Evening Star Newspaper, May 11, 1895, Page 14

THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, MAY 11, 1895-TWENTY PAGES. by ARTI (Copsright, 1895, by There were several of the larger London | @anks and insurance offices from which Hewitt held a sort of general retainer as detective adviser, in he w2s regularly consulted as to the meas- ures to be taken in different cases of fraud, fergery, theft and so forth, which it might be the misfortune of the particular firms to encounter. The more important and intri eate of th hands entirely, with separate commissions, in the usual way. One of the most im- portant companies of the sort was the General Guarantee Society, an insurance corporation, which, among other risks, took those of the integrity of secretaries, clerks and cashiers. In the case of a cash box elopement on the part of any person guaranteed by the society, the directors were naturally anxious for a speedy cap- ture of the culprit, and more especially of the booty, before too much of it was spent, in order to lighten the claim upon their funds, and in work of this sort Hewitt was at times engaged, elther in general advice and directions, or in the actual pursuit of the plunder and the plunderer. Arriving at his office a little later than usual one morning, Hewitt found an ur- gent message awaiting him from the Gen- eral Guarantee Society, requesting his at- tention to a robbery which had taken place on the previous day. He had gleaned some hint of the case from the morning paper, wherein appeared a short paragraph which Tran thus: Serious Bank Robbery. “In the course of yesterday a clerk em- ployed by Messrs. Liddle, Neal & Liddle, the well-known"bankers, disappeared, hav- ing in his possession a large sum of money, the property ef his employers—a sum re- ported to be rather Over £15,000. It would em that he had been intrusted to collect the money in Fis capacity of ‘walk clerk’ from various other banks and trading con- fe Carried a Wallet Fastened to His Person. cerns during the morning, but failed to re- turn at the usual time. A large number of the notes which he received had been cash- ed at the Bank of England before suspi- cion was aroused. We understand that Detective Inspector Plummer of Scotland Yard has the case in hand.” The clerk, whose name was Charles Will- fam Laker, had, it appeared from the message, been guaranteed in the usual way by the General Guarantee Society, and Hewitt's presence at the office was at once desired, in order that steps might quickly be taken for the man’s apprehension and the recovery of, at any rate, as much of the booty as possible. A smart hansom_ brought Hewitt to ‘Threadneedle street in a bare quarter of an hour, and there a few minutes’ talk with the manager, Mr. Lyster, put him in fon of the main facts of the case, appeared to be simple. Charles William Laker was twenty-five years of age and had been in the employ of Messrs. Liddle, Neal & Liddle for something more than seven years—since he left school, in fact—and until the previous day there had been nothing in his conduct to complain of. His duties as walk clerk consisted in mak- ing a certain round, beginning at about half-past 10 cach morning. There were a certain number of the more important banks between which and Messrs. Lid Neal & Liddle there were daily transac- tions, and a few s Maller semi-private banks and ‘merchant firms acting as financial agents with whom there was business in- tercourse of less importance and regular- ity; and each of these, as necessary, he visited in turn, collecting cash due on bills and other instruments of the like nature. He carried a wallet, fastened securely to his person by a chain, and this wallet con- tained the bills and the cash. Usually, at the end of his round, when all his bills had been converted into cash, the wallet held very large sums. His work and responsi- bilities, in flne were those common to walk clerks in all banks. On the day of the robbery he had started out as usual—possibly a little earlier than was customary—and the bilis and other se- curities in his possession represented con- siderably more than £15,000. It had been ascertained that he had called in the usual way at each establishment on his round and had transacted his business at the last place by about a quarter past 1, being then, without doubt, in possession of cash to the full value of the bills negotiated. After that, Mr. Lyster said, yesterday's report was that nothing more had been heard of him. But this morning there had been a message to the effect that he had been traced out of the country —to Calais, at least, it was thought. The directors of the society wished Hewitt to take the case in hand personally ang at once, with a view of recovering what was possible from the plunder by way of salvage; also, of course, of finding Laker, for it is an’ important moral gain to guarantee societies as an example if a thief is caught and punished. ‘Therefore Hewitt and Mr. Lyster, as soon as might be, made for Messrs. Liddle, Neal & Liddl hat the investigation might be begun. ‘The bank premises were quite near—in Leadenhall street—and, arrived there, Hew- itt and Mr. Lyster made their way to the firm's private rooms. As they were pass- ing an outer waiting room Hewitt noticed Her Face Was Not Visible. two women. One, the elder, in widow's weeds, was sitting with her head bowed on her hand over a small w ig table Her face was not visible, but her whole attitude was that of a person overcome with unbearable grief; and she sobbed qui- etly. The other was a young woman of twenty-two or twenty-three. Her thick black veil revealed no more than that her features were small and regular and that her face was pale and drawn. with a hand on the elder woman's shoulder, and she quickly turned her head away as the two men entered. Mr. Neal, one of the partners, received thei in bia own room, “Good morning, fulfilment of which | he stood | vhen Mr. Lyster in- the ‘This is a serious ry. 1 think I am_ sorrier for f than for anybody else, our- led—or, at any rate, I am sor- mother. She is 2. Miss Shaw is with her, too, poo! | girl She is a governess, or something of that sort, and I belleve she and Laker were engaged to be married. It’s