San Antonio Daily Light. (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 15, No. 158, Ed. 1 Sunday, July 7, 1895 Page: 3 of 8
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COPYRIGHT 1895 8V AMERICAN PREWHSOCIATION.
Is
This story began in the Sunday Lig. ' ।
ms wnole figure was now stamped
with ink against the dimly Mt window
shade his head reaching to the top and
his arms body and legs clearly showing
as if painted against the yellow back-
ground. His companion waited for him
to open the way. They intended to en-
ter the apartment Murder was in the
air.
I saw him stoop to grasp and raise
the sash. His pose was a fair one and
sighting as well as I could in the gloom
I pulled trigger.
A smothered exclamation a wild
clutching for support and the man
slumped to the ground whore he lay as
if killed. His astounded comrade was
paralyzed for the moment and then let
go and dropped beside him. I maintain-
ed my position with the smoking re-
volver ready for more service.
“That evens up the little affair in the
lane” I muttered “and saves thn life
for the time of the man whoso life may
not be worth saving. ’ ’
But the fellow was not killed. There
were whispered words between the two
and then from the sounds that reached
me for I could not make them out in
the deeper gloom I knew they .voro
moving slowly around the end of the
house toward the front
What could be their thoughts? Did
they believe the shot came from the
man whom they attacked in the lane
or did they think that the suspicious
Howard was on guard aud winged one
of them in the nick of time?
The explosion of the pistol must have
reached those in the bou<«. even if all
were asleep. But no one camo io the
window to investigate. The dim light
was undisturbed and so far a* appear-
ances went a tomb was no* mc-e devoid
of life.
A curious impulse camo to ma. It
was to sound the knocker on the door
rouse the occupants and tell them what
had occurred. I could well clatm that I
bad prevented the commission of a
crime and probably saved the life cf one
or more persons. That such was the fact
I saw him stoop to iM sash.
would be so evidem that Howard and
his wife as well as the old cor. plc with
whom they lodged wonld be filled with
thankfulness therefor.
But how explain my prxiireo at the
critical moment? They would naturally
want to know what brought me there
at that unseemly hour. If 1 should say
that I was an officer of the law who had
regarded the interlopers with suspici >e.
it would hardly satisfy them 'fore
likely they would believe 1 was cue of
the burglars who had quarreled with
the others and was as much to be dread-
ed as they. A complaint to the authori-
ties would put me in an unpleasant sit-
uation and though 1 could soon estah-
fish my identity all proceedings so far
as concerned the couple in whom 1 was
interested would be brought tonaught.
It is rarely safe for a detective to act
upon impulse. He must weigh each
■step carefully and labor to the end in
view with the careful calculation of a
professor solving an intricate problem
an mathematics.
Waiting until the conspirators had
time to get well clear of the premises 1
moved stealthily around the end of the
i house to the front and was making my
' way toward the lane when a tall figure
' loomed up in the darkness and I camo
■face to face with a man who bold a
shotgun in his hand.
“Who are you?” he demanded in a
threatening voice bringing his formida-
ble weapon partly to a level.
"A friend” I made baste to reply
“I mean no harm. ”
I knew instinctively that the mau be-
fore me was Isaiah Bridges the owner
of the house and that he was making
an investigation of bis own with load
•ed weapon in hand.
“Was it you who fired that gun a lit-
tle while ago?”
“Yes; I saw a burglar trying to
climb into one of your windows and
dropped him. ”
This ought to have disarmed bis sus-
picion but it did not.
“And how come you to be sneaking
round here?"
It was a natural question and the one
I was expecting.
"I was passing along the highway
•nd they entered your lane. I did not
like their looks and followed. When I
saw thcci trying *«ert*r th? window I
fir'd. ’ ’
‘Did you kill the tan-al scamp?”
j‘Xo but hurt him so badly that he
ieave with the help of his
f i will ‘rou’Ue you no
if June 9th.
•'Hue wnj »un i you'let me know
afore they tried ./ tricks?”
"They are strangers'to me. I could
net know they intended any wrong un-
til I saw them attempt it Then it was
too late to warn you. ”
"Why didn't you come round to the
bouse afterward and tell me?”
“You were asleep or I supposed so.”
