THE SUBSTITUTED HAT.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 87, 31 January 1885, Page 4

THE SUBSTITUTED HAT.

The hero of the hat was a singular compound of vanity and daring of the type of " Fourteen,"' noticed in " A Threatening Advertisement "' His real name was Edward Birnie, but he was generally known as "Sweet Sammy. '' Ho hid a pleasing manner and a 'good face, about winch he had the misfortune to be exceedingly vain. He CDuld run, and dodge, and make the most desperate efforts at cscapo when pursued, but the moment it came to a hand to-hand struggle and a baton wua drawn Sammy gave in unconditionally — afraid that his beauty might be -poilt. even for a time, by soine'svvinirmg: blow from thostaff. Sammy's beauty had been his ruin. He was a fair youth, with mild blue eyes and a pretty moustucne, and, but f or an occasional slip in his language, would have passed for a gentlemin in many a company. His first crime had been embezzling trom his master, and, getting oIY with a simple dismissal, he had been Lo'd in wrong doing over after. If he had been w oil whipped when young, or if -=01113 trouble had overtaken him and spoiled his beauty, his life might have been very different. Sammy always wore a di'ess hat, made or alterel to the latest fashion. There was nothing peculiar about the Imt to my eyes, and 1 need searcelv add that Sa umy never wrote his »u»no ami address inside, as is custom iry with >ome v,iio expect- to have a good head-covering misappropriated. Sammy was quite able to look after his hat, and besides the article \\ i-* not new, and so was in a aense its o\\ n protector. So much fur the man and his peculiarities ; now for ono of his tricks. Although a sharper of no mean skill, Sammy c d'ed himself an actor, and affected much the society of players and supers so far a* he cou'd iret it in their favourite publichouses. lam not aware whether he preyed upon them a? he did on all the world — most probably lie did - but it was in the company of some of thesu that he managed one night to pick up the key of one of his feat. There i:- a charm, or glamour, or romance about the conveis-ition and company of actors attractive to more than sharper* like Sammy. Gentlemen have, over since the stage had an e\i-tence, found pleasure in conrer-atiun with these happy-go-lucky mortals. Ono of these — the son of a wealthy Midlothian bird — met Sammy with the players, mistook him for one of them, and was greatly pleaded with his talk, and his cleverness with cards and billiard balls. The two were olton together, Mr Stewart Armstrong of oouisc supplying all the money, while Sammy supplied the brain. In the course of conversation Mr Armstrong happened to mention ihat he had an invitation to a giand party to be gi\en in a big house at the South Side The giver of the pavtv, however, changed to be a man who had rk-enirom a very humble position, and made most of hid money by a shaie in a brewery, and c o the aristocratic Mr Armstrong announced to Sweet Sammy that; it would never do for him to be seen in such vulgar company, and that therefore h< would preier to &pend that evening with Sammy, if that gentleman had no engagement to pre\enl the meeting. Sammy considered a little before answering, gravely a-kin^f the date of the party, and appearing to rack his memory to discover if he was not hampered by any previous appointment. In reality Sammy was thinking of another matter altogether. An idea had just struck hitn whereby it might be pos>ible to turn the circumstance to his own adsantage, but there wei c so many difficulties that he could not see hi& way at a moment's notice to overcoming them. Mr Armstrong took out hi-? pocket-book, and, after turning over a number of papers, at length found the invitation, which he read aloud to Sammy, principally for the sake of giving him the date. It v. as a bulky pocket-book, and Sammy'- gretdy glance took in iU contents like lightning. There were bank notethere a? woil "X-i papers, and the-c ha\e a' ways a charm for the needy and unscrupulous. The ie«urt of Sammy.