all v “Inspector Piummer, I understand, itt remarked, “has the affair in hand on be- half of the police.”” “Yea,” Mr. Neal replied; “in fact, he’s here now, going through the contents ef Laker’s desk, and so forth; he thinks it possible Laker may have had accomplices. Will you see him?” “Presently, Inspector Plummer and I are old friends. We met last, I think, in the case of the Stanway cameo, some months ago. But first, will you tell me how long Laker has been a walk clerk?” ‘arely four months, although he has been ith us altogether seven years. He was promoted to the walk soon after the beginning of the year.” “Do you knew anything of his habits— | what he used to do in his spare time, and so forth?” ‘ot a great deal. He went in for boat- ing, I believe, though I have heard it whispered he had one or two more ex- penslye tastes—expensive, that is, for a young man in his position,” Mr. Neal ex- plained, with a dignified wave of the hand that he peculiarly affected. He was a —s old gentleman, and the gesture suit- ed him. ‘You have had no reason to suspect him of dishonesty before I take it?” “Oh, no. He made a wrong return onc I believe, that went for some time unde- tected, but it turned out after all to be a cal error—a mere clerfcal error.” ‘Do you know ything of his ussoclates out of the office “No; how should I? I believe Inspector Plummer has been making inquiries as to that, however, of the other clerks. Here he is, by the bye, I expect. Come i It was Plummer who had knocked, and he came in at Mr. Neal's call. He was a middle-aged, small-eyed, impenetrable look- ing man, as yet of no great reputation in the force. Some of my readers may re- member his connection with that case, so long a public mystery, that I have e! where fully set forth and explained under the title of ‘The Stanway Cameo Mystery.” Piummer carried his billycock hat in one hand and a few papers in the other. He gave Fewiit good morning, placed his hat on a chair, and spread the papers on the table. “There’s not a great deal here,” he said, “but one thing's piain—Laker has been bet- ting. See here, and here, and here’’—he took a few letters from the bundle in his hand—“two letters from a bookmaker about settling (wonder he trusted a clerk), sev- eral telegrams from tipsters, and a letter irom some friend only signed by initials, asking Laker to put a sovereign on a hor: for a friend ‘with his own.’ I'll keep these, I think. It may be worth while to see that me, if we can find him. Ah, we often find it's betting, don’t we, Mr. Hewitt? Meanwhile, there's no news from France yet.” “You are sure that is where he has gone?” asked Hewitt. “Well, I'll tell you what we've done as yet: First, of course, I went round to all the banks. There was nothing to be got from that. The cashiers all knew him by sight, and one was a personal friend of hi: He had called as usual, said nothing in par- ticular, cashed his bills In the ordinary way and finished up at the Eastern Consolidated Bark at about 1:15. So far there was noth- ing whatever. But I started two or three men, meanwhile, making inquiries at the railway stations, and so on. I had scarcely left the Eastern Consolidated when one of them came after me with news. He had tried Palmer's tourist office, although that seemed an unlikely place, and there struck e track.”” d he been there?” “Not only had he been there, but he had taken a tourist ticket to France. It was quite a smart move in a way. You see it was the sort of ticket that lets you do pretty well what you like; you have the choice of two or three different routes to begin with, and you can break your jour- ney where you please and make all sorts of variations. “So that a man with a ticket like that and a few hours’ start could twist I Came Across and Took His Bills. about on some remote branch route and strike off.in another direction altogether, with a new ticket for some out-of-the-way place, while we were carefully sorting out and inquiring along the different routes he might have taken. Not half a bad move for a new hand, but he made one ‘bad mis- take, as new hands always do—old ones do, in fact very often. He was fool enough to give his own name—C. Laker! Although that didn’t matter much, as the description was enough to fix him. ‘Bhere he was, wal- let and all, just as he had come from the Eastern Consolidated Bank, He went str ht from there to Palme: by the bye, and probably in a cab. We judge that by the time. He left the Eastern Consolidated Bank at a quarter past one and was at Palmer's by twenty-five past—ten minutes. T rk at Palmer’s remembered the time, because he was an us to get out to hi unch, and kept looking at the clock, expecting another clerk in to relieve him. Laker didn’t take much in the way of lug- gage, I fancy. We inquired carefully at the stations, and got the porters to remember the passengers for whom they had been g luggage, but none appeared to have had any dealings with our man. That, of course, is as one would expect. He'd take as little as possible with him and buy what he wanted on the way, or when he'd reached his hiding place. Of course, I wired to Calais (it was a Dover to Calais route ticket), and sent a couple of men off by the 8:15 mail from Charing Cross. I ex- pect we shall hear from them in the course of the day. I am being kept in London in view of something expected at headquar- ters, or I should have been off myself.” IL. then, up to the present? g else in view?” absolutely ascertained at “That is all, Have you anyth' “That's all I'v present. As for what I’m going to do”"— a slight smile curled Plummer’s lips—‘‘well, I shall see. I've a thing or two in my mind.” Hewitt smiled slightly himself; he recog- rized Piummer touch of professional jealou “Very well,” he said, rising, “I'll make an inquiry or two for myself at once. Perhaps, Mr. Neal, you'll allow one of your clerks to show me the banks in their regu- lar orler at which Laker called yest I think I'll begin at the beginnin Mr. Neal offered to place at Hewitt’s dis- | posai an ly the bank con- tained, and the nce broke up. As Hewitt, with the clerk, came through the | rooms separating Mr. Neal's sanctum from the outer office he fancied he saw the two veiled women