IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) {./ x-Ait /^^ y.^ 1.0 V^ U£ ^^ M* m 12.2 2f lift ■" II £ L£ 12.0 u u I. •IWU 1^ U4 Hiotographic ^Sciences Corporation as WIST MAIN STMIT WIISTIR.N.Y. UStO (71«;879-4S03 '^ !► A ''^^ «d the lip. to ;„rw.U 1 :X'.rtheT' ''* ™"'"""' Tariou, ecene. that would C^t^.t ^""T' "'' "' '"' my view. ^° *" '™« ■» presented to whth!::,rM;turv„'^''' '"""<''•»"" °f-^^^^^ round the Crimn i!,? S ^ ^"^ '"'"'*"«' ''"'* ««- -;e.eothersrerth:o:t:'^r""""'*^-- knowledge of the Ino °" T^Uplt"™"""' "^ '"- mercUl communities a vari.t/„p- ""'™' "P"" "=»■"- which, by theiSd of IT r'"""""' '■■"«»■=«; "trough largely pi b/tr^duplior' '""'""''^'"' """"^ ph^Vh?mtr.n?S"rr'" » '"""'^ '''^-" vident mechJ^c :h„ m! ^ "k '^' '"■?«""»"« «nd in.pr„. Hi. earner d^lltTr^ "tt-t ^ '""■" "' .-;-^;^e..yie.ding-tok:proit-^:?trrS FBEFACE. «^ TB ^•^ Tluoh suffered Urgely fr„„ a, ^^^^^ ^ ^ Jt pioted. Theff mnltriimoas schemes for possessing themselves of th,weJthofothe«_theirbrill«„teipIoito^theirdr:ra„d reoklessness in the pursuit of their Various c2g 7^1 tempted to be fuUy shown and intelligently depioteT Ole wonderful achievements of these men who Hve beyond the Uw and without the pale of civilized and honourabW «ety a« deteUed from a^ual experiences and from T ntimat knowledge of the participanto in the events which are^2 ? pubHo; and should the sad results whicM^fn^.r: hfe of sm and cnme-the surety of punishment, «,d oftentime^ a nolent death-e«roise an elevating influence upon ht T, (0^ whom these pages may come, and, by the influenl "nt ^uitTaLV^:: '"' "''™ "' "'''^-- '»~ ": putsmt of an honourable calling, I shaU be rewarded bv th. ^nsc^usness of having performed my duty to huITS »d t tt»hoIdmg the supremacy of the Ordinances of Socfety ' ' ILLXJSTRATIOI^a "Ton gave me yonr fare, didn't you* AonW^ptee.'^ "A Bold Barber.". 8* " Ab he wa. in the act of drawing the water he was seized from behind" 127 " FiansBen uttered a shriU, frightened, and despairing ciy, and • dropping hiaaatflhel, attempted to escape" 335 CONTENTS. HOW I BECAME A DETECTIVB. 17 CBimNAL SKETCHES. CHAPTER L A Bemarkable Criminal 46 CHAPTER IL A Bank Sneak's OoBily Railway Ride 66 CHAPTER III. Disobeying Orders, or, the Mssing Cash Box. 01 CHAPTER IV A Deluded Banker-Deteotive 68 CHAPTER V. A Life of Crime. yj CHAPTER VI A Bold Barber 84 CHAPTER Vn. Makine Settlements JO CHAPTER Vin. A Gentlemanly Thief, or, the Robber on the S«m 97 !i I OONTINTS. CHAPTER IX An ExteptionaHy Sucoewful Amateur Detecting ^^ CHAPTER X Audadty of Ptofesaional Thieves 108 CHAPTER XL A Cruel Deatiny U4 CHAPTER XII. Criminal Ingenuity. . . , , U9 CHAPTER Xra. A Clever Bank Robbwy •••••• ,, 223 CHAPTER XIV. ABuij^lar'a Death... 131 LIGHTNING STEALERS AND THE DETECTIVE CHAPTER L Telegraphy and Criminals 14a CHAPTER n. Spnrious Telegrams and their Effect upon "Change" U7 CHAPTER HL CHAPTER IV. ' CONTENTS. • 'JB' 3HAPTER V, PAOl IntesHgatlons In New York City— "Jimmy " and the " News Stealers"— A Nice Little Plan that was Suddenly Frus- ^^tsi^j, ; 169 CHAPTER VI. My Telegraph Office— The Associated Press— The Telegraph as a Detective— A Leak Stopped— A Dispatch from Fort Sedgwick Ig3 CHAPTER VIL The Wire-Tappers Start Upon Their Expedition— Attempt to Bnbe an Operator— The Spurious Dispatch Prepared— The Operation Performed- Captured by Indians 168 , CHAPTER VIIL The Indian Camp— The Escape of Osbom— The Arrest of Charles Cowdrey. . . ^ li^5 CHAPTER rX. The Discovery of Osbom's Flight— Unsuccessful Pursuit— A Camp Suddenly Deserted— Left to Die— Rescued, but Again made Prisoners 180 CHAPTER X. In Prison — ^Legal Questions I33 CHAPTER XL In PriBon— A Woman s Visit— A Confess on— A Meeting of CUntlemanly Rascals Interrupted— The A«iiii<;+«i , , . . 188 CHAPTER XIL ForriiMf by Telegraph— A Bogus Draft for Nine Thousand •MUars Cashed 19^ CHAPTER XIIL Recoraising Old Friends- The Detective on the Trail— Valu- itble Information ^ .^ ^ igo CONTENTS. , CHAPTER xrr *^°* 204 CHAPTER XV. '^-f^.^r^Lt^^-^J f^vu, E.C.P. a SentenciB " "^o^^ery of the SpoU— A Trial and 209 THE EDGEWOOD MVSI^y AND THE DEKCHVE. CHAPTER I. 216 CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER IV CHAPTER V. The Murdered Man 238 CHAPTER VI. 236 OONTENTfl CHAPTER Vin. On The Tnul— a Tellow Dog—" Thou art bo Near and yet ao Far" ' zm PAOl 243 CHAPTER IX. Egbert's Saloon— " Old Sledge "—TraceB of the Murderer. ... 248 CHAPTER X. Frangsen la Discovered— The Detective is Employed as a Shoe-maker— A Nightmare— The Onmership of the blood- stained Hat Decided 251 CHAPTER XL The Detective in Love— A Pair of Gloves and a Job of Painting — Gross Becomes Communicative and is a Victim of Wifely Government , 256 CHAPTER XIL The Home of Bohner— A Happy Gathering— Dreadful Tidings —The Detective's Letter T. 262 CHAPTER XnL The Murderer and the Detective— Remorse— Tired of Life —An Attempt at Suicide 266 CHAPTER XIV. A New Resolve— A New Tork Concert Saloon— New and Im- portant Revelations— Preparations for Flight— A Pawn Ticket , , 271 CHAPTER XV. lie Flight Interoepted— The Arrest of Franssen .... .i. ..... . 279 I CHAPTER XVL The Inquest— The Trial— The Conviction— Intervention of Maudlin Sympathizers — The Triumph of J'- ie and the Sentence of the Prisoner ,.,,,,,, 287- Hi w 'XT? 'Th H CHAPTER XVIL ^ •♦ ^2 ' ^°^« ^«S ATO THE DETECTIVJa «»Oi^o,K^^.J^™^ J, ; ^ CHAPTER n. •l*'^ Buxton's Hotel * 302 309 CHAPTER IV »ootMake.aDisooyery 3ir .^•oeford Juitic©..,, * " . *"' • 326 CHAPTER VI. ^>>«nond Out Diamond '• 334 CHAPTER VTL •• * 343 CHAPTER Vlir. : Jonw'a Idttle Sdieme m* *"*" * 360 ,f, . OfiAPTERlX [G)n«pira«Man,theFo^« , ^ ! HOW I BECAME A DETECTIVE. CHAPTER t , N the romantic Fox Eiver— c«llo,1 »t,. t>-.v .... ^ original Potawatamie Ineua^ aS .?^VSr''* '" "" ^ ■ mile, north-west of thecftv^orn?^ °°' ''"«7<'ig''6 beautiful vilh.ge of Dundee It hS nLh m «"• '?.'»'»««l 'he population ofVee thou/and inhatLnte *'i5,w*'""° ™'J°« » bn.hte.t«>dmo«proeperoue,"„^,„'rito^^ " "'"' "' '^'' ^X^kZT^^:^^,^ f- ""0/ people, the •plendid Uttle eity of EWn but (i™ '^f T '''» "«' »' ">« occupied to .ome^ln^eo^^UgSrms'rttr??'' T"" uninterrupted!