-, cogitations \vathat he deemed his -cheme fea-ible, and informed hi-> friend that he was happy to say that he wps di-ongaged on the evening in question, and would be plen-ed to spend it in Mr Armstrong's society. They even arranged i little programme oi the amusements of the evening, including, of course, match of billiard-, Sammy to give hi* opponent long odd--. About half an hour after this agreement hid been made Sammy managed to unbutton his friend's coal, and a minute or two later pos>esscd hims-elf of hi 3 pocket book. With that he left the room for a minute or two, and hastily turned out its contents. It was hard indeed to pa«s over the bank note=, but Sammy'? instincts and experience all prompted him t~> be wary, and he contented himself with a one-pound note, returning all the others. He carefully took po-^ession of the invitation and one or tw o of Mr Armstrong's cards. This done, he returnee to the room in which ho had left his friend. Under certain conditions it would have been quite in Sammy's power to replace the pocket book, but in a brightly-lighted room, and many eyes upon him, he hesitated, and at length contented him«elf v ith dropping the book on the iloor close to Mr Armstrong's feet, Sammy was careful to get to the other side of the table immediately afterwards, lest suspicion bhould for a moment be directed to him. It happened, however, that an honest man seated near Air Armstrong trod on the pocket-book, and wonderingly stooped to look at the object. Mi Armstrong, who had been drinking somewhat freely, recognised the article picked up as his property, and replaced it in his pocket, after a brief glance at the contents, with the simple remark — " I must have put it inside my coat only, not into the pocket, and it has slipped down without me noticing. How lucky that you saw it. I miprht have gone away, leaving t, and never have seen it again." Although thu3 far successful, Sammy had not nearly overcome all the difficulties in the way of his scheme. What he aimed at was a big haul of plunder without any chance of after identification, and this he might easily have managed had Mr Armstrong borne the slightest resemblance to him in complexion or features. He had already learned that the party was expected to be rather promiscuous ; "that the giver, Mr Mangleton, was not personally, acquained with the half of the persons invited, but was merely anxious to get into their society ; and that many of tbo guests would be quite unknown to. each other. But he nevertheless deemed it prudent to take some simple precautions. He, therefore, on the following day got the loan of a wig of dark curly hair from one of the actors, touched up his attire a little, bought a pair of white kid gloves, and a little Indian ink to darken his moustache, and

jthon deemed himsolf ready for the task. Tho afternoon following he met Mr Armstrong, according to his agreement, and managed to get him pretty well primed with drink before six o'clock. Ho then fastened his excited friend on to a needy billiard marker not likely to release him easily, and slipped out of the hotel unseon. At his mean lodging ho did himsolf up as a dark-complexioned man, and thon drove in a cab to the house at tho South Side. The dinner was appointed for seven o'clock, and he managed to arrivo a few minutes after that hour, when the gentlemen's room was crowded to the door, and himself and his card scarcely looked at by the servant who showed him in. A brief glance around the room and at the guests convinced him that very little was to bo picked up thore. There were valuable watches in abundance among tho guests, with jewollery and diamond rings enough to make his greedy soul almost jump out of its sholl, but thore were nono of these left in tho dressing- i room. Mr Mangloton's osvn room chanced ' to be close to this, anol Sammy, while con- i versing affably with tho browor in his assumed character of Stewart Armstrong, Esq., noticed the evory-day attire of that 1 gentleman littering the room as if it had been thrown off in favour of the full-dross I suit he wore. Sammy resolved to visit tho room at a more favourable moment, and was led into the drawing room and introduced to t.ho hostess and several of her lady friends. Only ono little cloud for a moment darkened his bright hori/on, and that was when he heard Mrs Manglcton wh^per to her husband — "There must be two brothers of them; that is not tho ono I intended to invite. Never mind ; it can't bo helped now." Sammy, who had been watching tho stout lady's puz/led looks with tho greatest uneasiness, breathed more freely, and gallantly consented to conduct a very withered and antiquated lady to tho dinner tablo, managing before sho was long seated to possess himself of her purse, containing five sovereigns and some silver. Sammy knew the value of a quint tonguo, and, b} r assuming a gravely attentive air to those about him and confining his attention strictly to his plate, succeeded in passing muster. As soon as tho dinner was over the ladies retired, and the gentlemen sat down to drink. Fain would Sammy have joined them, for the ~w me was the best that monoy could procure, but to miss that opportunity would have been to throw away all his labour and ingenuity. While everyone was thus agreeably occupied—the ladies with gossip and the gentlemen with dimk — tvimray retired to the