Year: 1868

less to say who they are, their names ate
household words throughout the valley of the .
Mississippi The event about Co be related
IS of recent occurrence. It Is one of the
unpublished histories Of crime, one of the
heart beats underneath the social current of
the great citv. But the words of the detee-
tive invests the relation with an interest more
potent than the reporter can accord it Let
him tell the story


A robbery bad been committed in one of
our large commercial houses under very
singular circumstances. The day preceding
the crime a large amount Of money had been
received and left in the safe over night
Part of this money consisted of $50 and $50
bills. Unknown to any one but the pro-
prietor they were marked with a small cross
in red ink in the left hand corner The safe
was locked at night, in the morning it was
open, the night clerk asleep under the IN
huence of chloroform, and the money gone.
The cashier was man of high social po-
sitiou, and about to be married to the daugh-
ter OF the proprietor He alone carried The
keys Of the safe. 1t was evident the lock
had been picked, or opened with the key.
Our observations convinced Us it was the
latter. Still we kept our own counsel At
the request of the merchant the whole mat
ter was kept a profound secret It furthered
our chances of detecting the robber that it





we had settled IN our minds the identity of
the thief; but it was necessary to obtain the
proof before our suspicious were divulsed,
or his arrest attempted Description of the
money stolen was left with certain parties,
under whose observation it was most likely
to come if put In circulation, with instrue-
tions to detain the person Offering it until
we were sent for. This was all that could
be done for the present We went home to
await the developments. Still we kept our
eyes on the cashier. He was young and al
though he never drank to excess, was fast
He spent great deal of money, and to usea
common expression was the deuce among
the girls. Once or twice we saw him walk
ing in the squares of evenings with very
pretty young English girl, milliner, work.
ing on Canal street. There was something
very noticeable about the girls face-a sort
Of melancholy and sadness that went straight
to our hearts ANY one would have felt
kindly towards her by just looking at her.
Somehow or other ] felt a presentiment that
this girl was mixed up in the robbery. 1
couldn't get rid of the idea. It haunted me.
In this way several weeks passed. One day
we received message in a great hurry to
come to the steamboat landing. 1t was late
in the afternoon, and the boats for St Louis
were almost leaving Arriving there, we
were at once Ou board the Republic, and up
to the CLERKS desk. Standing at the counter
was the pretty English girl, and in hands of
the clerk were two Of the marked $50 bills.
She had just offered them in payment for
her passage to st. Louis. / felt now that the
cashier was in my clutches. But it was
necessary to proceed carefully and not
frighten the girl As gently as | could, I
told her that the money she had just offered
at the counter had been stolen; that it was
necessary for me to know where she OBJ
tanned it. Atmy words her face took the
livid hue of death, but she shook her head
as much as to say she would never tell me.
piled ber with importunites, entreated and
begged; but it was Of no avail l had no
recourse but to take her into custody. Still
l hoped to be able to discover from her the
proof of the cashiers quilt He was evidently
her lover; but | doubted much if she knew
his real name or actual position. piled her
with questions on this head, and although
she was on her guard, and her answers
evasiVe l was soon satisfied that the real
name of her lover was unknown to ker. As
| left the cell [ heard her mutter in the most
poignant grief


" On. Charley, Charley, can this be true p
This was, indeed, his first name. / returned
on the instant and said to her that ! knew
the person who gave her the money and that
his name was Charley At the men
ton of this name she clapped her hands and
laughed. 1t was not the name she knew him
by. | was almost at my wits end. The girl
must confess or the real criminal would es-
cane punishment / thought, however, Of a
resource, and put it into execution at once.


went to the store and told the merchant


that / wanted picture Of every member of


his establishment, himself included He
looked puzzled, but complied with my re-
quest Armed with these l returned to the
cell l told the girl had something to show
her-my heart ached as ] did so. l knew
she worshipped the heartless scOundrel who
had betrayed her. / held the picture 80 she
could see it IN full as the light flashed on it,


l said to her, Mary this is the Charley


am after"


She gave one quick, hurried glance at the
pictures, and them with a low moan Of
anguish, fell fainting to the floor. The tears
would come TO my eyes as 1 looked at the
poor, beautiful creature in her agony. Only
heaven knows how l pitied her; but justice
I-as well as her own good, required that the
mask should be iIited and the criminal eZ-
| posed. AS soon aa she had time to recover,
] went to her again. ] found her calm, but


with a look Of sorrow that pierced me to my
/ heart / told her who her lover was, his
crime, and begged he1 10 reveal all she knew
/ of him. j might as well have talked TO stone.
1 She sat deaf, silent in her fearless anguish
/ OuEy once 5H6 uuEmuEEu. ne loves me- NC
/ IS true to me-" ] told her she was mistaken


he cared nothing absut her-would never
/ marry her. She laughed at me In bitter scorn.
/ As a last resource, / went TO the place at
/ which she had been working. I found ont


all about her friends and with whom she


was associated. Prom these / learned that


she was engaged to be married to Charley"


who represented himself as a young me


chanic, that he had persuaded her to 60 to


st Louis for that purpose. where it was said


that he bad relatives I knew it was only to


get rid Of her, while be married the mer-
I chants daughter. I bad got all the informa-
/ ton / wanted Is ! returned I passed BY
/ the theatre brilliantly lighted for an eve
nings entertainment ] stepped in. The
/ beauty and fashion Of the city were there.
In one Of the boxes sat " Charley" and his


betrothed. She was radiant IN bcauty-he
attentive and lover-like. biy resolution was


taken on the instant. / left the theatre


hurriedly and went to the station. IN a few
moments [ returned accompanied by Mary.
/ I took her to a seat commanding a fail view
Al IL.