code: public static Properties readProperties(File _file) {
          if (_file.exists()) {
              try {
                  return readProperties(new FileInputStream(_file));
              } catch (FileNotFoundException _ex) {
                  LOGGER.info("Could not load properties file: " + _file, _ex);
              }
          }
          return null;
      }
docs: Trys to read a properties file.
  Returns null if properties file could not be loaded
  @param _file
  @return Properties Object or null