leaving by a side door. The first bank was quite close to Liddle, ‘1 « Liddle. There the-cashier who had h Laker the day before remem- othing in particular about the inter- Many other walk clerks had called the morning, as they did every durin orning, and the only circumstances of the visit that he could say anything definite about were those recorded in figures in the books. He did not know Laker’s name till Plummer had mentioned it in making In- quiries on the previous afternoon. As far as he could remember, Laker behaved much as usual, though really he did not notice much; he looked chiefly at the bills. He described Laker in a way that corre- sponded with the photograph that Hewitt bad borrowed from the bank—a young man with a brown mustache and ordinary look- ing, fairly regular face, dressing much as other s dressed—tall hat, black cut- away coat and so on. The numbers of the notes handed over had already been given to Inspector Plummer, and these Hewitt did not trouble about. ‘The next bank was in Cornhill, and here the cashier was a personal friend of Laker’s —at any rate, an acquaintance—and he re- membered a little more. Laker’s manner had been quite as usuai, he said; certainly did not seem preoccupied or excited in his manner. He spoke for a moment or two-—-of being on the river on Sunday, and so on—and left in his usual way. m : rything he sdid?”” . “If you can tell me, I should e to know exactly what he did and said —to the smallest particular.” “Wel me at a little distance off there, at one of the desks— He Saw the Face of the Woman Who Had Followed Him. d’ye do? I came across and took his bills, and dealt with them in the usual way. He had a new umbrella lying on the counter— rather a handsome umbrelia—and I made a remark about the handle. He took it up to show me, and told me it was a present he had just received from a friend. It was a gorse roct handle, with two silver bands, ene with his monogram, C. W. L. I said t was a very nice handle, and asked him whether it was fine in his district on Sun- day. He said he had been up the river, and it was very fine there. And I think that was all.” “Thank you. Now about this umbrella. Did he carry it rolled? Can you describe it in detail “Well, I've told you about the handle, and the rest was much as usual, I think; it wasn’t rolled—just flapping loosely, vou know. It was rather an odd-shaped handle, though. I'll try and sketch it, if you like, as well as I can remember.” He did so, and Hewitt saw in the result rough indica- tions of a gnarled crook, with one silver band near the end, and another, with the mor.ogram, a few inches down the handle. Hewitt put the sketch in his pocket and Lade the cashier good day. ‘At the next bank the story was the same as at the first—there was nothing remem- bered but the usual routine. Hewitt and the clerk turned down a narrow paved court and turned into Lombard street for the next visit. The bank—that of Buller, Clayton, Ladds & Co.—was just at the ccrrer, at the end of the court, and the imposing stone entrance porch was being made longer and more imposing still, the wey being almost blecked by ladders and scaffold peles. Here there was only the usual tale, and so on through the whole walk. The cashiers knew Laker only by sight, and that not always very distinctly. The calls of waik clerks were such mat- ters of routine that little note was taken of the persons of the clerks themselves, who were called by the names of their firms, if they were called by any names at all, Laker had behaved much as usual, so far as the cashiers could remember, and when finally the Eastern Consolidated was left behind, nothing more had been learn- ed than the chat about Laker’s new um- brella. Hewitt had taken leave of Mr. Neal's cierk, and was stepping into a hansom, when he noticed a veiled woman, in wid- ow’s weeds, hailing another a little way behind. He recognized the figure again, and said to the driver: “Drive first to Paimer’s tourist office, but keep your eye on that cab behind, and tell me presently if it is following u The cabman drove off, and, after passing one or two turnings, opened the lid above Hewitt’s head and said: ‘That there other keb is a-follerin’ us, sir, an’ keeping about even distance all along.” “All right—that’s what I wanted to know. Palmer's now.” At Palmer’s the clerk who had attended to Laker remembered him very well, and described him, He also remembered the wallet, and thought he remembered the umbrella—was practicaily sure of it, in fact, upon reflection. He had no record of the ‘name given, but remembered it dis- tinctly to be Laker. As a matter of fact, names were never asked in such a trans- action, but in this case Laker appeared to be ignorant of the usual procedure, as well as in 2 great hurry, and asked for the ticket and gave his name all in one breath, probably assuming that the name would be required. Hewitt got hack to his cab, and started for Charing Cross. The cabman once more lifted the lid and informed him that the hansom with the veiled woman in it was again following, having waited while Hew- itt visited Palmer's. At Charing Cross Hewitt discharged his cab and walked straight to the lost property office. The man in charge knew him very well, for his business had carried him there frequently before. “I fancy an umbrella was lost in the station yesterday,” Hewitt said. “It was a new umbrella, silk, with a guarled gorse- rcot handle and two silver bands, some- thing like this sketch. There was a mono- gram on the lower hand—C. W. L. were the letters. Has it been brought here?” “There was two or three yesterday man said. “Let's see.” He took the sketch and retired to the corner of his room. “Oh, yes—here it ts, I think. Isn’t this it? Do you claim it?” “Well, not exactly that, but I think I'll take a look at it if you'll let me. By the Was it found way, I see it's rolled up. like that?” “No; the chap rolled it up that found it—porter he was. It’s a fad of his, rolling up umbrelias close and neat, and he's rather proud of it. He often looks as though he'd like to take a man’s umbrella away and roll it up for him when it’s a bit clumsy done. Rum fad, eh?” “Yes—everybody has his little fad, though. Where was this found—close