“So we war but that racket woke
us. ’’
“I have just come from the rear
where I discharged my pistol and hadn't
time to wake you up. ’'
“That won’t do" said the old man
his suspicion active again. “You
warn't going toward the front door but
trying to sneak off down the lane. Con-
found you I believe you are one of ’em!
I've a good mind to fill you full of buck-
shot ”
“I wouldn't advise you to try that
for there are several cartridges left in
my revolver and before you oould bring
your gun to a level I would use them
all. I told you I was a friend but you
can consider me an enemy if you wish. "
I made a suggestive motion with my
weapon which he understood. He ached
to let me have the contents of his gun
but was afraid.
“Waal the best thing you can do is
to cle.ar out from here as quick as you
can travel. There have been several
murders in this part of the country and
the law baiu't found out who done ’em
but if you should catch it while prowl-
ing round where you’ve got no business
to be I won’t hesitate to tell the folks
that I done it. ”
"Now Mr. Bridges” I said concili-
atingly “what is the use of our”—
“Who told you my name?” he broke
in.
“Every one in the neighborhood
knows you as a good citizen and a gen-
tleman like your brother Nathan. You
do me great injustice to suspect me of
any wrong intention. I would no more
harm you than I would my own father. ”
“That talk is very nice but I don’t
know you. You haven’t told me your
name nor where yon come from. ”
"Don’t you know William Browning
of Rahway?”
“The president of our bank?”
“Of course. He knows you well and
I’m his son. ”
“That won't work. I don’t know any
Mr. Browning and there’s nobody of
that name that has anything to do with
our bank. Now I know you're an im-
postor. Cl’ar out!"
The old fellow was 100 shrewd for
me. I was outwitted and with a little
laugh I turned about anti strode toward
the open lar.e.
I had not gone 20 paces when what
did he do but bring his shotgun to a
level and let fly at me with both barrels
in quick succession!
CHAPTER XV.
Had the sun been shining the “State-
ment of Carl Wittner” would never
have been written. The gloom inter-
fered with the old farmer's aim; but as
it was I felt the wind made by the
heavy load of buckshot as it whizzed
past my ears. It was a close call.
Angered I wheeled about and leveled
my revolver but checked myself before
pulling the trigger. Suppose I fired and
killcxl him!
It would have been murder without
excuse. My life was no longer in any
danger and his act in firing at me was
justifiable. He would not have been
punished had he carried out his threat
and “filled me with buckshot.” Many
might censure him for not having done
sa I shoved my weapon back in place
and walked briskly down the avenue
lending to the main highway.
But there were otliers to think about.
The presumption waa that the two East
Indians having preceded me might be
waiting in ambush to adjust that little
affair in the rear of tbo farmhouse.
They could not fail to know that it
was I who had tumbled one of them
from his perch and nipped in the bud
the scheme he bad in mind. They must
believe 1 was iir league with the How-
ards and that before they could succeed
with them I must lie brushed from the
path. What better opportunity than
that which now presented?
But the wound of one of them must
have been a potent factor in preventing
what I feared. I was that apprehensive
that 1 held my portly discharged revolv-
er in hand after entering the road and
turning in the direction of the farm-
house where I made my temporary
bean.
What had b^h e -jOfem could not
be guessed. Tig r. f. ■
rhe direction Y. M. QflßhHfJß
.ii6b-r i ■
Reviewing my work of the evening
as I walked homeward I saw little in
it to encourage me. I had not onlv
failed to gain an iota of additional
knowledge of Nana Sahib’s ruby but
had put the suspected ones on guard
and therefore increased the difficulty
that confronted me from the first.
Probably up to this night Darius
Howard was confident that no one had
followed him to this pleasant little
town and that he was still safe with
his secret in the house where lie had
mode his home fer an indefinite time.
But the occurrence:! of the night must
undeceive him. A desperate attempt
had been made to break in upon him.
His secret was no longer secure. He
wouia take instant measures to avert tne
threatened danger.
The most effective step would be a
change of quarters. He was not likely
to spend another night in the old stone
house. What was done therefore to
checkmate him must be done quickly.
