Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1922-12-20
rue
Detective Stories
FOOTPRINTS


+ Gopyright BY Tho Wheeler syndicate. Inc.
IInUT Tn not taking any chances,
10 Jen:lI know that house Ike /
know the inside Of this room.
What do you suppose I got that job as
furnace man for? You don't think I
like IL the work, do you? Just ten min.
that's all I'll need. The safes
over in one corner of the bedroom, and
the combinations one could work In
my sleep one Of those old-fashioned
affairs where you can hear the tum-
b1ers drop clear across the room.
s Besides continued the man known.
to his accomplices as Lefty joe and
to the police as one Of the cleverest
second-story men in the business,
:"this'n be the last job TIL tackle. I
promise you that. Well sink the stuff:
down at Uncle Abie's and make a get
away before the bulls know the place
has been cleaned out" -sss...-
1T sounds all right" admitted the
girl to whom the burglar was speak
ing, "but Pve got a bunch that there's
a2slip-up somewhere. You'll be care
full to wear those rubber jgloves?" -.
"Sure I WILL" answered the other.
"F'oro, or whatever he calls himself,
amt. goin' to find any Of my finger
marks all over the place. No, nor any
footprints either. tell you, Jen, this
is a cinch. This time next week We'll
be out in the sticks-somewhere where
they don't know us-landin' a decent
job with no fear Of bulls. Hurry up
with those socks, will you? Don't
bother to finish them. 1t amt the first
time that I've worn 'em full O. holes.''
Shortly after ten o'clock anyone who
might have been watching the fence
which marked the end of the Phipps'
property, would have seen a shadow
balance itself for a moment, silhouet-
ted against the dark gray sky, and
then DROP noiselessly, inside the
grounds.
Moving cautiously, so as to avoid
the burglar-alarm wires wAlch he had
previously charted, Lefty Joe crept
softly toward the house.
It was the work of a moment to
Jimmy open one Of the windows on the
first floor, and in almost less time than
it takes to tell it, Joe was In the bed
room, spinning the combination Of the
wall safe, his sensitive ears listening
for the click of the tumblers as they
dropped into position. Less than half
an hour later he was back in his room.
pouring his loot into Jennie's lap,
well have to lay low for a couple
Of days or So" he informed the girl.
IF the police find out that I've
skipped, they'll suspect me right away,
and try to frame up something. They'll
have hard time proving it though. +
had my gloves on and my shoes off,
and not soul saw me. So we're safe.
girl, and I'm through-at least until
find another crib as easy as this one"
But even as Joe was speaking, In
spector Joseph A. Faurot Of the New
York detective force, was on his way
to the Phipps home. One of the serv-
ants, returning early, had noted the
opened window and had notified Mr..
Phipps. The latter, after hasty ex-
animation Of the rif1ed safe, had
phoned for the police, and the mere
statement that some $4,000 worth Of
jewels were missing, had been enough
to bring Faurot, the tinger-print ex.
pert, to the scene Of the crime.
whoever broke in here knew what
he was doing" stated the inspector,
after he had examined the house and
the grounds. ut wasn't much Of q
trick to open the safe, and our friend
took good care to use rubber gloves.
No finger prints anywhere about the
house. Anything outside?
Nothing at all, Chief" replied one
Of the policemen who had accompa-
MED the inspector. "Wires all right
and no footprints in sight" T.
"Hmmm," unused F'aurot,. his eyes
fixed medltatlvely on the hardwood
floor Of the bedroom. Then he moved
his head suddenly to one side, as if
trying to catch clearer glimpse of
the light reflected from above. An in
slant later he was on his knees, dust
ing the floor with a powder which he
produced from his pocket-a combina-
ton of mercury and chalk J. a few
strokes Of a camelS hair brush, to
eliminate the surplus powder, and he
photographed the smudge with q
pocket camera which he invariably car
ried with him. = .s.*
=: "This is an experts job" he an.
nounced as he arose. Round up eyery
second-story man in town, and give or
ders that no ones to leave the CITY
without my permission-an with
record, I mean < sS5. II. 81 =zs.=.
One by one, as they were brought
into headquarters, the suspected men
| were put through strange ordeal,
After removing their shoes and socks,
prints Of their toes were taken, IRE.
cisely as their finger prints had pre.
viously been recorded. It took the ii.
spector less than 1--WE seconds to- order
the release OF each man, until he q.
amined the prints Of the sixteenth prts.
oner. 5s' 4 80