dressing-room, pas?ed thence into Mr Mansrleton's room, and by rummaging the pockets of the discarded clothes got hold of tho brewer's keys. Going hastily over drawers and locked receptacles in tho room, he at length came on a cash-box and chequebook. The box contained nearly fifty pounds in gold and note?, all of whick Sammy conveyed to his own pocket The cheque-book he also took, thinking that lie might iind means to turn somo ot the valuable leaves into solid cash. He was not altogether ungenerous ; he put in their placo the purso ho had taken from the old dowager in the dining-room — emptied of its contents. This done ho rclocked the drawer, replaced tho keys caiofully in the pocket from which ho had taken them, and slipped back to tho gentlemen's room. It was still deserted. The servant-* were busy elsowheie, and the boisterous shouts of laughter from the direction ot tho dining-room told him that no interruption v,a=? likely to soon come from that quaiter. He coolly turned to the topcoat* 5 lying heaped on every side of him, and, by going over them all, discovered a solitary pur.se which contained about £2, which the owner had hastily thnist into his outer pocket after paying the cabmin at the door. A pocket-book in the inside pocket of ono of the coats contained railway scrip of the value of upwards of I' loo, which the owner had forgotten to put away before leaving his home ; but this Sammy either did not sec or was ignorant oi its 1 value, for it was found untouched when the discovery of the robbery was made some hours later. Now came the finishing touch, the grand stroke of genius "w Inch was to make Sammy's feat truly artistic. He had come to the house in a cab, wearing only a thin borrowed drees <mit. He was about to lea/c on foot, and pissfroma waim atmosphere to the frosty air outside. Sammy picked out the topcoat which fitted him and pieased him mo'-t with its stylo of cut ; and then, altogether despising his ow n old and many times renovated dicss hat, he went over the hat rack till he found a glossy .satin to fit his head. 3t appeared to bo now ivom tho mak- r, and had been brought by s-ome innocent young man ignorant of I lie usages and customs of such festive gathering?. It will thus be seen that though Sammy took with him a considerable sum not his own, the only memento of his presence which he left behind was that .shabby old dress hat. Sammy passed out into the night and vanished, but six or seven hours later there wa=? a dire commotion and confusion in Mr Mangloton's brilliantly lighted home. The old lady missed her puree, and disturbed the whole company by insisting on looking everywhere for the treasure, poking about anxiously in every part of the house she had passed thiough, and generally so difetuibing the company that at last they were glad, in sheer .self defence, to begin to help her. Many of tho guests had by that time left, and those remaining hastened their departure in order to got away from that querulous old maid and her suspicious remarks and complaining?. " I had it in my pocket when I went into tho drawing-room," blip kept, saying, "and I could not have pulled it out with my handkerchief, as that was never out of my hand. 1 did not expect, Mr Manglcton," she added severely, "that in accepting your invitation I was coming among thieves." Of course, the wealth) brewer promptly offered to make good tho loss, mentally writhing under the pointed insult, but not daring to show his resentment, for tho old lady was both wealthy and influential; yet even that did not satisfy the loser. It was the purse sho valued most — a beaded one with a gilt clasp— and in high dudgeon tho lady took herself off to dress for leaving, flouncing away from every other lady as if she were tho thief, and generally contriving to make herself intensely disagreeable. The snubbed and insulted brewer took his I way to tho gentlemen's room to see tho last of them away, and there he found two of his guests searching anxiously in every corner of the room, and oven making vain incursions to Mr Mangleton's own room adjoining. "I can't find my topcoat, Mr Mangleton," said one, looking grave indeed. " And some ono has surely taken my hat by mistake," said tho other, "for I can't &cc it." " Oh, you'll find them lying about somowhore, I've no doubt," said the distracted brewer absently, and ho hunted about his own room, got his keys, and brought out his cash-box with the intention of getting five sovereigns to hand to the incensed old lady as she retired. It was his excited shout as he did so which drew all the remaining gentlemen into the room. He was standing with his cash-box, empty, in one hand, and in the other held the missing beaded purse— also empty.