by es, just there, almost opposite this window, in the little corner.” = “About 2 o'clock?” ‘Ah, about that time, more or less.” Hewitt took the umbrella up, unfastened the band and shook the silk out loose. Then he opened it, and as he did so a small scrap of paper fell from inside it. Hewitt pounced on it like lightning. Then, after examining the umbrella thoroughly, inside “Go across the road and speak to that lady.” and out, he handed it back to the man, who had observed the incident of the scrap of paper. “That will do, thanks,” he said. “J only wanted to take a peep at it—just a small matter connected with a little case of mine. Good morning. He turned suddenly and saw, gazing at him with a terrified expression from a door behind, the face of the woman who had followed him in the cab. The veil was lifted, and he caught but a mere glance of the face ere it was suddenly withdrawn. He stood for a moment to allow the wo- man time for retreat, and then left the sta- tion and walked toward his office, close by. Scarcely thirty yards along the Strand he met Plummer. “#'m going to make some more close inquiries all down the line as far as Dover,” he, said. “They wire from Calais that they have no clue as yet, and I mean to make quite sure, if I can, that Laker hasn't quietly slipped off the line mewhere between here and_ Dov here’s one very peculiar thing,”” Plumy added, confidentially. “Did you See the two women who were waiting to see a member of the firm at Liddle, Neal & Liddie’s?”” “Yes. Laker's mother and his fiancee, I was told.” i “That's right. Well, do you know, that girl—Shaw, her nazne is—has been shadow- ing me ever sincé I left the bank? Of course, I stopped it from the beginning— tlese amateurs don’t know how to follow anybody—and, as. a matler of fact, she’s just inside that jgyweler’s shop door behin me now, pretendfixs to look at the things Butit’s odd, isn’t it?” eli,” Hewitt raplied, “of course it’s net a thing to be neglected. If you'll look very carefully at the corner of Villiers street, without appearing to stare,I think you will possibly observe some signs of Laker’s mother. She's shadowing me.” in e window. Ill. Plummer looked casually in the direction indicated, and then immediately turned his eyes in another direction. “I see her,” he said; “she's just taking a look round the ccrner. That’s a thing not to be neglected. Of course, the Lakers’ house is being watched—we set a man on it at once yes- terday. But I'll put one on now.to watch Miss Shaw’s place, too. I'll telephone through to Liddles—probably they'll be able to say where it is. And the women themselves ‘must be watched, too. As a matter of fact, I had a notion that Laker wasn’t alone in it. And it’s just possible, you know, that he has sent an accomplice off with his tourist ticket to lead us a dance while he looks after himself in another direction. Have you done anything?” “Well,” Hewitt replied, with a faint re- production of the secretive smile with which Piummer had met an inquiry of his earlier in the morning, “I've been to the station here. And I’ve found Laker’s um- brella in the lost property office.” “Oh! Then probably he has gone. I'll bear that in mind, and perhaps have a word with the lost property man.” Plummer made for the station and Hewitt for his office. He mounted the stairs and regched his door just as I myself, who had been disappointed in not finding him in,was leaving. I had called with the idea of tak- ing Hewitt to lunch with me at my club, but he declined lunch. “I have an import- ant case m hand,” he said. “Look here, Brett. See this scrap of paper. You know the types of the different papers—which is this?” He handed rie a small piece of paper. It was part of a cutting containing an adver- tisement, which had been torn in half. “I think,” I said, “this is from the Daily Chronicle, judging by the paper. It is plainly from the ‘agony column,’ but all the papers use pretty much the same type for these advertisements except the Times. if it Were not torn I could tell you at once, because the Chronicle columns are rather narrow.” The torn scrap read as follows: hen to- red bl. roas' brd Le. time. ever mind—Fll send for them all. Hewitt rang and sent for a copy of each morning paper of the previous day. Then ke took from a large wardrobe cupboard a decent but well-worn and rather roughened tall hat. Also a coat a liftle worn and shiny on the céllar. He exchanged these for his own hat and coat, and then subs tuted an old white one, spotted leggin he produced a very large and thitk pocketbook, fasten- ed by a broad; elastic band, and_ said, “Well, what do you think of this? Will it do for queen’s taxes, or sanitary inspector, or the gas or the water supply?” “Very well, indeet, I should say,’ I re- plied. “What's the ease?” “Oh, I'll tell you all about it when it’s over. Oh, here you*are, Kerrett. By the bye, Kerrett, I'm going out presently by the back way. Walt for about ten minutes cr a quarter of’an hour after I have gone and then just go:acréss the road and speak to that lady in Black with the veil, who is waiting in that ttle’foot passage opposite. Say Mr. Martin Hewitt sends his compli- ments and he afivises her not to wait, he has already’ left hts office by another door, and has been ‘gone some little time. uld=be a pity to keep the woman waiting all day for nothing. y the papers! aily News, Standard, Telegraph, Chrohicle—yes, here it is—in the Chronicle.” The whole advertisement read thus: 3, This done, YOB—H. R. shop roast. You Ist. hen tonight. O 2. Second top. 3rd L. No. 197 red bl. straight mon. One time. ” T asked, “a cryptogram?” ’ Hewitt answered. “But I won't tell you anything about it till afterward, so you get your lunch. Kerrett, bring the di- myself, and I have written the rest in its proper order from Hewitt's information, as I have written some other cases entirely. To resume at the point where, for the time, I lost sight of the matter. Hewitt left by the back way, and stopped an empty cab as it passed. “Abney Park cemetery was h's directions to the driver. In litile nore than twenty minutes the cab was branching off down the Essex road, on its Way to Stoke Newington, and in twenty minutes more Hewitt stopped it in