Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1898 — TAKES THE PLUM. [ARTICLE]

TAKES THE PLUM.

Probably the. Queerest Highway Robbery < n Record. • Of all the unique stories of robbery ever told to the police that which concerns Night Clerk Arnold, of the Somerset Hotel, William Ball, and a few others is awarded the plum. Arnold was approached Saturday night by a darkfaced, good-looking young fellow, who produced a revolver and demanded money. “I have only 25 cents,” answered the night clerk, as he tried to get out of rang®. “Got a watch?” inquired the robber, lowering the weapon. “No, I bavpn’t; this quarter is all I have. I’m a poor man and it strikes me that you ought to whack up on this deal.” “Well,” remarked the hold-up man, in a kindly voice, “I’ll go you. Just you wait a while till I get some change.” The intruder shoved the pistol into Ills pocket and departed, and Arnold sat down to brood over his misfortune. He didn’t expect for a moment that the despoiler of his pin money meant what he said. He waited —five —ten —fifteen minutes, and still no robber with the promised rebate returned. He concluded that it might be well to notify the police, when a cherry voice reiparked, as a door slammed shut: \ “Hello, old man; think I wasn't coming back? Here’s the dough—had to go quite a ways down the avenue —uot many of those people open at 4 o’clock in the morning, you know. I finally woke up a waiter in a restaurant and here's your share of the proceeds; a dime’s enough for coffee and rolls.” After saying this the gentlemanly footpad laid 15 cents on the counter, shook hands cordially with liis victim, remarked that he hoped he did not feel unkindly toward him, and then departed.—Chicago News.