A MAGNIFICENT BLACK WAS BROUGHT BY THE OSTLER, AND THE STRANGER MOUNTED.
He went to a corner of the room, drew forth a coat and waistcoat, which he put on in a leisurely manner; then he drew on a pair of highlows and, lastly, his hat. When this had been done he made a sudden rush towards the door in the hope of making his escape, but Mr. Wrench, who had been watching him, was prepared for this; he tripped his man up—and as he lay on the floor clapped a pair of handcuffs on his wrists, and then told him to get up.
Dawes was by this time completely cowed; he rose to his feet, cast a malevolent look upon the American and Mr. Wrench, and then walked towards the door, held firmly the while by the English detective, who conducted him safely enough to Bow-street, where, after the charge had been entered, he was locked up till the morning, when he would be taken before the magistrate.
“He was disposed to be nasty,” said Mr. Shearman to his companion, after they had left the police station, “and is a sort of gentleman I fancy who wouldn’t stick at a trifle.”
“Oh, dear me, no—a regular bad un. Wouldn’t mind what he did if he only had the chance.”
“Is the evidence fully clear?”
“It is. We’ve got him as straight as an arrow. There’s half a dozen cases against him. Oh, he’s safe to be convicted; he knows that well enough. He is a most daring and determined ‘smasher.’ Just to give you an idea how these fellows carry on their business I’ll tell you of one case. A shop was opened a few days ago in the neighbourhood of Oxford-street. It was a publication and cigar business, which was left in charge of a young girl, the niece of the proprietor. On the day it was first opened one of the smashing fraternity went into the shop and bought half a quire of note paper. He tendered a florin, which the girl changed. Half an hour afterwards another of the same respectable body of men purchased some tobacco. He also tendered a florin, which was changed. Six florins were taken in the course of the day and five shillings. Upon the proprietor of the establishment coming home in the evening he was delighted to find that there had been so many customers; but, alas! upon his looking over his money he found that the six florins and five shillings were all bad ones.”
“And where do the rascals get all these bad coins from?” inquired Mr. Shearman.
“They are sent up in boxes or cases from one or more of our provincial towns, and bought by the ‘smashers’ for next door to nothing. The man I have just ‘quodded’ has been following the calling for years.”