It is well known /iat the safest hid-
ing place for a criminal whom the offi-
cers of the law want is in the heart of
the great city of New York. It was
hard to understand why this strange
couple had left so secure a concealment
and taken up their residence where
their chances of detection were increas-
ed tenfold.
But for that matter everything thus
far was hard to understand. The con-
ceded fact as 1 saw it which confront-
ed me was what next would be done by
them. They were under my eye now
and if I let them slip I would not be
likely to get on their track again.
I was glad to find on reaching my
home that all the folks had retired. I
let myself in with the night key with
which I had been furnished and went
to my room without being seen by any
one. This was fortunate for my cloth-
ing had lost much of the neatness which
parked it at first and was in need of at-
fentiou.
The farmers breakfast early and
finding that Mr. Bridges intended to
drive into town I rode with him reach-
ing the station in time to catch the early
trains had I wished but my purpose
was not to leave unless the Howards did
so. I waited most of the forenoon but
saw nothing of them.
Guarded inquiries gave me no infor-
mation of the two men of the night be-
fore. Had I chosen I might have killed
that one at the window but was reliev-
ed to know that such was not the case.
He must have been hit pietty hard but
not sufficiently so to endanger his life.
If there had been any feeling of con-
ceit in my mind—and I protest there
was little if any—it was pretty well
removed by what followed by my loiter-
ing about the railway station. My in-
tention was if either Howard or his
wife boarded any train to do the
same and shadow them wherever they
went but I made an inexcusably stupid
failure to carry out my purpose.
I scanned every train that went to-
ward New York and of course kept an
eye on those going in the opposite direc-
tion. This was somewhat perfunctory
for I did not suspect that either of the
couple would proceed southward.
A Philadelphia train drew up at the
station and from my coign of advan-
tage I watched the passengers as they
disembarked and others got on. The
stop was brief and just as it began
moving again Darius Howard made a
rush from somewhere and swung upon
one of the platforms being helped by
the waiting brakeman.
I made a dash to do the same thing
but had farther to go and the brakeman
blocked my way.
“Too late” he called. "There’ll be
another along in half an hour."
There was no help for it. If Howard
saw me and in all probability he did
he must have read my purpose and
therefore would be on his guard against
me unless I effected a complete change
in my appearance.
Mr. Bridges has returned home alone
and for the time 1 was perplexed as to
what to do. It was useless to try to fol-
low tbo man who had gone southward
for there was no saying what his desti-
nation was. He might have started on a
journey of 20 or 1000 miles.
1 have referred to a game of bluff
which I had in mind. Hitherto I had
been working at long range as may be
said. Now I decided upon a bold step
which insured success or failure.
From the railway station I walked to
roy dwelling place reaching there just
in time for dinner. I spent a oouple of
hours in my room and then telling my
friends that P might not return until
late onco more set out for the old stone
building where lived Isaiah Bridges the
brother of my host. Of necessity I was
attired as on the night before but my
ornamental cane was left behind and
every chamber in my revolver had its
charge.
It was a cool brisk autumn afternoon
and the sun was shining. Any effort at
secrecy would have been idle and I
walked with a confident step up the
long lane which had been the scene of
more than one stirring occurrence with-
in the preceding 24 hours.
Without hesitation I stepped upon the
broad porch and sounded out a ringing
knock with the old fashioned contriv-
ance which must have penetrated to
every recess of the building.
The summons was answered by Mrs.
Bridges a sedate old lady who wonder-
ingly surveyed me through her specta-
cles and waited for the announcement of
my business.
“Good afternoon Mrs. Bridges. I am
an officer of the law but don’t be alarm-
ed ” I added noting her slight start.
“Something occurred here last night.
Burglars I believe tried to effect an en-
trance and a pistol shot was fired.”
She stood as if hesitating what to do
or say Assuming that I was welcome
I stepped aside removing my hat
"I would like to make a few in-
quiries and wo can do it better inside
than on the porch if you have no ob-
jection. ”
She led the way into the wide plain-
ly furnished parlor her manner show-
Evidently sue nad received instruc-
tions from her boarders and even n /
pretended business did not fully reas-
sure her.