^' a\" "pl^^S^^fi^d^pofsS tt "^ '" "^' evidences of steady m-oanpri^/ «n7j P°^f ^«^« '^e pleaaantest If this would brJasnTKeTved hv ?h'*^^^^^ h^PpinesB. lo^tjon would att.^^^^^^^^^ attent^ "'°'' '"^ ^^^^"^ them:*?., und manufactirieH aSf / '' Pf ^^"^ ^^"^ ^Wch and winding a7ay ktX d' tfn^ TJ' ^^^.\' '^^^' ^^retching silver, it would S We" -^^^^^^ ^^^f * nbbon of burnished fair, smooth bosom limX^' SuX'^""^ P^^^^""^ ^^^ » playing at hide-and3 amonftft °?' '^°°^ '^*"°^«' <>' until the last thread-lfke t^U V if .^^rdure^overed islands, yond. To thfl \^tv.f • r u ^^ ^\ ^^ ^°^t in the gorees bel holds ite Li of fhe ^iL ^^-"^ u**^^ ""le. basin^which here and Ke fssue wt^hL T, ,^"«" ^"^ ^'^^ ^^S then a fine rordwarhew^oSrb!fwL'P?°?' ^^^^« °"^*»d Mounds and the aplLTdZms beyr^'' To tL wf ^ '"^^T ODDositfl nnptin« ^f ^u- ..-n °^«/"na. lo the left, over tht, " " "" " "^ -"" '"^"S^' '^"*"^>« ranges over a succession 18 PBOFESSIONAL THIEVES AND THE DETECTIVES. f the higiwayT" rive^^^^^^^^ ^^^^d' «« well as see the rive?movin?peacefuW^ ' while facing about, you wiU their forests bewf P'*''*""^ aIong,untU lost in the valleys and and t'ZnThe^^^^^^^^^ this beautiful stream, a silvery ribbon from Imonfth?- i ^j^^ ™r ran down like Bplendid hills werfXtWeiow^^^^^^^^ ^ "^^^ • ^^« are now ; but the town iteelf HiTJI? T'^ ^°? ^°'««^« ^ <^bey hundredinhabitanniToW th«h.? •r^^"' P-^'^^'^^^y <>^«r *hree of a few country stores ltolnm'''''V^^''''^ ^^^^^ consisting a mill, and two^slTl tiveC ab^^^^^^ « black«nith-shop or two, lers at a time, bnt chieflTdeDefHini f T^ * ^^^ *'»^«1- custom of th; farmSs 4o stri^? J^^ their support upon the days, " election Se? or anvoX^i'Sfu'^ ^^^^^7 casions which mrk^urevLts In th« ? ^""^''^?^-«°« °^ people. ^^® ^° **^® "ves of back-country oaken bear ^"""drpl^tj'tn T" *» ""'' '"^' «' and at either end of thi«%«r.!;i, . * j"*™?.' ™""»<"' flaUon : .U^he store, an^ ti^olZt^lC^''^ "' '^^ "^ I had straeried oiit h«Tf > *' P^ *""»» ""d m shoo. at my cooper's trade anli:^!t ^ * comfortable businoi proud of my euccoss W^ T e|»ployed eight men. I felt £ome, and ir ^0.^, Then"?.™"' ^\' "^'-^ '""• Lii^L"!P.r?,°^'"'-». >!<"■«« were one bS._. 1„„, ™. ~'" "~"° """"'"S ""* • Pi««»t garden ab'ou^ "aomi i;! ut, some fiAe PROFESSIONAL THIEVES AND THE DETECTIVES. 19 oirt treei near, and always stacks of staves and hoop-poles quite haftiy. At one end we lived, in a frugal, but always cl?ieiT way, and at the other end was the shop, where, as nearly all my hands were German, could be heard the livelong day the whistled waltz, or the lightly-sung ballad, now in solo, now in chorus, bnt always in true time with the hammering of the adae and the echomg thuds of the " driver " upon the hoops as thev were driven to their places. . ^ This was my quiet, but altogether happy, mode of life in the beautiful village of Dundee, in the summer of 1847, at which time my story really begins, but, to give the reader a better un- derstanding of it, I will have to further explain the existing condition of things at that time. There was but little money in the West, which was then sparsely settled. There being really no markets, and the com- munication with eastern cities very limited, the producer could get but little for his crops or wares. I have known farmers in these times « hauling," as it was called, wheat into Chicago for a distance of nearly one hundred miles, from two to five streams having to be forded, and the wheat having to be carried across every bag of it, upon the farmer's back, and he not then able to get but three shilhngs per bushel for his grain, being com- pelled to take half payment for it in " truck," as store goods were then called. * . JIlT7^ "^^TK °^ dickering, but no money. Necessity compelled an interchange of products. My barrels would be Bold to the farmers or merchants for produce, and this I would be compelled to send in to Chicago, to in turn secure as best I coud a tew dollars, perhaps, and anything and ever\fchinffl could use, or again trade away. ^ Not only did this great drawback on business exist, but what money we had was of a very inferior character. If one sold a load ot produce and was fortunate enough to secure the entire pay tor it m money, before he got home the bank might have fai ed and the paper he held have become utterly worthless. AH of these things m time brought about a most imperative need for good money and plenty of it, which had been met some years betore where mv storv \\fimna iw oa««r-i -»r>:f-'-— -• Aberdeen, bcothind, placing m the hands of George Smith, Es^, 20 PB6MSS10Ifll THIEVES AND THE DETECTIVES. G^Tw^"^"^ '»«""" '"■"'» 'o fo«ni » bank in th. w« ohTeu^A So^F^'dlf 4""'"'»"«« with Chicago, isqq J.» * J 1 P °^» ^"" '^® Wisconsin LeffislatnrA in it. charter, Z "S Skt| J=: ^°"'P'»^' '"^'"■. '» Hut a few years had eUpsed before the hill. «f «.:. • .-. hon gained a very wide circulation "hroaglo^' 1^1 North wet?' taken rapid strides to the front hid in . f' ?^''^»^' ^*^^°« tral office. alLough tL W scon^in .^^ • * -^^ ^""^"'^ ^^« ««« . headquarJers Trf sSlreSrer °'^*"^"'^°" "'^^ ^i>"*"^«« eagerly sought fon Ve^^omTaW we- k^^^ '^ and always available capital at commind • its hTll ^*^«/"g« redeemable in soecie • ami y»hh i^™™*"^ ^ ,"« oi"s were always Smith, who stoTda? the head othr''°"*^ '^^^^'^'' "^ ^«°rg« err^s:raS!f,rd thf ^^Lxfo^ScS ^ r^ orer-'oLtrvr'trli-fro' '" -'-r»f i^'' finS arities of the iTa" and shS how h! "" ""? "' "" P^"""" tiou in thoae time; and in^t^fsetti^n s'asfolVr' ""•"'- oau^s^iS3:ttLr?itr»?Thr?