Year: 1878

The story = Detective Told.


"Tll tell you of an incident never reflect
on without regret said a retired old de-
tective the other day, while reciting some of
tfe stirring occurrences Of the early days of
San Francisco.


The life of detective is not ONE of ex-
element merely. 1t is sometimes crossed
with events as Wild and startling as ever
gave coloring to romance. No emotion no
passion or phase of character is hid from us.
We learn to play upon the feelings, the
hates and affections of men and women
as unerringly as the pianist on hls inst-u-
ment While the casuist would hesitate to
take advantage of this, the necessities We are
under compel us to omit no opportunity
which may lead us to success.


II say this because the incident / am
about to relate reveals what woman viii do
revenge.


"We were on the track of man who had
robbed an Havana Jeweler of almost incal-
culable wealth. He had fed his native
island, and we were informed by the Cuban
authorities that in all probability he had
this city was full OF CubaDs and adventures
from all parts of the world. One couple,
particular from all the rest excited the at
tention of the then limited fashionable
world, and became the pets of society.
Their lavish expenditure and almost eastern
magniticence of apparel and equipage ex-
cited the admiration and envy, il may be,
of their fashionable scquaintanees They too,
were Cubans. The man inheriting all the
peculiarities OF the Spaniard, was in person
al appearance, q type of his race.


But can not describe to you the woman
that passed as his wife She was the most
beautiful creature / ever saw-the idea of
maiden khOrassen was realized in her
person. She seemed to me like some living,
beautiful idol for men to worship. The tint
of the olive was on her face and brow, and
in the dark, luminous eye wealth of affec-
ton; but they told too, of spirit resentful
of injustice, and fierce in wrath as the glare
OF her native sun.


by the devious path we pursued when
on the trail OF the criminal. we traced our
man to this city. We knew be was here
and we searched for him incessantly. But,
| as II to balk our exertions and put to shame
our efforts, this is all we could learn. The
| SPaniard was the only person who answered
the description OF the criminal. But what
folly to suspect himl-the pet5ed courtier OF
| society-the millionaire-he would only
laugh our suspicious to scorn. But still we
hung around him. By a strange magical in
| fiuence, it was impossible to divorce our
selves from the belief that he was the party
we were in search of. This constant attend
ance at the places he frequented, this hover
| ing around the sphere in which he moved,
made US at last acquainted with the fact that


his wife was unhappy and ill-treated by her
| husband.


"He had begun to neglect her, and pay as
| siduous court 10 fashionable nymph du
| pave. One night we saw him enter the
/ theater with the fair American, and,


entering private box, was paying her the
| most devoted attention. Shortly afterward
| o woman, whom we at once perceived was
his wife, but evidently disguised, entered,
| and, passing around the dress circle, took


seat directly facing him. BY 9 strange coin
| the couple in the box long and earnestly;
her face, which We cou'd see from our
| position, gradually charged to an expression
| of the most fearful and vindictiye passion 1
| ever beheld. Accustomed as / was to every
| phase of human emotion, ii appalled, me.
| At last she arose and left the theater fol-
\ lowed by an attendant. Now was our time.
got up as quietly, and was by her side
| when she reached the street | was deter


mined on a stroke of policy, which, il / read
| her countenance Alright, would place the
/ man in our power III / was mistaken it
could do no harm. Actuated by the i'm
pulse, placed myself in front of her and
| raised my hat


Madame, pardon men


"'What do you want, sir, and who are


your


"'My name is -. This is my friend
| Mr.. -. We are detectives, and in search
| of the robber of the Havana jeweler. We
believe you can point out to Us the man.


Il cani oanr


"it was almost shrek, so fierce and bitter


were the words.


"'Come with income with mel


sit is useless to tail what folio we'd The


next morning the fashionable world was


shocked by the intelligence of the arrest of


Don D R; but it was still more sur
prised to hear that he was betrayed by his
| pretty wife. We recovered neary 500, 900


in jewelry and gold. Rut to the poor woman
| the result was terrible. She was but the


victim of his perfidy, but the moment she
| saw him arrested all the old love that had
| ruined her returned. She clung to his neck


with wild, frantic despair that was terrible


to see. The anguish of that young face will


haunt me to my dying day. The next day
| she disappeared-Do one knew whittier; but


a few days afterward the body of beautiful,


unknown woman was picked up on the
| lower coast-a suicide"


Il