The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-03-27
Woman
detective sStory
BY SADIE OLCOu

'@'' osAer hames-and at tile time
was working in the town of Edrarton
! went there, learned that he was ,t
certain hotel, and he was pointa5
OUT 10 me IN tile reading room.
him. said: 's up TO
| ne Rev. Mr.. Burt, | believe"
/ am. he said. rising and looking ~
me suspiciously.
l nave understood that you have
great success In raising money en-
CHURCHES. and would like to know -
you would be willing to help me nav
Oh mortgage on our church AT Avon.
dale" VIZ
Af ohdale was town not far from
Edeerton, and | had heard that ono ~
IT'S churches was under mortgage which
the congregation desired 10 nav on
SUI | intended this only as n means of
making Mr., Burt's acquaintance.
described 10 him the situation q,
AFehdale, stating that the people thcra
were well to do. but needed some ner.
suasive speaker to wake them nm
ADDED that lie would he paid for his
tahor' proposing that he receive rho
contribution himself and deduct ono.
tlird Of 1t for himself This | knrw
would please him, for there would he
no difficulty in his deducting his third
or rather, of appropriating the whole
contribution. lie manifested MI.
lngness TO undertake the work. huf
protested against receiving so mueb
compensation as n third of the amount
collected. On no account would he
consent to deduct more than 10 Der
cent He was ready to go to Avon
dale as soon as said the word. told
him that would see the pastor and
the deacon ana as soon rs could got
their consent would let him know.
| pretended to 20 to Avondalc. bur
really returned TO the sheriff. who had
employed me, to arrange with him rs
10 when and where he should send Tho
force intended to make the arrest Ii (
was agreed between us that he was 10 T
send one picked man to Edgcrton. who
was to pass himself as n commercial
traveller. This mans name was Larn.
ed, ana ! was made acquainted with
him, and we conferred together told
him to bring the largest sample trunk
he could find.
Returning 10 EdEcrton. told MIR
Burt that everything had been arrang
A sl4ll. l.ttf ~. ~
ID for his appeal for funds had been
liked for the following Sunday. four
lays hence. lie was not pleased Mt
his preferring that the work should
'e done at once. The truth Is he did
ot care to remain In the same local..
Y Tor SO long a period. | determined.
owcyer. 10 hold him II possible till |
ould spring my trap.
| laid myself out to please him.
pending "A good deal of time with
i'm. knew that he was not inter
Sfed in matters of religion and did :
OF talk on religious subjects. pre-.
erred to choose other topics, in which
G would be more at home. my inten.
lon being when | had gained his con.
dence TO give him to understand that
knew his true character. that | was
ne of the same kind as himself and
esired 20 assist him in plundering that ,
might STARE The p.under
When | thought the time ripe / re-
called the character wished him 10 /,
axe me for by confessing that | ex. !.
ected share in the collection | was
bring about, | saw him start, hut :.
c did not take the hint openly, and II
as some time before he consented te !
rop the parson and talk like the viii ,
I'm he was Then told him that 20. "
ether We might reap rich harvest.
Ie caught at the idea and grew enthu.
astic over it.
Having Won his confidence, kept !,
olding UP the rich hauls we would
lake. ! joining congregations and ar
angling for addresses, TO he followed
= collections. He would disappear. =
aving me to repent having put con
1ence in a rascal :.
When al was ready Tor my scheme
armed appeared al the hotel. aud
lmpie trunk Of enormous size was E
lrried 10 his room. 1t was empty. =
NJ only Ia~ued and knew that. | -
Id MIR Bur. that | was bent Oh TAX /,
Z money from the commercial tray +,
er and that | was already engaged Il
learning where tie kept it. The
ext day | Informed my pal that \
armed had gone OUT and left 500 be.
seen the mattresses d his led. sug 3
sting thai Burt 20 into his room and
i ii while | watched. The door was q
opposed to be locked. and borrowed
skeleton key from Burt with which b,
unlock it though Larned had pur
,selv left il unlocked W
took a position In the hall ard after
'etendin. to have watched for some
me called Burt and told him the coast b.
as clear and be went into the room
II the money. He had scarcely done
when ran in and told him that Il
e drummer was coming up to his