^^^ caused m certain seoHnna «««»;j ui' *"""' "/"^"> Jwr a wiae. Holder, of SrbUk *^'^"^««^bl« uneaainesB among the l»R0FESSl01fAL THIEVES AND TflE DETECTIVES 21 The qmet Scotchman in Chicago said never a word to this for some time ; but at once began gathering together every bill of this bank he could secure. This was continued for several weeks, when he suddenly set out alone and unattended for cen- tral IJlinois, being roughly dressed and very unpretentious in appearance. " r Keaching the place and staggering into the bank, he awk- wardly presented one hundred dollars in the Fire and Marine bUls, req^-sting exchange on Buffalo for alike sum. .. w*®^^^*',®^®? ^^™ * moment, and then remarked sneerinriy : " We don't take that stuff at par." " Ah 1 ye dinna tak it, then ] " " No," replied the cashier ; « ' George Smith's money' is de- predating rapidly." .r '*=- ivel ^^^'^ ^^'^ ^*"" "^^^ ^*^*' " ^^ ' " '«sponded Smith, reflect- "2*^' J®*' ^*^"'* ^ "^^^^ fifty cents on a dollar in six months i " ^^\^^ 7"°^^ "*® ™*^'' *h^n fifty cents? An' may voun De worth a huner' cents on a dollar, noo?" ^hl ^^""^H^^iT' '7' *^'^,*yt ^^ y*''* «^°"^^ J^aPPen to have ten ■housand dollars' worth about you at the present time," replied he cashier as he gave the stranger another supercilious look. you could get the gold for it in less than ten seconds." ' 1 1 • u' f^^^ *^® travel-stained banker, with a very uffly look m his face, as he crashed down a great package upon the counter, containing twenty-five thousand dollars in the bills of rP,npT? '"'' ^^A^' '\f''^' ^"^'•g^ Smith presents his best Th?tl''i!^ '^''')- °^ ^"'if'^ P^^^'3^ ^*^ '^ legitimate effect, ir! A question could not instantly redeem so large a Stinn«Tr'''r.i?^ '" "•°*"^^'* '^^'^'^"^ i° 'hat and other &aT;SatytdT"^^^ ^^^^" ^'^^ ''^''^' ^'^°^"- liehed'^rlr ""'i""' ""^^n '}" ""^^ ^^^^^^'"'^ fin^^^^r estab- "GeL« 41,^?""^ compelled respect, until, as I have said, ^^Ueor^e Smiths money" was as good as the gold throughout juc cuoiro western country, and this fact, in time, caus«fit to be taken in band by eastern counterfeiter^ •««»"«» I,: :.i PBOFESSIONAL THIEVES AND THE DETECTIVES. This brings me again to the main part of mv storr ^r/rpihaTL^^^^^^^ I was busyat myltk baVeh^d^ '' ^^« I^'^-' no other clothin- on mv hnrlv!^ ' *^^^«^?t«'^. and having alls and a coamhlwv iZ 1 .1^"^' ?^ ^'"« ^^^"'"» orer. tume ; but I smarted c^^^wnfl^' ?/ ?'" ^^"''* invariable cos- reached HuntTstorebXl th.''' ^' ''"'"' *"^ '^^'^ ^^'^^y joined by a Mr. I C BoZr J ,rP"''"'u ^"^ '">««^f ^^^e the village, and nL a fet ^ed 1^^^^^^^ ^' piece previously referred to. ^''^''^^ ""^ ^'S»°' ^^l^nois, the , " Come in here, Allan," said Mr HunL in o ro*u nous manner leadinir fV.! «,«„ * fu ^ ^^ ^ rather myste- BosworthSSsKuoIT. «'^' ''^' °^ '^'''^''> ^hile in the detectivXe." ^ ' ""^ ''*°* ^^^ *^ ^^ * little job "Never S now " said Mr'^Rn""' '1^' '''^ °^ '^^^^ »" *n^ you can do XT' you wa^ don« v'^' aeriotasly, " we W, «ft^ mill Lye D„nd^«ni'w "'?"' " "" P»» the little poet town of 11.0^,1^'^^ ^"',* ''" ""*» 'l^™ tif.ll and of the b^t „tK' •j"''*'"^ P"'" '^''^ both plen. h«l atumld upon 8ome smoiweir ^7 ""''. ^"'^ "-ere 1 Jadicating that the STeiShTf, ""''''".*"'* ""•" '«"=« Jiore .eriou, matter, to'^Snd tl ° 5T,^r~rP'° ''"^ keenness to conclude that no honL ^ >«!? red no great oecupvine the nUre a. ^t ""*" ""■* '" "'« li«Wt o( «*upjruig i.ne place. As the country wa« thon ;..A.„* j -.i DETECTIVES. fBOFESSIONAL THIEVES AND THE DETECTIVES. 23 nS^i^®l""*''V°*?''J'^*"'^' ^^«'e subsequently I led the officers who captured the entire gang, consiatina of men ^i? women secured their implements and f large amount of bo^us Upon this faint record Messrs. Hunt and Bosworth based my c aim to detective skill, and insisted on mrwknLnew laurds, or at least, attempting to do so. ^ ^ ^ e.^ \. ^ ^^ y°" ^^^^ » ' » aiUBt confess that .f,^.?J°" "■»' ""d no lem . .1,1, ,. , I Ther t *'onamon occur* «ivu «ras guu^ on abbut the'pia^ "i'^a-moufched at ETECTIVEg. PROriSSIONAL THIIVES AND THE DITICTIYIS. 25 I MMed, as I entered the shop, a splendid horse hitched outside. It ras a fine, large roan, well buUt for travelling • and m my then frame of mind I imagined from a casual glance that It was a horse especially selected for its lasting quaUties. should tm emergency require them to be put to a test. The owner of the animal, the person who had caused so much ner- vousness on the part of Messrs. Hunt and Bosworth, was a man nearly SIX feet m height, weighed fully two hundred pounds, was at least sixty-five years of age, and was very erect and commanding m his appearance. I noticed all this at a careless glance, es also that his hair was dark, though slightly tinged with gray, and his features very prominent His nose wa» very large, his mouth unusually so, and he had a pair of the keenest, coldest small gray eyes I have ever seen^ while he wore a large, plain gold ring on one of the fingers of his left hand I made no remark to him or to any person about the place, and- merely assumed for the time being to be a village loafer myself. But I noticed, without showing the fact, that the man occasioniaiy gave me a keen and searching glance. When the work had been completed by Walker, I stepped outside and made a pretence of being interested, as any country eawkv might, m the preparations for the man's departure : and wm patting the horse s neck and withers as the stranger came out with the saddle and began adjusting it, when I carelessly assisted him m a free-and-easy country way. There were, of course, a number of people standing about, «tr«nlf °? il'*^ of senseless chatting going on, which the stranger wholly refrained from joining in ; bSt while we were both at work at the saddle, he sSid, without addressing me, but in a way which I knew was meant for m\t ears : « Strancer do you know where Old man Crane lives V ^'^anger, ao fj ^""a •?? ''i® ^^®™ '!J® °'*°°«'' i° ^hicli tWs was said, and Sw nf ^*>%^««* ^^ ^y *^^ility. I was now as certain a^ either of my fnends that the man was a blackleg of a danger- 0U8 order, whatever his special line of roguery might bo. We were both busy at the saddle on the side of the horse where there were the fewer loungers, and bemg close together, I replied m tne same tone of voice : o » r V — :."" • "" ""^ ^""""j «»a.o tae main roaa up i&rouKh tte wood* until you come to JesM MiUer'g farmhoui. Theo ^ will t^i] you , . ^ , considerable meanim. ir.J^l-^'"''^ '^an* to a8k"-.n^ t ^ "Young ".