Church street, Stoke Newington. He walked through a street or two, and then down another, the houses of which he scanned carefully rs he passed. Opposite one-which stood by itself he stopped, and, making a pretense of consulting and arranging his large pocketbook, he took a good look at the house. It was rather larger, neater and more pretentious than the others in the street, and it had a natty little coach house just visible up the side entrance. There were red blinds hung with heavy lace in the front windows, and behind one of these blinds Hewitt was able to catch the glint of a heavy gas chandelier. He stepped briskiy up to the front steps and knocked sharply at the door. “Mr. Merston?"” he asked, pocket book in hand, bie a neat parlor maid opened the door. “Ah"—Hewitt stepped into the hall and pulled off his hat—“It’s only the meter. There's been a deal of gas running away somewhere here, and I'm just locking to, right. Where is it?" ‘U—D'N ask masier,” The girl hesitated. she said. “Very well. I don’t want to take it away, you know—only to give it a tap or two and so on.” Hewitt followed the girl to the basement, apparently looking straight before him, but in reality taking in every detail of the place. The gas meter was i ry large lumber cupboard, under the kitchen stairs. The girl opened the door and lit the candle. The meter stood on the floor, which was lit- tered with hampers and boxes and odd sheets of brown paper. But a thing that at once arrested Hewitt's attention was 2 garment of some sort of bright blue cloth, with large brass buttons, which was lying in a tumbled heap in a corner, and appear- ed to be the only thing in the place that was not covered with dust. Nevertheless Hewitt took no apparent notice of it, but stooped down and solemnly tapped the av ‘meter three times With his pencil, and lis- stened with great gravity, placing his ear on the top. Then he shook his head and tapped again. At length he said: “It’s a bit doubtful. I'}] just get you to light the gas in the kitchen a moment. Keep your hand to the buyner, and when I call out shut it off at orlce—see?” ‘The girl turned and entered the kitchen, and Hewitt immediately seized the blue coat—for a coatit was. It had a dull red piping in the seams.and was of the swal- low-tail pattern—a livery coat, in fact. He held it a moméht before him, examining its pattern and color, and then rolled it up and flung it again ifito the corner. “Right!” he called to the servant. “Shut off! The girl emerged from the kitchen as he left the cupboard. “Well,” she asked, “are you satisfied now?” “Quite satisfied, thank you,” Hewitt re- plied. “Is it all right?” she continued, jerking her hand toward the cupboard. “Well, no, it isn’t; there’s something wrong there, and I'm glad I came. You can tell Mr. Merston, if you like, that I expect his gas bill will be a good deal less next quarter." And there was a suspicion of chuckle in Hewitt’s voice as he crossed the hall to leave. For a gas inspector is pleased when he finds at length what he has been searching for. Things had fallen out better than Hewitt had dared to expect. He saw the key of the whole mystery in that blue coat; for it was the uniform coat of the hall porters at one of the banks that he had visited in the morning, though which ene he could not for the moment remember. He entered the nearest post office and dispatched a telegram to Plummer; then he hailed the first available cab and hurried toward the city. At Lombard street he alighted and looked in at the door of each bank till he came to Buller, Clayton, Ladds & Co.’s, This was the bank he wanted. In the other banks the hall porters wore mulberry coats, brick- dust coats, brown coats and what not, but here, behind the ladders and scaffold poles which obscured the entrance, he could see a man in a blue coat with dull red piping and brass buttons. He sprang up the steps, pushed open the inner spring door and finally satisfied himself by a closer view of the coat, to the wearer's astonishment. Then he regained the pavement and walked the whole length of the bank premises in front, afterward turning up the paved pass- age at the side, deep in thought. The bank had no windows or doors on the side next the court, and the two adjoining houses were old and supported in places by wooden shores. Both were empty, and a great board announced that tenders would be received for the purchase of the old ma- terials of which they were constructed in a month’s time; also that some part of the site would be let on a long building lease. Hewitt looked up at the grimy fronts of the old buildings. The windows were crust- ed thick with dirt, all except the bottom window of the house nearer the bank,which was fairly clean and seemed to have been quite lately washed. The door, too, of this Hewitt Immediately Seized the Blue Coat. house was cleaner than that of the other, though the paint was worn. Hewitt reach- ed and fingered a hook driven into the left- hand door post about six feet from the ground. It was new and not at all rusted; also, a tiny splinter had been displaced when the hook was driven in, and clean wood showed at the spot. : Having observed these things, Hewitt stepped back and read at the bottom of the big board the name “Winsor & Weekes, Surveyors and Auctioneers, Abehurch Lane.” ‘Then he stepped into Lombard street, ‘Two hansoms pulled up near the post office, and out of the first stepped Inspector Plummer and another man. ‘This man and the two who alighted from the second hansom were unmistakably plain-clothes constables—their air, galt and boots pro- claimed it, “What's all this?” demanded Plummer as Hewitt approached. “You'll soon see, I think. But first, have you put the watch on No. 197 Hackworth road?” “Yes alone. “Very good. I'm going into Abehurch lane for a few minutes. Leave your men out here, but just go round into the court by Buller, Clayton & Ladd’s, and keep your eye on the first door on’ the left. 1 think we'll find something soon, Did you get rid of Miss Shaw “No; she’s behind now, and Mrs. Laker’s with her. They met in the Strand, and came after us in another cab. Rare fun, eh? They think we're pretty green! It’ quite handy, too. So long as they keep be hind me