The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-10-31

he did.
1t was winter, and grew dark abou'
$3.50 in the afternoon. At this time
Erfert closed and locked the store
and with the other clerks, apparently
started for home. He accompanied
he others, as he had done the night
before. to Sixth and Olive streets. anc
then left them, afterward making
Circuitous route and returning to the
store, into which he disappeared. He
emerged almost Immediately, carrying
two packages rather heavier than
those which he had taken the night
before, and fastened with the shawl
straps. After he had locked the door
and picked up the packages, which
seemed to be very heavy. the opera.
tive, who had approached him unob-
served, touched him on the shoulder.
MIR. Furlong is at his office in the
Chemical building and wants you to
come over and see him at once" he
1 said.
What does he want to see me for?'
asked Erfert.
Il don't know" answered the opera
tive. He will explain hat when he
sees you"
Il am in a hurry and haven't time"
said Erfert. Il am late anyway and
will call and see him tomorrow"
You can either go with me right
now" returned the other, cor | will
call that policeman across the street
and have him take you to police head
quarters, and probably Mr.. Furlong
will go there and see you. Now it is
up to you. If | take you to police
headquarters your name and picture
will appear in the papers in the morn
ing and you will probably get a lot
of undesirable notoriety."
Il don't want any notriety," an
swered Erfert, but | can't understand
what Mr.. Furlong wants to see me for
tonight. However. l will go with you.
but ! will put these packages in the
store"
What is in them?" asked the opera
tive.
II have two fine clocks which were
SShS D'oi " any c'clO ny hlioldhc diiu
are too expensive to sell at auction
answered Erfert, "and | intend to take
them back tc the main store. where
they belong"
"WIN, said Tie operative, you
take nom up to Mr.. Furlong's office,
pre- bly, allow you to take them to
the 'nain store"
Tho operative brought the man to
my office. | was already acquainted
with all that had passed, because. UNI
known to the operative, | had put a
second operative to watch him and
bring back a report of all that oc-
Cured. The second man reached my
office a few minutes before the first
arrived.
When Erfert and the detective were
seated together in the private room
l turned to the young man and asked:
Fred, what have you in those
two p~ackages?"
They are two clocks" answered
Erfert, which were sent over to the
auction store by mistake. They are
expensive clocks and / will not sell
them at auction, and intended to take
them home tonight and return them
to the main store In the morning. be-
fore l opened the auction store"
What other stock have you on
your person which was sent over to
the auction store by mistaken" / In
CURED.
II have only a few stick pins and
a few other small articles Of jewelry."
said Erfert.
Put them on my desk" l said.
Erfert complied, and the articles
that he had concealed in his pockets
were, worth. according to the prices
marked on them. nearly four hundred
dollars. There were stick pins. gold
rings, and other small pieces Of good
jewelry. Thinking that possibly he
had not emptied his pockets. I in
spected them myself and found q
memorandum book, in which Erfert
had kept an accurate account Of all the
articles which he had stolen from the
jewelry firm, the cost price Of each
article to the company, and the price
he had received for a large lot of
articles Of which he had already dis
posed. This book was written In
cipher. also found a key to a safe
deposit vault.
Fred" l said to him, you have
stolen thousands of dollars worth of
jewelry from your employers. You
were practically raised by them. hav.
ing been in their service nearly all
your life. mi the company has al
ways treated you we'll and justly.
Now that you have been caught red.
handed / think it will be to your In
terest to tell the whole truth about
what you have taken, and to do all In
your power TO return as much OF the
plumber as possible"
The Office was on the fourteenth
floor Of the Chemical building. Erfert
turned suddenly and made q lunge for
the window, with the purpose Of fling.
ing himself into the street below. ]
caught him just In time.
After A few moments the culprit