^ "i '.^ »«■« -""-Hou, voice « before • « All nVJif »» T • "* **^^ E::^ :;;^" r ^^^^^ i r S rVC-''^- fhl^f^l ^® ^'^'^ ta^k entirelv hJ'« , ''® "P *° some of the mean the^„"lt%?«"' ''^ ^'^<^.' I r^Uei. oDovou J "He's .?,"; J:r» ?el"d"j|: *»* ""h hit" "" ""' I came up from Fl^it *u- ^ ^^^ *^® stranger « /'^ u- where OrLe Tved ^^ V^\^« ?»orning. sS did^rknn^"''^^ "^ady It i't'^^ '•'*»«'• «»'tly, ' Wve St TJ^ ^^«P^««e." '^"HK. It won't do. T'li ,v,v r_' ^® ^^ talked too mn«i, -i .oxu vou oyer the river soonJ'""'" "*' DETECTIVES. > ask"— and I pm ; road to the north- le. When you get i he u {» good as « before : i^ant to know you «• I want to talk let me go ahead. on my boots and •t on first. Then ip in some of the But ni tell you >ntly, "upon my ause I've already oroe, but he con- > gain time to say cared very little ^*^Mng to ytnt r I a man as I've I he edged along John Smith, of ^ed. « Do you is, he has re- ' J« n»ight not 1." ■^w his uncle. 1 n't know just here, and that ould be likely » to his place." too miink -I Boon." PROrESSIONAL THIEVES AND THE DETECTIYES. 27 "With this I carelessly walked away towards my shop, and at lome little distance turned to see the stranger now engaging Eaton Walker in conversation with an evident purpose of gain- ing time. " Well," I thought, as I hastened on, " there's no doubt now. This man is certainly a counterfeiter. John Smith is always loaded down with it He gets it from old Crane ; and this man at Walker's is the chief of the gang travelling through the West to supply these precious rascals. But then/' it suddenly occurred to me, " what business of mine is all this ? Good gracious I I've got a lot of barrels to make, my men need at- tention, and everything is going to the Old Harry while I am playing detective ! " But having got thus far my will had been touched, and I resolved to carry the matter through, whatever might be the result. While putting on my hafc and boots hastily, Hunt and Bosworth came in, and I quickly related what I had learned. Looking down the hill, we could see the stranger slowly mov- ing across the bridge, and as I was starting in the same direc- tion my friends both urged : " Now, Pinkerton, capture him sure ! " « Oh, yes," I replied, " but how am I to get at all this ?" " Why, just get his stock, or some of it, and then we'll have him arrested." " Oh, yetf," said I, " but, by thunder 1 it takes money to buy money ! I've got none ! " " Well, well, that's so," remarked Mr. Hunt ; " we'll go right down to the stora. You drop in there after us, and we'll give you fifty dollars." ^ All this was speedily done, and I soon, found myself over the bridge, past the horseman, and well up the hill upon the high- J ^ It was a well-travelled thoroughfare, in fact, the road lead- ing from all that section of the country into Chicago ; but it was m the midst of harvest-time, and everybody was busy upon the farms. Not a soul was to be seen upon the road, save the stranger and myself, and almost a Sabbath silence seemed to rest over the entire locality. The voices of the birds, which nilAn tnn nrnrtrla in avarxr A\r>ant-in--^ ..^«-_ i u.j i-t.- _ 'T~ ," '^"j '-tixoi^uiuu, TTcic uusueu lULu a noon- day chirpmg, and hardly a sound was to be heard save the ^y . *^ ^° THE DETECTIVjiS 'or the wrirL- k^ ' ^^ -^ couJd not hn^ r.^ I- siience and PloddiL i,'?/°'» "■«• There 1^08 1^^^"' "" ""«'»«« *ome caul I U.5 "?^'°°' *<> the letter I 1 Norseman was thought7eh,H^*'°«dan influence 'L!r"'^ '^< ^^om Jo a beautiful JiSe nl •''''°'^ ^'^^ "-^ont two hnn^"^ """^'^ »««> a smile of reI„LfV° '""'' »' a small sanMnt ^ ^"'8'»8 took « ionir d.»rS^°".'°"- Proceeded to tl.?'^ -8. passed m? eye^ PEOFESSIONAL THIEVES AND THE DETECTIVES. 29 movement. J saw the handles of two finely-mounted pistol* protruding from inner coat-pockets, and I did not know what might happen. I was wholly unarmed, but I was young, wiry, powerful, and though I had nothing for self-protection save my two big fists and my two stout arms, I was daring enough to tackle a man or beast in self-defence at a moment's warning. After a moment's silence, he said : " Well, stranger, I'm a man of business from tllfe word ' go.* What's your name and how long have you been about here t " •* My name's Pinkerton. I've been here three or four years, coopeiing some, and harvesting tome ; but coopering's my trade. You'd have seen my shop if you had come up the hill. I manage to keep seven or eight men going all the time. But times are fearfully hard. There's no money to be had ; and the fact is," said I, looking at him knowingly, " I would like to get hold of something better adapted to getting more ready cash out of— especially if it was a good scheme— so good that there was no danger in it But what's your name and where did you come from 1 " I asked abruptly. He scarcely heeded this, and, Yankee-like, replied by asking where I came from before locating in Illinois. " From Scotland," I replied, ' from Glasgow. I worked my way through Canada and finally found myself here with just a quarter in my pocket. What little I've got has been through hard work since. But, my friend," said I, smiling, "the talk 18 all on one side. I asked ym something about yourself." " Well, ' he said, still looking at me as though he would read me through and through, '« they call me ' Old man Craig.' My name is Craig— John Craig— and I live down in Vermont, near lairfaeld ; got a fine farm there. Smith, down here at Elgin, 18 a nephew of mine; and old Crane, over at LibertyviUe, and myselt, have done a good deal of business together." "Oh, yes," said I, nodding, « I understand." "But you see," resumed the counterfeiter, " this part of the country is all new to me. I've been to Crane's house before, but that was when I came up the lakes to Little Fort* and ^♦(1116 oily of Waukegan, inLalMOonnty, IlliBoi^ wm odM **I4Wt £8ci ' i^ ia««wiy aattianj 30 II if I ri I r t PBOFESBIONAL TBIETES AND THE DETECTIVBS. »l^',:gi;f """'' """ •">* "°PP«' «' the S.