it saves all trouble watching the And Inspector Plummer chuckled and winked. “Very good. You don’t mind keeping your eye on that door, do you? I'll be back very soon.” And with that Hewitt turned off into Abehureh lane. Nobody will get away from there Iv. At Winsor & Weekes’ information was rot difficult to obtain. The houses were destined to come down very shortly, but a week or so ago an office and a cellar in cne of them was let temporarily to a Mr. Westley. He brought no references—in- deed, as he paid a fortnight’s rent in ad- vence, he was not asked for any, consider- ing the circumstances of the case. He was about épening a London branch for a large firm of cider merchants, he said, and just wanted a rough office and a cool cellar to store samples in for a few weeks, till the permanent premises were ready. There was another key, and no doubt the premises might be entered, if there were any spe- cial reason for such a course. Martin Hewitt gave such excellent reasons that Winsor & Weekes’ managing clerk imme- diately produced the key and accompanied Hewitt to the spot. “I think you'd better have your men handy,” Hewitt remarked to “Plummer, they reached the door, and a whistle ly brought the men over. The key was inserted in the lock and turned, but the door would not open; the bolt was fastened at the bottom. Hewitt coped and looked under the door. “It's a drop bolt,” he said. “Probably the man who left last let it fall loose and then banged the door, so that it fell into its place. I must try my best with a wire or a piece of string. ‘A wire was brought, and with some ma- reuvering Hewitt contrived to pass it round the bolt and lift it, little by little, steadying it with the blade 06 a pocket knife. When at length the bolt was raised out of the hole, the knife blade was slipped under it, and the door swung open. ‘They entered. The door of the little office near the door stood open, but in the office there was nothing except a board a couple of feet long, in a corner. Hewitt stepped Hewitt Continued to Pass It the Bolt. across and lifted this, turning its down- ward face toward Plummer. On it, in fresh pairt on a black ground, were painted the words: Buller, Clayton, Ladds & Co., Temporary Entrance. « Hewitt turned to Winsor & Weekes’ clerk and asked: “The man who took this room called himself Westley, didn’t he?” “Yes.” Youngish man, dressed?" “Yes, he was.” Hewitt said, turning to Plum- I fancy an old friend of yours is in ir. Sam Gunter.” ‘What! the ‘Hoxton Yob?"” “I think it’s possible he's been Mr. West- ley for 4 bit, and somebody else for another hit. But let’s come to the cellar.” Winsor & Weekes’ clerk led the way down a steep flight of steps into a dark underground corridor wherein they lighted their way with many successive matches. Soon the corridor made a turn to the right, and as the party passed the turn there came from the end of the passage before them a fearful yell, “Help! help! Open th aoor! I'm going mad—mad! Oh, my God ‘And there was a sound of desperate beat- ing from the inside of the cellar door at the extreme end. The man stopped, star- tlea. “Come,” said Hewitt, “more matches! and he rushed to the door. It was fastened with a bar and padiock. “Let me out, for God’s sake,” came the voice, sick and hoarse, from inside. “Let me out!"” “All right!” Hewitt shouted. “We have come for you; wait a moment.” The voice sank into a sort of a sobbing croon, and Hewitt tried several keys from his own bunch on the padlock. None fitted. He drew from his pocket book the wire he had used for the bolt of the front door, straightened it put, and made a sharp bend at the end. “Hold a match close,” he or- dered shortly, and one of the men obeyed. Around clean shaven and well Highest of all in Leavening Power.— Latest U.S. Gov’t Report Re ANI YEAS ABSOLUTELY PURE Baking Powder Three or four attempts were necessary, and several different bendings of the wire were effected, but in the end Hewitt picked the lock and flung open the door. From within a ghastly figure fell forward among them, fainting, and knocked out the matches. “Hullo! cnied Plummer, “hold up. Who are you?” ‘Let's get him into the open,” said Hew- itt. “He can’t tell you who he is for a bit, but I believe he’s Laker.” “Laker! What, here?” “I think so. Steady up the steps—don’t bump him. He’s pretty sore already, I ex- pect.”” Truly, the man was a pitiable sight. His hair and face were caked in dust and blood, and his finger nails were torn and bleeding. Water was sent for at once and brandy. “Well,” said Plummer, hazily, looking first at the unconscious prisoner and then at Hewitt, “but what about the swag?” “You'll have to find that yourself,” Hew- itt replied. “I think my share of the case is about finished. I only acted for the Guar- antee Society, you know, and if Laker’s proved innocent—”" “Innocent? How?” “Well, this is what took place, as near as I can figure it. You'd better undo his col- lar, I think’—this to the men. “What I believe has happened is this: There has been a very clever and carefully prepared conspiracy here, and Laker ha$*not been the criminal, but the victim. “Robbed himself, you mean? But how? Where?” “Yesterday morning, before he had been to more than three banks—here, in fact.” “But, then, how? You're all wrong. We know he made the whole round and did all the collection. And then Palmer's office and all, and the umbrella; why— The man lay still unconscious. ‘Don’t raise his head,” Hewitt said. “And one of you had best fetch a doctor. He’s had a terrible shock.” Then, turning to Plum- mer, he went on: “As to how they man- aged the job, I'll tell you what I think. First, it struck some very clever person that a deal of money might be got by rob- bing a walk clerk from a bank.