How Sergeant Barker's Prisoner Escaped

We were talking last weck about the queer manner in which the French jail bird, " Parrot," got away from the inspector, and I had irreverently sneered at the latter, when John cried, " Be easy, my boy ! your prisoners will escape despite your best vigilanee ; bo listen." Several years ago I had with uiuch difEeulty arrested a elerk of a leading jewelry house, who for a long time had not only successfully purloined from bis employers, but had as aueoessfully diverted suspicion from himself. He made no confession when apprehended, and was very sullen ; but I got facts enough to give me a clue that the property he had taken was sold to the Ehrwitz Brothers, who for a series of years had defied by their finesse all the exertions of pólice and magistrates. After connnitmeut he was habeas corpused - plague on those bothersome writs ! Instead of being helps to justice, as in otden times, they have got to be mischievous, and oftentimes - as in the case I pow speak of - mere dodges to, help an escape. Being somewhat his criminal guardián, I was aelected to care lor him on his way to the judge's chambers and back again. - The argument over, he was remanded : for there was nothing in the points made for the liberty of this citizen, as the counsellor with uiuch bombast contended. Just by the corner of Leonard and Elm streets, as we were going to the Tombs, two intensely countrified fellows came along, and as quick as lightning seized me by each arm, and just as quickly my prisoner cut and run toward Broadway. The thing was so bo!d and audacious, I was for a moment paralyzed, and they held tightly, too, I assure you. Ia an instant there was 9 crowd. " Help me," I cried, " I am an officer ! " The crowd came closer ; the men released me. Oue said, " I will get an offieer;" the other eried, "Ah, the follow'sdrunk;" and off they went, everybody laughing liko mad, and coming closer and closer around me. " Don 't be so aíiectionate, said I ; " Let me out of this ; " and I made a lunge at a big fellow, and down he went. At this another struck me, and I saw at ouoe that the whole thing, resciie, crowd and all that, must be a premeditated dodge of the " Brothers" aforesaid, who were protecting a pal, and had well watehed the opportunity. My bird was gone, and, bottling my wratb, I said to niyself, " Very well, gentlemen, you think I don't know you; before nightfall, however, I'll have both you and the prisoner tighter than the kettle drums at oratorios, or I'll resigu my office." ■' Slinking away, I went immediately to the office of an evening paper, and wrote a little bit of intelligence that had cscaped, and was probably on his way to Philadelphia, and that Sergeant Barker would take the afternoon train in pursuit. AU a blind of course. From tbere I immediately went ,o the store of a loading jeweler and told my story. He commiserated. - "Now," said I, " if you want to pity and aid me, lend me two diamond rings, four or five watches, and a case of chains. I pledge you my word they sball be back to-morrow." " Decoys," said he, laughingly. -"Jvist so," I returned ; for he and I had sorved each other before. I left with my booty, saying as I did so, "If you see in the paper that you havo been robbed, tip the wink and humor it, you know." He laughed, and off I bolted again to the newspaper offioe, and fortunately got there just as it was going to press. It was but the work of a moment to wiite a few lines, speaking of a daring robbery in a jewelry shop that morning, bold plunderers, &c, &c, which, coupled with the escape, made the fourth edition of the paper a highly spicy is.sue. From there I went to the house of a particular partner in our police business. I told him at 12 o'clock precisely to be at No. - , John street, with eight or ten men, and como in and make search. " That is Ehrwitz's den," says he ; they're cunning ; there'll be nothing found ; we've tried that before." "Never you miud," I rejoined, " thii time I'll be there before you and learn the mysteries." With a sign of delighted recognition - for he loved a bit of exoitement - we separated, be to piek his fellows, and I to put into my traveling bag the costume of a jaunty cracksman, which had once served as agood disguise - the saudy wig and whiskers and check cravat were perfectly irresistible. By six o'clock, bag in hand, I was at the New Jersey railroad depot. 8aid I to myself, "John, my boy, somebody interested has scen that piece íq the paper, and is watching to see if you go. Now you must find out who that somebody ia." Looking around the crowd carelessly, it was some time belore I could venture a oonjeeture ; but fiually hit upon a certain deinure-lookiug parson as the spy. So, to try him with a bit of bait, I pulls out a state telegraph dispatch, and holding it so tbat he could see wbat it was, soanned it earefully with one eye, while with the other I peered over at him. He nibbled, and sliortly edged near my position. I was now almost sure, and only wanted a grain more into the fscale to poisc the doubt. So Uking a favorite turn in the " voyage," I made over to him and said, " Ilavo you au evening piper ? I omitted to buy one." " No, sir," said he ; " but you will get one inside, I think." I then pulled out the railway ticket so as to carelessly show it - eaught his eyes looking anxiously at it, and feit more convinced. But when, just as getting into the train, I saw him whisper to another parsonish cove, and they both looked at me, I was sure of the spy. - But, to my chngrin, he got into the car riage and sat near me. 1 may be balkod yet, I thought, for perhaps he is to follow me through ! You may bolieve, I was niuch relieved when he got out at Newark where I had intended to stop, and so not compel me to go on to Philadelphia. I had just twcnty minutes to spare before the return train caine by. I jumped for the hotel, where I