„gan«l,,- J ^d. then, quick as St he JSS 'T' """^ '•" ^^'"'go" And jou ever ' deal' any!" ^''' '""^'"K "» '» 'he eyes : " Did in me. But 1 wou?dn'?touch ^Zt'' ""r? *^-*^« *" oonfidenc^ Illinois, unless it was as °ood in ann °^ ^'^' ^' ^?^ **»« State of tide. Have you sZTtZl r^Jl^^^'T^ ^ *^« g«°»i«e ar- indiiferen%. -^ somettiing really good, now ?" I concluded, you were going over to oKanef?'' ^P^"'«^*^- "I thought -M be a g„«, idea for%^„ T^^e lU btrC;„7c.L' " How far is it »" he asked. Eo/h^o^r?jf::.taiiU^rr&s^^^ ^»»'"«-t. ^ute^:rtt:tk^t-h*£:?^^^ watered it. ^ "°'^® to the spring and n.e!'ret"k:d'ret"l"' '«'"■' *-«ag hi^elf down beaid. the'^bealfe!-" S f ?• y»° "•"t I've ^„t B.,. _ Iwayg went into PROFESSIONAL THIEVES AND THE DETECTIVES. 31 counterfeitB on the Wificonsin Marine and Fire Insurance Com« pany's money. I looked at them very, very wisely. As I have already said, I had never seen a ten-dollar bill in my life ; but I examined them as critically as though I had assisted in making the genuine biils, and after a little expressed myself as very much pleased with them. They were indeed " beauties," as the old rascal had said, and in all my subsequent detective experience I have hardly seen their equal in point of execution and general appearance. There was not a flawmthem. To show how nearly perfect they had been made, it is only necessary to state that it was subsequently learned that several thousand dollars in these spurious bills had been received unhesitatingly at the bank and its different agencies, and actually paid out and received the second time, without detection. « Come, now, Pinkerton, 111 tell you what I'll do," continued Craig, earnestly; «* if you'll take enough of this, I'll give you the entire field out here. The fact is, Crane's getting old ; he isn't as active ia he used to be ; he's careless also, and, besides all this, he's too well known." "Well," said I thoughtfully, "how much would I have to take 1" "Only five hundred or a thousand,*' he replied, airily. " On what terms 1" I asked. " Twenty-five per cent cash." " I cannot possibly do it now," I replied, as though there was no use of any further conference. "I haven't anywhere near the amount necessary with me. I want to do it like thunder, but when a man can't do a thing he can't, and that's all there b about it." "Not so fast, my man j not so fast," answered the old rogue reassurmgly. « Now, you say these lubberheads of merchants down at the village trust you t" « Yes, for anything." " Then can't you make a raise from them somehow 1 Youll never get such another chance to do business with a square man m your afe ; and you can make more money with this in one ,!-— --^j v«w xii vu^su -.auiu bou. ixuw, wnat can you ao, 32 PROFESSIONAL THIEVES AND THI DETECTITM. , y I Ofsmmed to be studying the matter over v«rv deenlr hufc m reality I had already de^cided to do as the ma^Sj- for I knew that Messrs Hunt and Bosworth would be only too "ill irr'^' "^fr- ^°""T^ "P «^ '^^''^y- Finally I sJd^- , lUdoit Craig; but it won't answer for you to be seen hX mg about here. Where shall we meet, and when ?" ^' ' Lasy enough," said he, grasping my hand warmlv « T sTuff ir T 'I ?,l\^^^--'« *t «" l/he wanteT/of the stuff after this, he'll have to come to you. I only let Smith have about one hundred dollars in the\ills, and^tha ouTof mere friendship, you know. When he wants more. I'll make him come to you too. Now, I'll go right batk down there S you can meet me at Smith's this evening " ' ^nl^J'/"* ' "''' y?" don't Craig 1 " I answered, with an appear- ance of deep cunning. « I'm willing to take the whole business into my hands but I don't propose to have eveTy Tom Tfck 2/^1^^'^'""^'" ""'^'^^ *^« business fro^ the bfgS Sng^k'et^^yS."^^^"^'^'" ' ^^^^^"^^^' -*^^P- we'm'IelV'tiket- ^^'^ "S^* -^ I'- wrong. Where'll « IVe a, capital place," I replied. " Do you know where the unfinished Bapt^t Church an? University L dowTalidnl" • ^ Let me see," he said, smiling. "I ought to know T'm a splendid Baptist when I'm in f ermont^^^fne of the LconT as sure as you hve I Are they up on the hill ? « ' T»k.« fn\. . K T^'" } »»«wered. "It's a lonesome enough place to not be hkely to meet anybody there : and we can S range everything in the basement/' ' "All right," he acceded, laughing heartay. "and the n«»f time I writo my wife, damn me if I don't teU herthat I d^T cated the new Baptist Church at Elgin, Illinois r 1 joined m this little merriment at the expense of the Elain PROFESSIONAL THIEVES AND THE DETECTIVES. S3 lately engaged ia farming, wm wealthv ««^ i, ^ v counterfeiter for many years kZ^ir^^lh ? , ^^^ ^^^ » constantly employed and he wS?^ t^o first-class engraverg should I ler Upei thaV^ay^^SouT i? "^' '° ^^1f ^^' tain at that timerJo him as w^Ii ^'t.self thlir'^^^A'''^ very long time before I began travflHn J f!i' i '* '^°"^'* ^® » ceived aU this for what Fwas Jo ^ P^«^«"'?-*»d I '«■ him a call while mentally owX '" Ah fZ' °'^^ ^T^'^ ^i:^^^"^ ''- ^^e^cau t^ii c?mris- 4^:^'^l:tT^,Si^^^^^^^ -^ what he told me moneV"hl';er^^^ St^. ^"/f ^^ ^^ --^^'^-^ shown me was the Wst sum h« ^ u°i^^'.' ^^^^^ he had was simply and onlffsamnirfi '"''" H^bout him. This Should he be arrested «n? nn • "'"' f '^ ^^^ ^^^"^ ^^th me. which would nSarVelTJ'T '^ P*?^^ ^^^^^^ ^« ^^und ' «l-y3 upon his' XnXortwf^^^^^^^^^^ money, chiefly in eastern bank biHs No^l ^'V" ^^''"^^^ the condition of things at that Hmf' ^P,P,^^«o» understanding demn a stranger in a new In T' '"""^^ ^^ Persuaded to con- money, for haf 'L twentv IZ 7' '^^ unfamiliar with -it. a sum^'as two tZ^Ah^"'' '^ '^"'^'"^ ^^"^^ ^^ «- ^*^ge and c:r;y^tVwl'hl't?i^^^ ^^« -/^le with the bills made this inquiry miS LnL ???"'' ^?' ^^^^^^^ie^ce. I Craig his mannerVeupplying 2lt^^ t?' *" ^^^^ ^^"^ for he immediately replied -^ ^ ' *""* ^ "^^^ saccessful, sCfthfpadTnK^^^^^ ^^^h' *He horse would place, somedy might bJ as curiTs t' ^"^'' fP^' ^^ ^^^ '^^^^ the saddle. Oh, no^ no Pve "?" f /"""''f ^°^ "P «?