the bogus bagpiper
Table of Contents
Dressed in Higeland Costume Sinclare is Taken Into Custody.
Loaded with Medals and a Jag.
In Court Today Be Said It Was All a Joke.
Real Owner of the Clothes and Instrument, or the Court Didn’t See It That Way.
Dressed In a Highlander’s suit, with bagpipes under his arms, ten medals scattered over his breast, and at the same time wrestling with a jag that was continually knocking him to the ground.
James Sinclare of 596 Amsterdam Avenue, Manhattan, presented a peculiar appearance while walking along Manhattan avenue. In this borough, last night.
When he reached the corner of Milton street, he drew himself together, so to speak, and started to play, when “Johnny Comes Marching Home.”
The bagpipes, not used to such treatment, rebelled and “Jeems” remarked: “Hoot mon!”
A crowd of urchins soon, gathered and so did Detective Sergeant George Behlin, of the Greenpoint Avenue Station. He realized at once that the bagpiper was a fake, and spoke to him.
“Where’s your other clothes?” asked the detective.
“Mo close?” asked the bagpiper. Imitating to the best of his ability, a Scotchman. “Hoot mon, I hev no close, exceptln’ theBe. Dinna y’ no ken theb a Hellender wears kilts. He never puts on breeks. Hoot mon.”
Your dialect Is the worst I’ve heard," said Behlin. as he gathered in the bag-nine, the piper, the medals, and the Jag.
The Real Piper !
Four hours later a real Scotchman arrived at the station house. He was Charles Macrae, a professional bagpiper, of 194 Greenpoint Avenue.
He was the true owner of the suit, the bagpipe, and the medals, but he repudiated the Jag.
“Dinne ken onny thing aboot it” he said, referring to the Jag.
He was taken back to a cell where Sinclare was snoring, and identified him as the man who had stolen his property.
“I was over across th’ river ta Mahattanvllle,” explained Macrae, “an’ at the ferry hoose I met this maun. We had a drink together, an’ then he ran off wi’ my close.”
Losing his Dialect
It will be seen by the above that Macrae is losing hi dialect, but Detective Sergeant Behlin explained to the Time reporter that Macrae has been in this country for some time.
Two Charges - One Sticks
Two charges were made against Sinclare one Intoxication, the other grand larceny.
The former was dismissed against him, when he was arraigned in thee Ewen Street Court today, but he will have to stand trial on the other.
Sinclare tried to impress upon Magistrate Lemon, the alleged fact that the whole thing was a joke, but no one with the exception of Sinclare could see it that way.
He had lost his dialect when brought before the Magistrate.
It was Only A Joke
“I thought It would be a good Joke on the bagpiper,” be explained, “but I had no intention of keeping the goods. Isn’t that so Mac?” he asked turning to the comniainant.
“Na, na. maun, I ken y’ not.” replied Macrae, so the prisoner was held.
