The fellow resisted and denied strenuously having raised a hand against the detective.
A search of his clothes, however, developed Nick’s watch and one of his revolvers.
Patsy recognized the articles, and the longshoreman was scared into leading the officers to the place where the two detectives had been confined.
They came up under the chamber and effected an entrance by means of a rusty old lever which worked the movable stone slab.
Nick and Chick were dragged out into the fresher air.
While Patsy was busying himself with them, the officers went upstairs and began a hunt for Boucicault and for any other men connected with the outrage.
Boucicault had vanished—a habit he had when any particularly murderous bit of work had been “pulled off” in his den.
When he appeared in court he usually proved an “alibi,” and—some said—a political pull did the rest for him.
Boucicault could not be found, but three ruffians were discovered with incriminating evidence concealed in their clothes.
Two of them had a pair of nickel-plated handcuffs, one the mate to Nick’s revolver found on the first man, and one had Chick’s revolvers and his watch.