«» IVo got a fellow nam«;^Vl^ * ^^'^'^^ ''^h«"^« than that, shrew^d as a man\n Te^L^^^ *^"« - -«t«el and aa but yau will never see hTm H«^! "''''' ""^ *^^« * «h»dow» • person with whom I have iusine« T" 'T ^J ^^^ ^^^^S pies and make the trX TZlt L^^^P^^ '^^^ "^^ «a°i' fro» the buyer, and IS^etteu'rr'/-^^^^ . _ — ^ TT ffl«« JUX1V4 WUV if ;iil 34 PROFESSIONAL THIEVES AND THE DETECTIVKS. specified sum m my money in a certain place at a designated tim^ He goes there, and never fails to find the bills Rnf V f verson IS not seen in the transaction, and in the meantLl 1 have hidden my samples, as well as the money received wL which miffht be marked, so that if there sh^rl k! 7 , ' ery, nothing could be proven against me idv "^ ^?T^: of Canada iade, and'it is^aSlrin Lfs^ma^feT' OM John Craig is never caught napping, young man r ^^ . The last remark was evidently mide bv the connfprft.;f., * give me to understand that though he had Iv.n i ^' *** sense he was honniirflWo n^u;^ i • j ^ i^ wura. in tiiat glers might happen thTt wT ' "* """' '^- fromh"e l^" "" '^'''- f ""^'^^ '" "-^ C«ig, .s he ros. " There's my hand on it," said I, quieUy. -rml^lVT"^ enough money to tie five hundred »» will cause talkf r„d Tuple yZ wUhmtdnn^''^"?,,''^''''^ I' ma way that Wt do?or me Sl"^ ''^"' ""' "■"»«« 8°»iP place, «,d ha^ng Kot thU Si « P*?'.^''"'-''^ McClure's old meet himatthedesflb^S^r • S*^-'" ''" '"''«'- ^B'^i to bade him go^ a^rk^'^/d'^'pSS''' "'"•■* '"" °'«'-'^' I w^dSda^^oV'^f-^I- 1, r ™ T 7»^- •-■-' " 6 .^o uxow 01 tne hUi, my counterfeiter friend PEOFESSIONAL THIEVES AND THE DETECTIVES. 35 ♦irell along the upper road, halting his horse to wave me a good- luck or good-by, as it might be taken, to which I merely nodded a reply and then made all possible speed to Mr. Hunt's store eZLT^^IS'"'' ''^ '^^"^' '' "^^ ^'^-- ^ ^-- They were very gleeful over my success in working into the confidence of the counterfeiter, but both were rather Spprehen- Bive that the money was m the man's saddle, that Yelverson was a myth and that possibly we had lost an opportunity o^ nn'Zf S r7* ^"* y^^' P'^"y *^^^^^^" *b^^ Craig woJhl on hand at Elgin according to appointment, and, securing the • required anjount of money, one hundred aid twenty-five dol- lars, and a bite oi lunch, I set out on foot foi Elgin. The nlace was only about five miles from Dundee, and five miles fo? me ' then was as nothing ; so that, a few minutes before four. I was within the deserted structure. ' I looked into every conceivable corner and cranny, but coUld discover the counterfeiter nowhere. I passed cntside and looked in every direction, but still he was not to be seen. Tired and worried about the whole mat- ter, I retired withm the basement, and had been sitting upon one of the loose tmabers there but a fewminutes, brooding over the loss ot my day's work, and disgusted with the whole busi ''TJk \ r^ 5?^?«»ly entered and smilingly greeted me. " Why helloa, Pinkerton, you're ahead of tune." " I told you I would be here," I replied. " Well, did you bring the money with you 1 " "Certainly I did. Here it is," said I, counting out one hun- dred and twenty-five dollars as carelessly as though accustomed to handling comfortable sums of money • 'fumtju He looked it over more carefully than suited me exactly. The act seemed to ho d a faint trace of suspicion, but he found It to be m eastern bills and correct in every particular with^aThuLX '' '"""^ '"'''"' "f '" '^ '^"^'^^^ " Oh, fair, fair," I answered, indifferently. ' « Does pretty well when one can do some other quiet business along wilh it.'' nntaSr/ '^^ ' ^'^ pleasantly. " Now, Pinkerton, you go outside for a few miuutes. and keen a ahurr. l««i,, • ' "^ ^ a.vuv. §:: 36 PROFESSIONAL THIEVES AND THE DETECTIVES. body might be watching. Remain outside tour or live minute., and if you see no one by that time, come back " ""»"^«^ r,l/..T* *"".*. ^ directed, but I could not but feel that T had placed myself m the man's power completely, as far ^dvins him a fair opportunity to abscond with my friends' molfw J concerned and though a new hand at this kind of benTwH determined to be as keen as he was shrewd. So, instead of ted7f^: building altogether for the time mentioned I sta^f ted off for a little distance, and, quickly returning up through a smaU ravine, took a position near ai open wiSdow Justin tune to observe my Baptist friend from Vermont placing som^ So.^Tt? V'^'' ^*' building-stone in one cSrnerYtS poi tiou of the basement where we had been together J bis much seen, I got away from the place as speedilv as I could, and at once sought a small eminence near the building kcLTy ' ^ ^''' ^''''"'' "^ ^''^^^ * «^°«« ^^^«1^ onTe i^Jo^^ tbiis occupied, I observed, out of the corner of my eye. that i.raig had appeared at one of the entrances, and was closely wa.,chmg my movements. Apparently satisfied at last, he gave a Laxr whistle attracting my attention, of course, when he fhen motioned me to join him. As I entered I told him that I had looked everywhere but was unable to see any person about. verywnere, but "That's all right," he replied pleasantly, and then, looking at me m a quizzical sort of a wayf asked : ^ "Pinkerton, what would you think if I told you that Yei- r Zndtd rm'^bifls r ' ''"^ ^'"^" ^"^^'^' *^^ '^'' '"^^ JtnA^ ^"""'^ ^■"^''S ^ *"'^"""^ ' " ^'d «^^*' think you'd got Old Nick working along with you I " " I'erbaps i have, perhaps I have," he returned quietly. Look under that stone over yonder." H"i«?My. froiTJ" ^"".^h^ place indicated, and, lifting the stone which Crrig.'^'"** ^'''' ""^ ^""^ '^^''^ y'^'' ^^"Sbt inside it," remarked doteff %?«tt «?!^rA!i?i.5^^^^^^^^ % ten. .tated, were mVaiWdaJmerrexrcuS ""' " ' ""''' "^^ ■^-j ETECTIVES. PROFESSIOJiAL THIEVES AND THE DETECTIVES. 37 I make this open confession to my readers : l™„or w/.t;rLs^Tbe^eve^''LrS ?" '"'■"'red dol- gold, if I only chose to nl !t ^^ o™ of them aa good as my memory whilp T »7oL i "*e--that with this struggle in mfaS7 nrveHose 'r^^^^^^^ ^''^ ri^^*^?" i" »/deter. my duty to Dursue hfm T """"^^ "^^^^ '^ ^^n^^ becomes prospect of fargrp^fiSlfhTs "^hoa^LTTnTh \' "■" tio^ and soon after probably stood met „rd'^,^,f^' "^ at once retuS°to Smith'! 