"I've been robbed I" he faintly gaspBd in explanation. "Some smart thief has entered tho house while wo were so busy, and robbed me of about fifty pounds. My cheque-book is also gone." " And my overcoat," cried the othor robber guest. " Aud my new hat," said the second. "And my purso," added a third. There was instantaneous rummaging of pockets by the other gentlemen, but no further losses were discovered. When all had commented or advised on the matter, thoso having hats and coats rotired, and then the old hat left by Sweet Sammy was scon and examined for the first time. It fitted tho hatless guest porfectly, but he disdainod to wear a hat so shabby, and contented himself with a humble folt borrowed from his host. The last to leave the house was Mr Mangleton himself, when he drove to the Central Oflico to report the robbery and leave the old dress hat which nobody owned. This hai had not been noticed particularly till tho break-up of tho party ; neither had tho rotirement of " Mr Stewart Armstrong " boon as yet connected with the mysterious affair, for it was belioved that that gentleman would not have put such a hat on his head. The substituted hat was staring me in the face when I entered tho office next morning. 1 examined it inside and out, and made nothing of it. The namo of the manufacturer, but not that of the seller, was printed on tho lining ; and I guessed rightly that it was hopele&s to try and trace tho owner bj that. 1 went out to Mr Mangleton's house to got fuller particulars, and found hin: brimful of a new discovery. He and his wife hai laid their head? together and bj degrees had brought their suspicion te concentrate upon Mr Stowart Armstrong, They wore quite certain that ho was no thief, but ho had the reputation of being a little fast, and they thought it just possiblo thai ho had perpetrated tho whole* as a practical joke upon them. I took down the descrip tion of his appearance, and thought I mighi look after him. Though 1 must have seer tho hat many times beforo on Sammy's head, I did not recognise it ; and if I had beer inclined to think of him at all this descrip tion of tho wearer would have dispelled the suspicion. A dark moustache and curly black hair did not fit Sweet Sammj at all. Yet I may say that 1 did nol think that the suspicion of the Manglotons was likely to turn out a sound one. The stylo of tho robbery was more like that of a daring professional thief than a fast young gentleman ; and there is no harm in me now confessing that I strongly suspected the thief to bo a. female. However, I had got tho town address of tho Armstrongs, and went to tho place to a^k for tho son. lie Mas at home, 1 was an&wercd, but a certain hesitation in the manner of tho servant when [ asked to see him gave me an inkling of tho truth that ho was not yet out'of bed. After considerable delay I was shown up to a bedroom -where I found my gentleman bracing himself up with brandy and soda and looking seedy indeed. He answered perfectly the description given me by the Mangletons. 1 was at a loss how to begin, but at length I said — " You were at Mr Mangloton's paity last night ?" "Good gracious, was I?" ho exclaimed wi*h a start. " Was it from that house that I was sent homo in a cab ? I haven't tho '•lightest recollection of anything-." " Do you not renumber anything you did when thoro V I severely continued. "Nothing. 1 must have been far gone. What did 1 do? Made a fool of myolf, of course ; p'raps insulted some one?" " You did woi>o, for you robbed Mi Manglcton and several of his guests, and took away a hat and topcoat which did not belong to you." "Is that po^iblo?" he returned, laugh ing heartily. "Jt's just liko me, 1 elcclaie."' "There isn't much to laugh at," I remarded gra\ cly. The fact is, ' ' I've comeherc to arrest jou tor the ciimc." " Oh, come now, you're joking, ho banteringly replied, looking a little lightened, " It I'\ c taken anything, you'll find it aboul the room heie some w hoi c, and I'm Mire I'll only be too happy to restore it and apologise to the ov, nor. I really should never taste drink, it makes such a fool of me." I looked round tho room and found a hai and topcoat, but neither of these answered the da-caption^ I had received from the owners of tho-e stolen. I found no trace of the money and cheque-book stolon from Mr Mangloton, or of that taken from his guests, though there was money in nc scarcity in some of the pockots we turned out, winch Aimstrong declared most poditively wa" his own. After fcome ruither conversation, and with many remonstrances and pleadings on his part, I was compelled to take him" with me to tho Fiscal, after which he was locked up, charged with the curious robbery. Hie first act was to send for an able lawyer, but that gentleman's services were never required. As soon as I had seen Armstrong locked up, I sent for tho Mangletons to come and identify the prisonei-, and to ask if he had really been as drunk at their party a-5 he now pretended. Their reply was, that so far as they could judge ho had been perfectly sober during the whole evening, and I felt quite elated till they were brought face to face with tho pri-oner, when a queer look cuno to Mrs Mangloton's face, and she exclaimed — " That's Mr Armstrong, I think, but it'o not the one who attended