DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22217#0162
ISO BEN/IE BLUNT'S CLEVER ALIBI.
BENJIE BLUNTS CLEVER ALIBI.
How Benjie Blunt came to get his name I never could
discover—possibly it was prompted by the law of contrariety,
because Benjie was so sharp. His real name had not the
remotest resemblance to this, but as he refused to answer
to that, he was always put down in the prison books as
Benjamin Blunt.
Benjie's vanity was much greater than his acquisitiveness.
He liked to boast of the feats he had done, hence the cases in
which he was mixed up generally showed a superlative degree
of ingenuity and cunning, however small the stake. I do not
find, however, that Benjie's cleverness produced any marked
diminution in the number of his convictions—indeed, it was
the grave length of that list which prompted him to make such
elaborate preparations in the following case.
Close to the Meadows, and before that quarter was so much
built upon, there was a cottage occupied by an old army surgeon,
whom I may name Dr Temple, and his servant, Peggy Reid.
This gentleman was a bachelor, and somewhat eccentric, and,
as he had spent the most of his life in India, he was supposed
to be very rich. Dr Temple was as exact and punctual in his
habits and engagements as if he had been still in the army.
Everything went on like clock-work in his snug little home,
and if a servant did not please him in that respect, he dis-
charged her on the spot. One of his habits was to spend every
Thursday evening at a friend's house, leaving his own house at
seven o'clock, and returning at half-past ten. His house was
full of Indian curiosities and nicknacks, but most of them were
of a kind which could not have been readily turned into money.
The cottage had a little garden in front, railed in, and had also
a space at one end, in which stood a coal cellar, a wash-house,
and an empty dog kennel.
A working joiner happened to be passing this cottage about
nine o'clock on a Thursday night, and, glancing up towards the
front door, was surprised not so much at seeing it standing half-
BENJIE BLUNTS CLEVER ALIBI.
How Benjie Blunt came to get his name I never could
discover—possibly it was prompted by the law of contrariety,
because Benjie was so sharp. His real name had not the
remotest resemblance to this, but as he refused to answer
to that, he was always put down in the prison books as
Benjamin Blunt.
Benjie's vanity was much greater than his acquisitiveness.
He liked to boast of the feats he had done, hence the cases in
which he was mixed up generally showed a superlative degree
of ingenuity and cunning, however small the stake. I do not
find, however, that Benjie's cleverness produced any marked
diminution in the number of his convictions—indeed, it was
the grave length of that list which prompted him to make such
elaborate preparations in the following case.
Close to the Meadows, and before that quarter was so much
built upon, there was a cottage occupied by an old army surgeon,
whom I may name Dr Temple, and his servant, Peggy Reid.
This gentleman was a bachelor, and somewhat eccentric, and,
as he had spent the most of his life in India, he was supposed
to be very rich. Dr Temple was as exact and punctual in his
habits and engagements as if he had been still in the army.
Everything went on like clock-work in his snug little home,
and if a servant did not please him in that respect, he dis-
charged her on the spot. One of his habits was to spend every
Thursday evening at a friend's house, leaving his own house at
seven o'clock, and returning at half-past ten. His house was
full of Indian curiosities and nicknacks, but most of them were
of a kind which could not have been readily turned into money.
The cottage had a little garden in front, railed in, and had also
a space at one end, in which stood a coal cellar, a wash-house,
and an empty dog kennel.
A working joiner happened to be passing this cottage about
nine o'clock on a Thursday night, and, glancing up towards the
front door, was surprised not so much at seeing it standing half-