My original plan as I have hinted
was to pretend to be an assessor who
had called to examine the property bnt
the events of the preceding night gave
mo another pretext. I doubt whether
even that would have worked had her
husband been at home so I took care to
call when he was absent looking after
his farm duties.
"Couldn't you stop when Mr. Bridges
is home?" she asked sinking into a
rocking chair and surveying me with
distrust
"When will he be in?”
“I can call him. If I don’t be will
not be home until sundown. ”
"That is hardly necessary. May I ask
whether you saw any of the burglars?”
“Mercy no! I didn't dare look out of
the winder. My busband shot at one of
them who pretended be was a friend. ”
"Did be kill him?”
"I’mafeard not for we haven’tfound
his body.”
“What a pity! He will not be likely
to show himself around here again. ”
"No indeed. The gnu in the kitchen
is loaded and we're ready for him. ”
"That’s right. Don’t let him catch
you unawares. Did they attempt to en-
ter by way of the door?”
“No; they must have dumb one of
the trees and tried to git into the back
winder. They hail a quarrel among
themselves and one of 'em fired off a
gun or pistol and then my husband be
fired too and the man groaned and
jumped up in the air. So he must have
been hit purty hard."
"Undoubtedly. I will take a look at
the room and window please. You
know it is necessary that I should secure
all the information I can. ”
"Mercy I can’t allow you to do that!”
CHAPTER XVI
The good old lady was horrified at
my suggestion but I forced matters.
“You know the punishment for ob-
structing an officer of the law in his
duty?” I added in my most impressive
manner.
“No” she replied faintly. ‘‘What
is it?”
"Well it is not hanging” I answer-
ed with a smile “but a heavy fine or
imprisonment. I have my suspicion who
those burglars were and by examining
the marks they have left may be able to
this the window which the burglar
tried to enterf”
fix the crime upon them. You certainly
wish to give me all the help you can. ”
“Yea sir but”—
“Nonsense! Come on.”
Having gone thus far it would have
been fatal to hesitate. She had some
powerful reason for preventing my go-
ing up stairs but sho did not dare state
it and was awed by my assumed char-
acter.
I started at a brisk pace up tbo broad
winding stairway. Was I mistaken or
did I catch the sound of light hurried
footeteps along the upper hall?
She was more deliberate of movement
and at the landing above I waited for
her with an apology for taxing her
strength so much.
It was easy to tell from the location
of the rooms on the second floor which
was the one to bo examined. Not desir-
ing to betray myself too soon I opened
the door on my right.
It was a bedroom neat clean and
simply furnished. A glance showed that
it was occupied for the signs Were
everywhere present.
“That isn’t what you want” she
said breathing fast because of her ex-
ertion. “That is a front room. ”
"I beg pardon; but yon see I am not
acquainted with your bouse. ”
"I wish you would let me lead the
way and not be in so great a hurry. ”
This was said with an impatience
which showed that she resented the way
I bad taken matters in my own bands.
"I beg your pardon but I am youn-
ger than you and presumed on your
strength. ”
"It seems to me you are presuming
on a good many things. How do I
know you are what you claim to be—an
ossifer of tbo law?”
A very proper question and I answer-
ed it by drawing from an inner pocket
my shield which showed that I was a
member of the detective police of New
York.
This of itself was proof that I was not
what I had claimed to be—an officer of
Union county N. J. I had not stated
that but I gave the impression. Had
her busband been present he doubtless
would have been quick to detect the de-
ception and would have quickly ended
my visit.
But fortunately he was absent and
the trick served me She was impressed
and made no further protest.
But simple hearted and honest as she
was she allowed a cunning that sur-
prised me. Having stated that I had en-
tered the wrong room she led the way
to another apartment whose windows
opened at the rear of the house.
That too was an occupied bedroom
but the furniture was much plainer than
in the other. I decided that it was the
one used by herself while
Mrs
iearn“ 1 remarked In a businesslike
way stepping to one of the rear win-
dows raising the sash and examining
the window sill and the stones beneath.
'‘Nothing here” I quickly added.
"The gentleman left no trace that can
be of any help to me. Let's try the oth-
er. "
This sash was also raised and I made
a prolonged and minute examination of
the interior and outside Nothing was
to be noted and I knew such would be
the fact the moment I crossed the
threshold for although this was a rear
room it was not the one which the East
Indiana had attempted to enter. That
was to the left and could be reached
only by passing out again into the hall.