* This clever person was one of a clever gang of thieves—perhaps the Hoxton row gang—as I think I hinted. Now, you know quite as well as I do that such a gang will spend any amount of time over a job that prom- ises a big haul, and that for such a job they can always command the necessary capital; there are many most respectable persons living in good style in the suburbs whose chief business lies ‘in favoring such ventures and taking the chief share of the proceeds. Well, this is their plan, carefully and intelligently carried out. They watch Laker, observe the round he takes, and his habits. They find that there is only one of the clerks with whom he does business that he is much acquainted with, and that this clerk is in a bank which is commonly se: ond in Laker’s round. The sharpest man CLEVELAND AND TILD Appointment of Daniel Manning Due to the Sage of Greystone. From Bigelow's Life of Samuel J. Tilden. It was while living at Greystone that his renomination for the presidency was urged. Mr. Bigelow wisely discouraged his ac- ceptance of it: “I had been trying to assist him one day, early in the spring of 1880, in one of his vexatious litigations. I observed that he did not seem to have the full command of his resources. At last he arose from hit seat, and with an air of discouragement of his face, as well as in the tone of his voice, said: ‘Let us go and take a ride.’ As we rode up the avenue and after a protracted silence he spoke of the decline of force and intellectual endurance, of which he had just experienced such unequivocal evidence, and then added in a rather querulous tone, as if responding to some unwelcome press- ure from without, ‘If Iam no longer fit to prepare a case for trial, I am not fit to be President of the United States.’ “He then turned and looked at me as if I was his persecutor and he expected me to tell him what I had to say in my defense. ‘Governor,’ I replied, ‘I am the last person in the world to urge you to run for the presidency. No one has a right to ask you to accept such a burden at the risk of your life, and there is no use in trying to disguise the fact that there is nothing which would more imperil your health than the inevitable excitement of a canvass for the presidency and the first six months’ ser- vice to which an election would expose you.’"” From that day forth he seemed to have satisfied himself that he did not wish to be a candidate for the presidency. One day early in June, 1883, Mr. Bigelow says that the late Daniel Manning called upen him and asked him to accompany him to Greystone: “After briefly referring to the political situation, he said that on the Sunday previous he had called upon Gov. Cleveland, laid the whole case before him, pressed upon his attention the necessity of doing semething at once to prevent the friends of Mr. Tilden getting heedlessly pledged to other candidates as their second choice, a danger which was imminent so long as a hope of Mr. Tilden’s yielding to the wishes of the party was indulged, and. finally, that the only way of defeating such a scheme was for Mr. Tilden to signify, before the election of any more delegates, most of whom were to be chosen within the next eight or ten days, that he would not be a candidate. “Mr. Manning then went on to say that Gey. Cleveland pcsomptly expressed the de- sire that Mr. Manning would fo down to among them—and I don't think there's a From Within a Figure Fell Forward. man in London could do this as well as young Sam Gunter—studies Laker’s dress and habits just as an actor studies a char- acter. They take this office and cellar, as we have seen, because it is next door to a bank whose front entrance is being altered —a fact which Laker must know from his daily visits, The smart man, Gunter, let us say—and I have other reasons for be- Heving it is he—makes up precisely like Laker, false mustache, dress and every- thing, and waits here with the rest of the gang. One of the gang is dressed in a blue coat with brass buttons, like a hall porter in Buller’s bank, Do you see?” “Yes, 1 think so. -It's pretty clear now.” “A confederate watches at the top of the court, and the moment Laker turns in from Cornhill—having already been, mind, at the ouly bank where he was so well known that the diguised thief would not have passed muster—as soon as he turns in from Cornhill, 1 say, a signal is given, and that board”’—poining to that with the white let- ters—‘is hung on the -hook in the doorpost. The sham porter = # ds beside it, and as Laker approaches, #.»s: ‘This way in, sir, this morning. The tront way’s shut for the alterations.’ Laker, suspecting nothing, and supposing that the firm have made a tem porary entrance through the empty house, enters. He is seized when well along the corridor, the board is taken down and the door shut. Probably he is stunned by a blow on the head—see the blood now. They take his wallet and all the cash he has al- ready collected. Gunter takes the wallet and also the umbrella, since it has Laker's initials, and is, therefore, distinctive. He simply completes the walk in the character of Laker, beginning with Buller, Clayton & Ladd’s, just around the corner. It is nothing but routine work, which is quickly done, nobody notices him particularly—it is the bills they examine. Meanwhile, this unfortunate fellow 1s locked up in the cel- lar here, right at the end of the under- ground corridor, where he can never make himself heard in the street, and where next him are only the empty cellars of tHe deserted house next door. The thieves shut the front door and vanish. The rest is plain. Gunter, having completed the round and bagged some £15,000 or more, spends a few pounds in a tourist ticket at Palmer's as a blind, being careful to give Laker's name. He leaves the umbrella at Charing Cross in a conspicuous place, right oppo- site the lost property office, where it is sure to be seen, and so completes his false trail.” “Then who are the people at 197 Hack- worth road? “The capitalist lives there—the financier, and, probably, the directing spirit of the whoie thing. Merston’s the name he goes but there, and I've no doubt he cuts a very imposing figure in chapel every Sunday. He'll be worth picking up—this isn’t the first thing he’s been in, I'll warrant.” “But—but what about Laker’s mother and Miss Shaw?” “Well, what? The poor women are nearly out of their minds with terror and shame, that’s all, but, though they may think Laker a criminal, they'll never desert him. They've been following us about with a feeble, vague sort of hope of being able to baffle us in some way, or help him, if we caught hin, or something, poor things. Did you ever hear of a real woman who'd de- sert a son