5^""?"'? "■"' Yelyereon haS ere then ^^fn L l^ad toltd o!f- """"^ T "'«"«''• '"«' should rejoin him on Se n!tT^ ^^'V/''^"' '^''"•' '''' ^raig his nephew's ° '"*' ''^y- »"«' P^'i'-S the night ^t tnnity to do thfs^ EWn f "'j- ^ "" ?»»=">'« "Ppo^ relyisonw^wllon^the^o'.rrpS? *" Craig's statemLt, S5^^^C we^«n7bX» ,S -- -••■■•■KrsKdt^'zsi^ril'^C 38 PBOPESSIONAl THIEVBB AND THE DETECTIVES, gether." arrangements to buy you out alto- Geneva, BataviaXro^ and 0,^^ ^"lu-^' *"^ ^^- ^h^^^es. the outside, I thint « ' ® *^*'' *^'«« «' fo»r days at "Well, try, and see what vou ca.n An t ™ u l, to take Iveiythingyou We" °" *""■« »'''» '"««"•« to-morrow, and wait there afctL^o ^"^^^^.^So mto Chk&go five days. >ut, nSl^Vy:;,! ?e dt^JeftT^^^ *- you four L wo^dfbet^dZrr to^Sl^^^^^ rj/^/ ^"^« -^0 the joining the gunsmitrird Tl^thZ 'p^^l ^"*°"^ ^'^^^^ re- counterfeit bills oTtt Wisirs n 7J:' '^"/^^^^^ '^«"*" i° Company's Bank, startinron flf 7 T *°^ ^*'« Insurance just as the sun w;s settSI behfn? fu' ^°".'' .^^«^« ^ ^^^ved upon what I then felt wL^themi/^' -^^"^ ^"^« ^^ ^«»dee, of my life. *" *^^ "^^'O ^^^'^^S and eventful day ^tetfelrn^to^^^^^^^^^^ ^^ of expec. _-_P f„..„ „.,„ ^,^ __^ ^^^ p^^j^^^j^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^„ .^._ DETECTIVES. PROFESSIONAL THIEVES AND THE DETECTIVE.S. 39 for some distant point as soon as I had started for home anri criminal though he was, he was a man who when he hfrf passed his word, would be certain to keep T *^- With a view of allaying the anxiety ot" my friends and al.n learn defi^itdy the whr^b^oulTtt tntS^^^^ tired partly discouraged, and fully satisfied Tn my own mind that I was not born to become a detective, I went Cme and sought my bed with a feeling that the little cooper sZd m^ good wife, and our plain, homely ways' were after «n th^'i^l , things on earth, and, altigetherf betTer S an^ofh^^^^^^^^^^ hfe or attornments possible for man to secure. ^ ^ and aftei ^ T/f^T^'?'/ ^*' "P ^'^"^'^ *he next morning • ?lni f ?*«^y '?reakfast, secured a horse and was sofn rap dly cantering off in the direction of Elgin where I arrS by the time the villagers of the little town^wirl stSlLXut ' 5^rS!r|urmith^ ^--^^^ directly to trh^outS n.= ^i'^''' smoking his pipe and enjoying the moraine as com " Helloa, Pickerton, what's up ? » II Only myself," I answered jokingly. quired^"' ^'^ ^'' ''"'''^ ^"' °^ y^^"' t^ip tWs early 1 " he in-. 40 MOFMSIOWt THIEVES AND THE BETEOTIVES. in fno fA<___ r (Ake in the towna r ♦., monoj., get b«k « qSST/iT''''^ ''" ««« Boyd Uv the ■ Sapg.„„h,' in (?hi * o"f. ^ '»''• '-d «■«' you « .g.^ iou II do, you'll do "fto,-^ n • "I just thought T'dlirnn ^'^^ ««couragingIr. liMe dwtance from Elgin toot .7''' ''°'' "^'w J^l.«.e^P„.to.n o/cdl:^,^^^^^^^^^^ upon meeting Craig in Chicaso 'T. '?*P«n quite as laconically. «n .nn "' ^ ""^ ^^ ^IT *'°«^thousand uow. The horse is sold ; BO you pay me one thousand dollars, and in the course of an hour I will see that you have the packacre." n,« .T^'" \'*'^' '^Lawyer Boyd, from Oswego, is here with me and you know these lawyers are sticklers for form. Now » wu '^?''V'* P*y *^® ""^"^y 'intil we see the bills." thatlV.l^n^jrjri*ly«_r»^^1' »^-»'*he? Fo. know viwx^o truiu io as gooa as iiis money, and that'0 !'! iilK 42 PHOrESSIONAL THIEVES AKB THE DETECTIVES TeS " '^^'^ ' " ^« -i^^-<^ wu. «ome war.th, and evidently sum," I replied reas8u„Ll/°"/^uf r ^^n*! ""'^^ ''° '™«« ^'"« damned lawyer's power in-order to Wrf^''^ "71^^^ ^5 ^^is . with you, and he insists hke an i^ n. £ ""-^ '^''"^ ^^'^« ^^an only in one way." ° '^'°^ °° ^^»^^"S the thing done ho;?:f:;Sl^^tn\^^^^^^^^^^ -^ - you here a half. very careful in'this reaper w! soon nt? T' ^^.^Craig was fess that I began to have a nr!c ?" ^^"^^1' *"^ ^ "^"st con- beginning to lolk a Mr^L^Tc^^^^^^^^^^^ "^"^^ -- outcome would be: but that Cr^llTJ^ ?°* '"'^^"'® ^^^t the something, was certain ^^^ ^^^ ^""^"'^ suspicious of w/at";itI?e^TI^*Si.'^^^^^^^^^ ^P--^ -y«elf. that he seemed perplexed and dofhfV ."^^ ^^''7^^^ ^«^^"-^ do. He started^ut rTpidivIn th« h: ^^""^ ^H^' ^" '^""'^^ den y halted, returnedrSd atln^ ha^^^^^^^^ '^ '^'^ ^^^'' «"d- walked aimlessly in various di'^S ^"^ .*°*'"' *"^ then quick look back';,ver hTshote"5toTr'"^ ^T"=^ ^ he was being followed ""'"^' as it to determme whether t«S:xtSt'it£7e S^fl*"™'.*"'.'- "' '-' •■« - He lo4eTXa^™ir^ '^^'^' "•« have the money I" the assurance ^whichlTi'it ' P"""'"'' "^ »' *"?■•««, replied quietly : * ^ "*" "«''" «"<=» «een equaUed) and "What money t" ^JX^'^u" ^^^^^^^^ »^ «»any .aid: ' tonri^ST*""""""""™"-^' » e»utora Welling. PROFESSIONAL THIEVES. AND THE DETECTIVES. 43 " 1 haven't the honour of your acquaintance, sir, and there- fore cannot imagine to what you allude." If the Sauganash Hotel had fallen upon me, I could not have been more surprised, or, for the moment, overwhelmed. But this lasted but lor a moment. I saw that my fine plan had fallen to the ground like a house of straw. Yelverson had not been located; probably no counterfeit money could be found upon Craig; and there was only my own almost un- supported evidence as to the entire transaction, as the reader has been given it ; but I also saw that there was only one thing to do, and that wa« to make Mr. Craig my prisoner. I there- fore said: "AH right, John Craig ; you have played your -game well, but there are always at least 'wo at a really interesting game, and I shall have to take you into custody on the charge of counterfeiting." ° I gave the signal to the officer, and Craig wa^ at once arrested ; but he fairly turned the tables upon me then by his assumed dignity and gentlemanly bearing. Quite a crowd gathered about, and considerable sympathy was expressed for the stately, gray-haired man who was being borne into captivity by the green-looking countryman cooper from Dundee. T ? J* r ^^^^^^ in counterfeit money was found upon