Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 116, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 May 1911 — SIR DAVID PEAKS [ARTICLE]

SIR DAVID PEAKS

By EDWARD & TWEED ALE

While in the detective business I sent a man to state prison for two years. Before he went up be reproached me, with tears in bis eyes, because I bad taken a livelihood from his wife and children. I felt so sorry for them that II kept the wolf from the door daring the term of the husband and father’s'' imprisonment When he was discharged hi came to me, thanked me and said if it ever came in his way be would do me a good turn. Some time after this I received an anonymous note stating that Dan McConnell would attend an evening function to be given by Nathaniel Ames, prominent in society, that night, for the purpose of plunder. McConnell bad got away with perhaps a hundred thousand dollars of loot, and there were rewards out for him to the amount of 920,000. If I could nab him I would be well set up. I rather fancied the information had come from the crook whose family I had befriended. though I confess it was the flrat bit of gratitude from a criminal I bad ever heard of. ' Unfortunately I didn’t get the information till about 10 o’clock at night. I got into evening dress, hurried around tp the house In question and was ushered up to the men’s robing room. I had thrown off my wraps and was going downstairs through a ball when I saw a gentleman coming out of one of the rooms. He gave an involuntary start upon seeing me, bat he ;peagqed his way while I, walking slowly as I passed the room from which be had made an exit, looked in. From the apparel I saw lying about and other Indications I Judged it was a lady’s bedroom. This made me suspect that the man who had emerged from it had had no business there. Could it be that I had had the luck to tight on McConnell on my very entrance? I hurried downstairs and saw the man I had observed Just going up to speak to the host and hostess. •'Who Is that gentleman?’’ I asked. "Sir David Peaks, an Englishman recently arrived, in search of an American wife, they say. 3e brought lettarn to Mr. Ames, I believe.” - My hopes of an easy find were dashed. K From that time forward I kept my eye open for a suspicious character. McConnell had never been convicted and no picture of him had yet been taken. Feeling some one jostle against me from behind. I turned and there was Sir David. He begged my pardon with an English accent and passed on. It wasn’t ten minutes before I saw the host coining for me with an ominous look on his face. "Have yon received an invitation here?” he asked. "No; have you?" I replied without showing the least discomposure, though I felt that something had gone against me. “Confound you, sir; I live here." "Well, all I have to say to you la that yon live In a deuced fine house." I was trying to gain time to get away from several listeners. While we were talking Sir David came up and heard the dialogue. Then he broke In: "That’s a favorite way of robbery among the London crooks. They go to functions as guests and take away the Jewelry. You'd better search him." I was marched into a room by the host and two others, where there was no one to see what was going on, and searched. What was my astonishment at the finding in a pocket in the skirt of my dress coat of a brooch belonging to one of the young ladles of the Ames family. Like lightning, my having seen Sir David Peaks coming oat of a ladies' bedroom and his having Jostled me cast a flood of light on the situation. He was McConnell personating a knight,./which he could well do since he had come from among the better Bngiish classes, being his family's black sheep. Knowing that I had seen him leaving a room In which he had no right, he had slipped the brooch Into my pocket and then 'in some way directed the host's attention to me. *Tm caught," I said. "I have a confederate in the house. Telephone the police and permit he one to leave tm they come. Keep quiet; you don’t want a disturbance. Pm sura" "Who's your confederate?" “He whom you call Sir David Peaks. Watch him for the present, hut don’t accuse him." They all entered at this, but called the police. I asked them to toll Charlie Bowen to come also. "Bowers knows me." I explained. Tm an old offender." , They did watch Sir David, though they would not admit to me that tboy E doing so. When the police cam* m and another man In plain » were admitted by a back door. "Charlie," I said, "McConnell, whom you’ve been looking for. Is tn this bouse, masquerading as Sir David Peaks Just arrived from London. Aak the host to call him In here.” The host reluctantly consented and Br David, who had bsra vainly trying to get out without bring seen, was Invited to the conference. I thrust my hand Into his pocket and pulled tt out foil of Jewelry. Bowers vouched for me, and I received the next day a check from Mr.