Still it served my purpose not to let
her know for the moment that I saw the
clever trick she had played on me. I
pressed my exafiiination and then with
the window raised and my head partly
out I turned quickly toward her:
“Is this the window which the bur-
glar tried to enter?”
"Well that is—didn’t I tell you I
didn't see any of ’em?”
I repressed the smile that tugged at my
month. Here was an old lady so consci-
entious that sho would not tell a false-
hood to save her life yet neither would
me betray those whom she believed it
her duty to protect. Instead of answer-
ing me she parried my question.
“Come here one moment” 1 said
kindly.
She obeyed timidly and stood at my
side. I drew back my head leaving the
sash raised and replaced my derby.
"Now it doesn't look reasonable to
me that two or three burglars would
have tried to get in this window when
they had no means of doing so. Of
course you have a ladder about the
premises but they did not make use of
it”
“I don’t think they did for it is in
tbo barn where it has been for weeks. ”
“Exactly. Then how could they get
up to this window from the ground?”
“How many of them was there?” she
asked in turn.
“We understand there were three. ”
"Well couldn’t one of them stand on
the other’s head and then let the third
climb up on his head?” sho demanded
triumphantly ae though her answer
solved the question.
Under the circumstances it was an
ingenious reply and my respect for her
cleverness rose.
“I declare I did not think of that
but how do you account for the fact
that they left no signs behind them?”
"I’m not 'counting for anything. You
pretend to be an ossifer of the law and
if you are as smart as you think you
can answer the question yourself. My
eyes ain't as good as they used to be
but mebbe I can see where you can’t ”
And stepping forward the “good
gray head” leaned out of the window
and peered through her spectacles at
the old stone wall and the ledge as if
she expected to discover a written ex-
planation of the whole mystery.
Not only that but I saw her chip a
piece of mortar with her thumb nail
from between the stones just below the
ledge.
"Someone must have done that ” she
remarked scrutinizing the mark with
interest. "What do you think of it?”
“I think it was removed by your
thumb—in fact I saw it done—though
of course you did not know it" ■
"Is that true?" she asked as innocent-
•lyas a child. “Well I must be more
careful. They could have come in this
winder the way I said couldn’t they?”
“Probablj they could but I don't
think they did. ”
"Why not?”
“That isn’t the way with burglars.”
“Do you know much about such
folks?”
“Madam my business brings me in
contact with them” I remarked with
all the impressiveness I could assume
"and it is my duty to study their ways. ”
“That’s t ie way you learned eh?”
“Exactly and in no other. I am con-
vinced that neither one of those crimi-
nals attempted to enter this room by the
means you name. ”
It was quite clear that she meant to
keep me from entering the right one and
I was determined that neither she nor
any one else should do that.
I lowered the window and slowly
walked across the room and out of the
door leading to the hall. My head was
bent as if in troublous thought.
“Wait” she interposed hurrying to
place herself in front of me. “It would
be more polite if you would let me
lead. ” *
"I must beg again but
I wish to relieve you of all the labor I
can. ”
“The best way to do that is by leav-
ing the hoc ■ ”
"I will . glad to do sowhen my
work is completed. ”
It was no fancy this time that I heard
a soft footfall and saw the door opening
to the room slightly ajar. Some one
was on the other side stealthily watch-
ing us and listening to our Words. The
“IFell. Kir what do you wdittf'
door itself was less than six feet distant
and almost before rhe. I acted as if I
saw it not but nothing escaped me.
“Do you want to go on the roof ” she
asked “and look down the chimbley?”
“That would be hardly worth while
but there is another on this
fiver and it is that
attempted to enter ast night
I must examine." S
I compressed my Ups and K
sternly at her. Y
"But I don’t care if yon £
fer of the Jaw you can’t go in there.
‘And why not I pray?”
•It is private neither my hr
band nor myself dare pat foot inside of* *
it”
"Nevertheless I shall do so and you
must not try to stop me."
I took two steps forward and grasped
the handle of the door. I expected to
have it locked in my face but it waa
not and shoving it vigorously inward
I stepped across the threshold and al-
most stumbled over Mrs. Darius C.