our party last night." " Not a bit like him," assented Mr Mangleton : " tho invitation must have gone to some other Armstrong by mistake." " No, it didn't," interposed the prisoner, looking as puzzled as they. "I got the invitation all right, but I can't find it now. Yet 1 don't remember being near your house last night, and I certainly did not intend to be there." " Tho man who came gave tho servant his card," said Mrs Mangleton, more puzzled than ever. " I have .it with me, Will you see it it is liko yours ?" The comparison was mad o, with the result, of courso, that the cards wero found to be identical. " That is my card," said the prisoner, decidedly ; " but how did it get to your house if I did not deliver it ?" This question was unanswerable, but confirmatory evidence was soon found that Mr Armstrong could not have been near Mangleton's house, having spent nearly the whole night in an hotel, and thence been sent homo in a cab at an early hour in tho morning, He was accordingly set at liberty, and \v6 wero left as much in the dark as beforo, with only the substituted hat to show for our pains. Yot that shabby article was to do its work as effectually as tho cleverest detective in the land. The same evening, in passing through a quiet street at the South Side, 1 3aw a slim, genteel fellow loitering on the darkest side of the street. The moment he saw me he quickened his pace, and would spesdily have been out of sight had 1 not thought him worth questioning and made up to him very swiftly. 1 He was known to me as a smart Newcastle thief, who, on account of hailing from that quarter, was named u Geordie." I had no particular charge to make against him, and it was a mere passing whim that caused me to insist on him going with me to the office. Now, observe. Let the substituted hat I stand forward and pose as a successful de-

tectivs. In 'entering tie reception room the first object which/met Geordies eye was this hat, which sml Btood on one of the desks. What peculiarity there was about it which was recognisable to Geordie I know not but the moment he saw the hat he exclaimed — 1 ' What ! have you got him too?" Not much in these wrds, certainly, for no name was mentioned, and Geordie seemed to regret the hasty speech the moment it was made, and was unusually silent and stubborn till taken away and locked up, but to me they were full of intorest. Sweet Sammy and he were chums, inasmuch as they had ccme to the city together, though Zatterly they had separated and worked tfngly. The moment Geordie said " him " I'thought instinctively of Sammy. / The more I thought, however, the less I hoped from the unguarded exclamation. Sweet Sammy was/ fair ; the thief was dark j how were thise discrepancies to be reconciled ? I couJa not even guess, and gave up the task, while I simply went to look for Sammy. / With some difficulty I found his lodging, but it was empty, I for Sammy had given it up two days befo/e, saying that he had to leave town. Hp he been in town or at home on the afcornoon bofore the party 1 No, ho had lefty town in the morning. A lio~paid for, d&ubtless. I took a note of the answer, a»d mentally resolved to pay the people fob it, when I should have Sammy in my hands. I searched the house carefully, aniHound nothing but a pair of soiled white kid gloves. I took them with me, and continued my hunt for Sammy. At length I discovered an ostler or "boots" connected with an hotel which Sammy at times favoured with his patronage, who had soen him depart by ono of the trains going west on tho morning after the robbery. By describing him to the booking clerk, I found that Sammy had taken ticket for Sterling — his native place. 1 went to Sterling and searched out his father^ house, where I found Sammy sitting at suiqper with his sisters and the old man. Strange that I should have to record it of such t scamp — Sammy owed his capture on this occasion Gnth ely to his good heart. When on tho very point of taking tickei for England, ho had got a letter stat ing that his father and sisters were in great distress and want. He decided to go and see them, and when there generously divided the spoil, and gave onehalt to his unsuspecting relatives. They believed him to be an honest and struggling actor, and wore nearly frenzied with grief when I explained my business. Of course, they voluntarily handed over the money to me, and tho remainder I found —with the exception of a pound or two which he had spent— upon my clovor prisoner. The black wig which he had used I found in his travelling bag, and it was afterwards included in the list of things which lie was charged with stealing. Sammy's soft, fair moustache still showed traces of the Indian ink which he had used to darken that appendage ; and the crowning point in the evidence came when the Manglctons were shown Sammy dressed in tho vig and substituted hat. They picked him out in a moment, and gave him a bit of their mind at the same time. Sammy heard all in patience. The arrest before his father and sisters had quite subdued him, and, when his trial came on, I was not surprised to hear him plead guilty. When his sentence expired I heard of him no more, and havo thought it possible that, peeing ho had one spar^ of good in him, he may have taken " tent to his ways and mended them."