was known - applied and got a room - and in ten minutes was the regular craeksman! My own clothes were put into the carpet bag, and in a short timo more T was back again for town. At Newark my parson spy got in, and now I feit that I was right to a perfect eertainty. Fortunately I had checked my bag, and it oould lay until called for. So, unincumbered, I eould opérate with him as I chose. I took a bold position and sat down by him. We got into conversation. Presently I leaned over, and whispered meaningly, " Don't be ñy - I know you - you are Jack Simpson," (giving him the bold name of a bold pickpocket) - He started, and said, " Sir, do you wish to insult me? I aui tho Ilev. A!r. Jones." " Ah ! " rejoined I, with my fiuger to my nose, '' and you preach for Moses Ehrwitz, the Germán lenco, I believe ? " He looked alarmed. '; Don't be afraid," said I ; " I am Bob Mazy, the Baltimore faker. But since you are afraid to trust me, will trust you, This very morning I took this jewelry," (produced the loaned jewelry), " and was on my way to Philadelphia, when who should be on board but Jack Barker. - So I took return tram trom Kabway. In an instaat he took my hand with a meaning pressure, and told in e who he was, and how ni.cely he had been watching the same officer, and how cloverly he was diddled, going off after bis eseaped prisoner. Au theu he laughod merrily; and, egad, I laughed too ; but I leave you to judgo wlio had the best of the joke ! Joke, sir ! He was no sooner at the New York side of the Noi th Kiver, than I seiüed the polieeman who is always about the place, whispered a word to hiin as to who I was, and then we both had our parson friend by tho elbows, and took him as snuely as you please, and half friglitened to death, into tho ohief's affioe. He had told me Lis name in the sarriage, aud I had imruediately perceived he was a very excellent cracksmon, and a mau whom we had long wanted. It was but a moment's work toundeceive him, to cower him, and to get a clean breast of all I wanted after a promise to lot him go for his information. My friend the policeman was to keep him until morning, when I would return and let him off. Armed with excellent information, I was soon off, and calling a carriage, rode within a few doors of tbe house of the Ehrwitz Brothers. Down stuirs they kept a shop, but up staira I was sutisfiiid they had a regular crib, ineroly using the counting-room as a blind, and as a place in which to shove off articles that íi'om their common use could not be well identiüed. They were just closing the shop as I went in and asked for the eider. He made his appearance. I told him I wanted some private conpersation. At this moment [i was nojv half-past eleven o'clock) my partner ente-ed, most capitally disguisod as a countryman, to make a pretended parchase and reoonnoitre, and a meaning glance passed between UB. He said out very loudly, " Talk avay, mine friend, I'sh got no private place but dish - talk avay." I whispered in his ear the name of the iellow who was then in durance vile at the station. He started, and led the way up stairs. ''Vot of him ? " said he, as he got up stairs. "Why, just this," I answered, putting on a bold way - "' ï met him in tho train watching Jack Barker, who stopped a littio journey Í was taking, and iturned around with this litllo swag - and I produced the jewelry - some I pulled this morning, and our friend said I couldn't do botter tban sell it to you. I suppose it is worth two hundred dollars or so." His caution in au instant succumbed to his avarice, and he tonk in o into the third story, where he locked the door. "Since you've made a clean bosom to me, I can trust you, mina fine fello - for we are alone - you can never betray me for dere is no corroborashun, and dat is where we are safe with you gentlemen ! You did the leetle matter well ; I read it in ze paper." Sayiug this and smotliering a vulgar chuckle, he touched a little spring in the wall, and the false wainseot moved, disclosing a spaee of two fect behind. I was almost thrown off my guard with joy for I now saw that the wholo villainy would bo sbortly at my disposal. From the recess he tpoi a little box, and in it I saw much of the jewelry that I knew was taken by my escaped prisoner. But whore was he ? If I did not get hira, however else I may succeed, I was not to be satisfied. I therefore angled for informatiou. "Jack Barker, I see, bas gone, after the follow who ranaway eo cleverly," said I. "All mine work," he returned, "for I always proteot mino friends- mine true friends but the 'copper' (slang term for officer) will get ze toss up for bis pains - ze bird is in dis cage," and he pointed with bis thumb up-stairs. I could scarcely conccal my delight. My heart thumped like a mili wbeel, and the sweat poured from my very body into my stockings. He cou'nted out bis money (thinking uo doubt, what a fooi I was), and just shut the wainseot when the chureh clock hard by struek twelvo. In a few minutes a noise was heard in the hall. My heart thumped louder - the old rascal was a little flurried, but only for a minute, when, unlocking the door, hc said, " Pcrhaps a visit from the pólice - dey will not let an old man be, (here he tipped a wiuk), and oftun iijeonimode me. You (anotlier wink) are a peddler, you know, and " Heve bis hints were out short as tho door opeued and in oame our force, headed by tho younger brother, who ,said "lts no use - all is the samo as when you wcre last here," "All is not the game," erica T, snatching oft' my wig. Down on the floor dropped the old raseul, as I touehed the spring and opeu came the wainscot ! Up stairs in a curious closet i found my prisoner; and altogethcr we recovered about.tliirty thonsaud dollars' wovth of stolen goods. My first prisoner and tny others are eow enjoying the country air at Sing Sing; and there was a síngsong on mv account the next day, I assure you.