Howard who calmly confronted me with
the icy question:
"Well sir what do yon want?”
CHAPTER XVII
The room which I bad entered waa
one of those broad old fashioned apart-
ments such as may be found in almoat
any large dwelling built 40 or 60 years
ago. It was plainly carpeted without
any pictures on the walls with a stove
at one side a number of chairs and •
long flat table which stood between the
two windows beyond whichhad not the
shades been lowered I would have seen
some of the trees in the rear of the
yard.
On this table were a number of ves-
sels mostly of glass a retort several
jars vials small delicate tools and fully
a dozen little contrivances the like at
which I had never seen and which I
will not attempt to describe except to
say they were constructed of glass. Some
were spiral in form while others had
odd twisted shapes evidently under-
stood only by the persons who had
brought them thither and made use of
them
The room was closed so as to permit
no ventilation. The heat of thestovo in-
tensified a peculiar subtle perfume
which at first pleasant after a time be-
came nauseating.
1 knew when I turned the knob of the
door that some one was within. 1 did
not believe it was Mr Howard for 1
had seen him leave the railway station
several hours before. Therefore when
1 almost collided with bis wife 1 was
nerved for it. Sho was standing in the
room near the door which 1 pushed
quickly inward and confronted mo with
the question:
“Well sir what do you want?”
Jove I wasn’t she a beauty? 1 had seen
her before and as 1 have said waa
braced for the meeting but when 1 look-
ed at that superb figure with the match-
less black eyes abundant hair oliva
complexion perfect features small
white teeth and fascinating form I waa
almost overwhelmed.
I could well understand bow almost
any man would have been overcome by
such a vision and would drop bis weap-
ons as if in the presses of death itself.
Surely she must haw made many con-
quests by the very liomentum of her
marvelous beauty wrajeb was sufficient
to make a man forget < ty honor —
erything but Dis mad i. Chrallmept fefl
✓
1 -t.n .i a minute
wi'li . p n mouth ami I
'lh u 1 c mid no im i
w. ids i Jian 1 could
H I m-vir
a v. oman!" fl|||||||||K
bimt. y.m have iiMHHIMM
-tu u ’" sho said mH "
wimdi .'light t . lorn.■
tl. o 6 ::gh 1 : '
i:s -tirr. d but m tie
' ' ' I "a-- tfr 1 ir>
1 i
1 ■ '
i :■ d ‘ -o •
i- - .fl
' 1 fl£ j V > $ J
n ■ < i ■■
11 ' I'l.i
' 1 ■ wSSIsH
■
fa 1. ■ ■ ba' y
l b:- tliria: !
' '' L 11 ■ 1 <
stunt.
“1 will leave w! n ! am
tL? Imsim whi"h
!:• re and not one ■< nd Im dore
and y ::r husband :m .. !. m.
troni India cannot com; m . lam aWi.7
ed and will defend niy« !f even
you!"
Strange words to utter to a
whoso strength could not have
that of a child. A strong man like
ought to have been abashed at the sov |
of his own voice when they were t J
ken but 1 was in for it and mcaiA fl
maintain a bold front to the end. / fl
That my reply was unexpected/
shown by her manner. She ney/r
moved those piercing eyes from uU> an
once I believed when 1 saw the/elicato
fingers nervously working tl/at she
meant to leap at my throat Sha breath-
ed short and fast but did not change
her superb poise.
“Pray be seated” I added: with as-
sumed courtesy as i placed my hand on
the back of the nearest chair and set it
down beside her. “With your permis-
sion I will do the same. I wish a few
words with you. ”
My own chair was placed so close to
the door tha*' had I inclined it to the
rear it would have rested against it I
sat down with my hat in my lap and
looked expectantly at her.
She did not stir a muscle but remain-
ed like a statue and It seemed that the
flame of those eyes would burn ins
through.
"I am a detective and have been
watching you and your husband for
some timo. ”
hkn he Next Sunday
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San Antonio Daily Light. (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 15, No. 158, Ed. 1 Sunday, July 7, 1895, newspaper, July 7, 1895; San Antonio, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1683249/m1/3/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .