A DETECTIVE'S STORY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2331, 17 March 1892, Page 4

A DETECTIVE'S STORY.

(Concluded.) se.*: the bottom of the whole business—bao company. The Lanky had corrupted and ruined him, for Newgate and the treadmill was printed in every line of his face." " Had the thin one any other name besides Lanky ?” I asked when he had concluded. ” Not as I knows on," he answered. "Ye see, sir, I didn’t like the looks of him, and so didn’t harsk to be interdooced." Now, I happened to have some acquaintance with a rascal named Abe Hackit, otherwise Lanky Lynn. I had taken him on two different occasions, and both led to smart sentences. Lanky was a daring rascal, quick to see an opening for his powers, .arid had hitherto shown a certain originality in all his tricks which marked off his crimes distinctly from those of the ordinary criminal. It was easy for me to understand that such a man might have made an easy tool of Brunton, and I had already come to the conclusion that there must have been at least two engaged in the robberies, for, as Brunton had plaintively observed, he could not carry three clocks at once. I thought it might be well to give the clockwinder a chance to confess, and so trap the promoter of the whole scheme. Accordingly I saw Brunton and questioned him regarding Lanky. As I had feared, he loudly asserted that he knew no such man; that he had never been in the Strand with such a person, and had never met Pomflet, the office messenger, there, and that Pomflet was a liar of the first water to say so. I Eat it to him rather strongly that it would c decidedly to his advantage to confess the whole, and have the lanky one trapped, but he became indignant and angry, so I had to leave him to his fate. But though I was thus baulked by Brunton’s stubborness, there was no reason why I shonld not try from the other end. Every item in Pomflet’s description fitted Lanky Lynn, and that rascal I thought I should have no difficulty in picking up. I had seen him quite recently down at the Crystal Palace, when he had the effrontery to give me an aristocratic salute—quite a patronising bow, as if he had sari at feast. My reply was to collar fates, snatle him out of the place, and see him rJS by the train—with some not very pleasaftt remarks as to what he might expect if he came back. He indignantly declared that he was there on pleasure, not business, but the reply made no difference in the result. Every one has noticed how when you don’t want a thing it is always coming in your way, but the moment you need it, and must have it, it vanishes. It was so with me and Lanky. I looked for him everywhere, and could not find him, and at length became convinced that he was not in London. One evening, when I was on duty In another case at London Bridge Station, Und watching closely the faces of the outgoing passengers as they went through the wicket, an incoming train from some of the watering places poured forth its passengers, and among them I noticed a tall, thin one who but for his fine clothes might have Eassed for Lanky. I ran along till I got to is side, and then found that it was just Lanky and no other. « Hullo, Abe,- you’ve got new togs,” was my first remark. He did not take it kindly. He was in a hurry, too ; but so was I, and when he hailed a cab I stepped in beside him. He glared at me ferociously, changing colour rapidly. “ Where to, sir ?” said the cabman, touching his hat vaguely, not sure which had hailed him. " Old Jewry,” I said coolly and sharply. Lanky seemed disposed to rise and make a dash for it, but I gripped him hard—the grip left a blue mark on his wrist for days—and puilpd out my handcuffs, saying—" Do you want these on, or will you go without ?’’ He decided to go easy, and having reviewed his position, said lightly—- “ What’s the damage ? what’s it for ?’’ At the Office his curiosity was gratified, when, as a matter of course, he loudly protested that he knew nothing of the clockwinder, or the robberies, or, indeed, of anything but his own immaculate innocence. I brought Brunton up to face him, and the clockwinder protested as loudly that he had never seen Lanky. The pair of innocent lambs were then led off to separate cells. On searching Lanky and his travelling bag we found not a trace of any of the articles taken by the clockwinder. There was a good supply of money in his pocket, but it was in gold ; and Lanky made no secret of the fact that he had been at the seaside for a few days' recreation and rest. All that pointed to a successful robbery, but there was really no evidence to connect him with the clockwinder’s crime. Pomflet, the office messenger, was summoned to have a look at him, and identified him as the man he had met with the clcckwinder, but that proved nothing against Lanky, though it told against Brunton. On the occasion of this vfs.it Pomflet said to me—- ” How is it the clockwinder sometimes wears a glove on his left hand ?’’ I told him the hand had been injured in some way, and needed a covering, to which he replied, with emphasis — " ’Umbug—pure 'umbug. He had no glove on w’en he robbed our offices that morning, I took particular notice— his left 'and was as ’oleas mine." My answer was to have Brunton brought back and the glove taken from his hand, when Pomflet could no longer deny that the hand was not only injured, but that it wanted the best part of the two fore-fingers as well. "Well, I never! the wagabone! He’s done that since I saw it!" Pomflet exclaimed. " Oh, he’s an orfui villain; he’s fit for anythink. Take him away and give him ten years for trying to impose on people.” This answer did not convince me. Indeed, the scornful look of our prisoner and his indignant silence were far moie emphatic than Mr Pomflet’s voluble abuse. It ■ was proved beyond doubt that Brunton’s hand had been maimed months before, and yet Pomflet declared that on the morning of . the robbery no such maiming was on that hand. The first suspicion that the robber and Brunton were different persons was roused in my mind by that simple contention regarding the maimed hand. ' Jhe day after the arrest of Lanky a woi*S.an called at the Office and stated that she was Lanky’s wife, and wanted the property taken with him, and particularly the money. She was not obliged, but I had her followed to her lodging—a very queer place which I should never have dreamed of entering alone, except pn the most imperative business. Pomflet had given the name "Ned" as having been owned by Lanky's companion in the Strand ; and it now struck me as possible to try a bold stroke to get at that companion. The task was not one I eared lor, but the idea that had struck me was too good to be abandoned or handed over to another. I dressed up like one of themselves, and went to the place late at night carrying Lanky’s bag and its contents, without the money. I had some men behind me, but I could not take them near the place, or I should never have got into the 4®b. I could only tell them to come to me in a quarter of an hour if I did not return. As bad luck would have it, the woman who opened the door was Lanky’s escort, but in the darkness she let me pass. I heard the big iron bars fastened on the door behind me with no pleasant feelings. I asked for «’ Lanky’s gal, Ned/’ and was told he wa§

in the kitchen. The woman took me in, and, on reaching the light, stared at me suspiciously. There was a group playing cards by the fire, and she beckoned one out ot the group with the words, “ Ned Stoneham, you’re wanted.” Could anything have been truer ? He was wanted, as I saw the moment my eyes fell on his face. He was the living image of the clockwinder. The height, colour of hair, features, and form were a perfect reflection of the other. The resemblance ceased only with his hands, which were not only uninjured, but very strong, as I was soon to feel. " It’s a message from Lanky,” I said as he approached. •* I’ve brought his bag and things, and if you'll come out for a moment I’ll give you the message." The woman pounced on the bag quickly enough, and began turning out the contents, whereby her attention was diverted from me. Not so with Stoneham, who from the first had been suspicious. He started and stared, and finally jumped back with a shout— . .. ” By G—d! it’s the detective!” A yell greeted the cry—blood-curdling enough to a man there alone—and before I could lift a hand one of them snatched a kettle of boiling water from the fire and hurled it at my head. I dodged it slightly, but the spout caught my shoulder, and the contents ran all over me, scalding my neck and breast into blisters that did not heal for a month after. Then Stoneham was on me, with the whole yelling crew on top of him. A kick caught me in the ribs, and then I let out with my two fists. Howl did pop them over like nine-pins! for if your jail bird is weak anywhere, it is always in his legs. Down they went, and then the women got at me with their nails and feet. There’s a fine sentiment about never lifting your hand to a woman, but it’s only for drawingroom use. I lifted mine and to some purpose. I only wished I had more to lift. Then I banged my elbow through one of the windows and got out my whistle. My men were at hand and broke in, and we got four of the demons away with us, including Ned Stoneham, the clockwinder’s double, and Lanky’s wife. Next day we got all the details out of the woman. The meeting with Pomflet had suggested the impersonation and robbery, and the clockwinder had been followed for days before all was arranged. Strange to relate, Ned Stoneham was proved to be a blood relation of Brunton, a full cousin, who, through being spoiled by his mother in youth, had grown up reckless and selfish, and finally robbed and half killed his doting parent, and took to a life of crime. The enticing of Brunton into the public-house and drugging ol his drink had been managed by two confederates, one of whom chanced to be in our batch of prisoners. Brunton was released, and gave evidence at the trial. Pomflet gave evidence also, and to this day says to me—“ Ah, I was the detective in that case, and you were only my assistant, though you got all the praise and the special reward." The " special reward" of Lanky and Stoneham was five years at the ” Old Horse,” while their confederates shared the same fate for six months. The woman would for certain have got more, but she had been useful in revealing where the most important of the articles stolen could be got. As for the banknotes, they had’melted” among the gang, with the exception of the few coins taken with Lanky.