minutes. l jumped into an automobile
and ordered the chauffeur to take me,
regardless of the speed law, to the sta
ton. We were chased by policeman
on a motorcycle, who called TO me to
stop. l could not make him hear me
and ordered the chauffeur TO slow up
for moment. The cop came up, and
l displayed my badge, told him what l
was after and pushed on, reaching the
station just as the train was pulling
out.
l got on the rear car, but went
to the smoker, then turned !
and walked back apparently careless, .
but really taking in every man pass /
ed. I had gone through two cars and |
come TO the third when I espied /
man sitting by himself, his head rest |
ing on the back of the seat and his !
derby hat pulled down over his eyes. /
l couldn't see the color of his hair, but .
his mustache had reddish hue, and /
he wore shirt with blue stripe and
a white collar. l passed on to see if
there was any one else on the train
that tailed with the description; but.
finding no one, 1 went back and took
n vacant seat behind the man L had
observed.
OF course 1 didn't pOunce upon him.
Why should L? l was not sure he was
my man, and l had ample time to
watch him. If he left the train l
would leave it. 1 waited for the con-
luctor to come along in order TO dis
cover to what point my quarry held Il
ticket. The conductor made progress
very slowly, and we We're well out of
he city before he reached orr car.
At this time my man was apparent
V asleep. his head up against the open
window. The conductor occasionally
allied "Ticketsr' but the fellow did
itl move w men ttlt ColiuutlOt IedCil- 7
d him he gave him one of those pokes
With which conductors arouse sleepers
II pretended sleepers, and the man
tarted up so suddenly that his hat
truck the window sash and fell out
ide. The owner looked up al the con-
Iuctor dazed. then put his head out
through the window TO look for his hat,
hen withdrew it and said:
What did you do that for?'
do what?'
Wake me up so sudden"
For your ticket"
It's gone out the window. 1t was
D my hat"
THAT won't do said the conductor
If it had been in your hatband I
could have seen it. I've had that
lcket played on me before want
our ticket"
81 tell you it was in my hat. I've
OF only lost the ticket. but Il three dol
II hat"
"FLy your fare or I'll put you OFF"
We'll. you'll have to put me off. for
have no money"
BY this time l had seen through the
ANS game and had placed an inter
rotation on it to which the cOnduc-
n was ObliviQus. 1t was shrewd
AN, Il desperate plan. but confess l !
imired il. An idea flashed through
y brain. l did not wish the conduc- ,
II TO put the fellow Off between sta ,
ons, for intended to get OFF with |
I'M. and if l did SO in open country {
: would know l was after him. q
'ckoned To the conductor who came I
/ To where | was sitting. 7
IN pay the mans fare TO the next |
alton | whispered. Go on taking
,kets and when we stop put him :
I" ] gave him n look which he un- =
'rStood. handing him the fare ut the :
me time. The man in front did not J
ok back and was not cognizant of +,
Y action. :,
We had hut two miles to so to the
~ station. J dropped back 10 tho -