or lover merely because he was a criminal? But here’s the doctor. When he’s attended to him will you let your men take Laker home? I must hurry and report to the Guarantee Society, I think.” “But,” said the perplexed Plummer, vheré did you get your clue? You must have had a tip from some one, you know. You can’t have done it by clairvoyance. What gave you the tip?” “The Daily Chrcnicle.” “The what “The Daily Chronicle. Just take a look at the agony column in yesterday morn- ing’s issue and read the message to ‘Yob’— to Gunter, in fact. That's all.” (To be concluded next Saturday.) ————— Galinntry of a Paris Judge. From the Westminster Gazette. In a case before a Paris court, in which a popular actress has had to appear as a witness, the judge seems to have shown considerable diffidence about asking the lady, as he was in duty bound to do, what was her age. Evidently he considered that such a question, put to a witness, would be a direct incitement to perjury, so he asked her her age before she had been sworn. “How old are you, madam?" he said. Af- ter a little hesitation, the lady owned to being twenty-nine years of age. “And now that you have told the court your eg continued the gallant judge, “you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and noth- ing but the truth.”” Greystone, represent the situation to Mr. Tilden and consider himself authorized to give Mr. Tilden any assurances he required in regard to the naming of Mr. Cleveland's cabinet should he be elected, and in regard to the conduct of his administration upon the lines of reform which had been traced by Mr. Tilden during and since his election as governor. Mr. Manning said his object in coming to me was to ask me to accom- pary him to Greystone and assist him in persuading Mr. Tilden—if persuasion should be necessary—to no longer delay a formal announcement of his intentions, already well known to Mr. Manning and myself, not to accept a renomination. “In point of fact,” adds Mr. Bigelow, “Mr. Tilden was not consulted about his cabinet by President Cleveland until nearly or quite every place but one had been filled, when his advice about a Secretary of the Treas- ury was invited. He recommended Mr. Daniel Manning of New York. Mr. Man- ning was reluctantly appointed to that po- sition, but never welcomed to it nor in it. “Whether Mr. Cleveland underrated the value of Mr. Tilden’s judgment, or over- rated his own, it is quite certain that Mr. Manning did neither, for he appears to have rarely, if ever, taken any important step while he continued in the cabinet with- out trying to secure Mr. Tilden’s approval of it * * “It had by this time become manifest to Mr. Tilden not only that he was not a persona grata to the President, which he mcre than suspected before, but that it was anything but a recommendation in the President's eyes to be a friend of his.” A Map on Annabel’s Face. From the New York Commercial A@vertiser. “Annabel,” called a Harlem mother over the banisters, as she heard the front door close, : “Yes, mamma,” replied a swect girlish voice, and Annabel Googan slowly framed herself in the darkness of the staircase. “Was that Mr. Tinberry, Annabel?” “It was, mamma.”” “Do you know it ts twenty minutes past 117” came in cold tones from the wrap- pered figure in the upper hall. “Mamma, we hadn't the slightest idea it said the young girl, earnest- ly. she continued, “Mr. Tin- berry shas been teiling me about China and Japan. He said everybody ought to know about the war, and it was so interesting we never thought how late it was getting. Do you know, mamma,” added the sweet girl, as she reached the landing, “that in China they: 3 “Did Mr, Tinberry draw a map of China on your face, Annabel?” asked Mrs. Goo- gan, sternly. “Why, mamma?” said the daughter in startled tones. The young girl rushed to a mirror and saw with horror-stricken glance that the left oMe of her face was streaked and stain™® with ink. “Heaven and earth,” she screamed, “his fountain pen must have leaked into his waistcoat pocket!” and with a shriek of Serer the beautiful girl fell fainting to the joor. ——__-+e+- —___ Feat of an Elephant. From the Kansas City Star. An elephant pushing a long line of freight cars was the unusual scene witnessed by a party of visitors to the winter quarters of Lemen Bros.’ circus over at Argentine yesterday afternoon, Frank Fisher, train- er of Rajah, the big elephant which the cir- cus carries as the feature of its menagerie, was using the beast in moving heavy Wagons, and while so engaged, a workman from an elevator near the winter quarters complained that he could not get 4 switch engine to meve empty box cars to the ele- vator. “Ill move them for you with Ra- jah,” said Fisher. He was not quite sure that the big beast could move the long line of thirty-two box cars on the Sante Fe railway track, which runs by the quarters, but he resolved to have him try it. The brakes were released, the elephant put his head against the end car, and after a few moments the line began to move slowly. The track was perfectly level, and soon the cars had rolled down to the elevator. —e Always on the Go. From the Chap-Book. “No,” said the weary housewife to the minister on his sick call, “there ain’t no vse talkin’ of rest everlastin’ for the likes o’ me. 'Pears thet other folks git luck like that, but I don’t. I've ben stumpin’ round on my feet ever sence I was born, and ‘tain’t likely to let up. "F I was put under ground on a Monday, don’t you for- git the resurrection would come along o’ Chewsday and hustle me out. I know what to look for! How's your Mehitable’s jam turned out this fall?” 08 How Dinner Was Delayed. From Harper's Bazar. “What is the matter with dinner, Jane?” t's the laundress’ day out, ma’am.” What has that to do with it Well, you see, ma’am, me an’ the cook ain’t on speakin’ terms, and the laundress usually does our talkin’ for us. There ain’t anybody below as‘ll tell me whether the things ts ready.” ——__—_++ he Buttle Over. From the Chicago Record. “Yes, madam,” said the messenger, as he confronted the wife of the state legislator, “the legislature has adjourned.” ‘Oh, tell me,” cried the frantic woman, appealingly, “has my husband been re moved to the hospital yet?"