Craig, as 1 J J • *•" 1 ^^ **^®" *® Geneva, in Kane County, lodged in jail, and, after the preliminary examination, admitted to bail ma large sum. While awaiting the arrival of friends to furnish the required bonds, he was remanded ; and it was soon noticed by the frequenters of the place that Craig and the sheriff, whose apartments were in tte jail building, had become very intimate. He was shown every courtesy and favour possi- ble under the circumstances, and the result was that the com- munity was suddenly startled to learn that the now famous counterfeiter ha4 mysteriously escaped— leaving, it was said, the sheriff of Kane County considerably richer in this world's goods from the unfortunate occurrence. This was the outcome of the matter ; but though this great criminal, through the perfidy of an official, had escaped punish- ment, the affair was worth everything to the Wisconsin Fire taid Marme Insurance Company in particular, and the entirt 44 4 t PROFESSIONAL THIEVES avt. n. xtiuiVBs AND THE DETECTIVJiS. '» esc m e:enerAl ;«• u • oat his Scotch "Ly» '„?" "«''»''«» "ia which hJr tr™' or other favours. ' " "»' 'o cert«„ appl Sms Mrd^ »ap „ As soon as I had »of <- • banking i- Tn tt ::;S?e'^'^ ^^P«^''n?a^?^^^^ Hunt and posited in the hanl 7 .^''^''^^ ^o^ars and T 5 ^^^^ ?»'"« volved upon me tn f ""^ *^" ^*"e County con^ ^r** ""^ ^^ from him 'i? nl •K?'' '"*° Chicago, see r«^ o®""^ ' «<> 'k de- ,, So I took my tri°' 7 «^n «ervice^ ^ ^^ ^«" ^^Pended, , In fact, it wrharA ^^",«"^ °«'er a pen^tTJ *^*' ^" ^a^« be decent yjW in T^''^'^ ''*'' the close fiL? f * P^'^'^J ' " has been of ^eetJcV^ "^*"«'' and I am1^^^^^^^ prudence in ^r^\^ *"« during thes« 7.f """^ *^« "»«dent detectir8fc/ru^.7/)^qnarte;, to undeS',^^^/"^"^ ^^^^^ honourableTVLSVnr'""" a^tnally/f.^^^f/^ requiring ' GSJl^ PB0FE8SI0NAL THIEVES AND THE DETECTIVES. 45 CRIMINAL SKETCHES. CHAPTER I. A REMARKABLE CRIMINAL. (JL^^Mt ni^ (JRING the month of August, 1879, there died, in the ^ ^IVl ^r'^'^' m Canada, a noted thief and pick- r^ pocket whose varied career of crime would form an mtere^ting addition to the calendar of criminal romance. (fam'iJi:rlyTn:wn,'rm" ^^^^^^^^ " '^ ^^ ^^'^ ^-^"^ -<^ But little IS known of his early history, except tli.t during his minority he was apprenticed to a promine- printer, for the purpose of learning - the art preservative of ail arts." Possessed of a restless, roaming disposition, the restraints of business soon IftS ^ companions, whose induence soon manifested He became loose in his habits, frequenting gambling-saloons and m a short time he had sufficiently pfugressed^upoX downward track, and, becoming a pickpocketfattained quite a I celebrity for the dexterity with which he cou d relieve the unt j suspecting of their valuables. Once started upon the dangerous plane of criminality the pace he travelled was a fast one, and the incidents of hh ife Tas^Slr'^'uf °^/'""^ adventures, 8uccess?ul ope ^ H« w!« r "^A^^^i^ poverty, and contiguous excitement. He was a spendthrift by nature and disposition. Having no idea of the value of money, it slipped through hs fingirs like Band He lived upon the best fare that could°be obtaS and m .,,1 Ik ' '' -^OmSIO^AL THIEVES AND THE BETECTIVES ecfnr"e*^gr:n:::„g^^^^^^ -ckles. in H3 wagers and been woithy^f a better ^08^%^'""'!?" '^«' woTld Ce as he called it. was upon'm ff^"'^^^' ^^«« his «Iuck« «^oney, which he would^Xrw^ds^^^^^^^ ^^^ large sums of and abandon of a prince. ' '^"^^^^^ ^it^ th? liberality ^c^^]^^::^ec.me quite noted as apicic this time that, in company with fi^f.''"^ .*"^ ^^^ ^as during service of the Provost GuLdhenVrff '• ^^?' '^^ entered hf ij^g m this capacity and HrltV^ ^"J^ ^'^ ^^e capital Act States soldiers, they Cld br 1?^,'^^ J^^ "'^iform of Unfted and various plices oflmusementt ^^ ^''" ^"'^ ^' the theaS ing very much crowdeTdurinf thl ^' '''^- ^«^hington bl country's existence, the thS« *^^« ^H^Po^tant period of tht during the opening hours Xnt^ ^f«'^^ Patronized and and jostJing each other S thei^'^elV'ff T7^' ""''^ P"«hing these soldier pickpockets reapedTnlS^f u^^'"" ^dmissiont riably escaped detection. ^ P^^ntiful harvest and inva' ^- W^ life, he left the ser- While m that city he becamlfn^ ? ^^^ ^^'^^ *<> P^iiladeJphil Watching for the arrival oT^ . •' '"^ * ^^''^ Pe«"liar S!" and selecting an indSLf frot Se"?* ^ ^^^'^°^°r« ^^ passengers, as a victim, he sZ r^L^T^u"'" °^ disembarkinl tentous-looking wallet wM„i?? '®"eved him of a rather nnr w »ch proved coiclusfvely that th«^ ; '"'^""'^"'^"^P^Pe^^^ reheved wasanaccredited^gento^^^^^^^^^ whom Kd We also found that manvof fhT^ ^ Southern Confederacv the individual himseTwould nrt'"T^''',^^^^« compromS United States. As fo'r monev a" ^h^'^l'^^^^^^ ^^^ue to hf sum scarcely worth menSS '^'' ^^ ^^^'^^^ ^^ a trifling l^etr^dX^;^^^^^^^^^^ Uouse. where he i^ad engaged auaiteri^^^^ ^ ^he La Piefra PROFESSIONAL THIEVES -AND THE DETECTIVES. 47 Procuring a badge and assuming an air of dignity and stern, oess, he was ushered into the presence of the scion of rebellion. Eepresenting himself as a detective in the Secret Service of tha Government, he informed the astonished Southerner that he must consider himself under arrest, at the same time givin- him LSr '"''"'''' ""^ ^''°''"' ^""^ ^' papers co^ kZm ^''TI ^u^ 2?°^"«i?^ of the poor victim was painful to behold and finally Papes, ip his governmental character, a-reed to settle the matter and allow his prisoner to esca^ upoS the payment of five thousand dollars, because, as he 8ta?er« ^ teas opposed to locking anybody up." * The offer was eagerly accepted and the money paid over a^er which Papes turned to the. much-relieved gentlemn, Td " You have bargained for your own safety, sir • nofc for tba overlie r P'P"' 'r^"P°° y^"- ThJ/muslTb urne^^ ThMl ^e^^/^^'^'^V?^ you must leave the city at once.'» This the chiva^ric Confederate promised to do, and' Panes re- the'wlJrthl'w^ anonymousfy forwarding 'the conS Tf fo»nrtn h« nf War Department, where they were afterwards Idons. "^ ' '''"''" *" '""^^ ^«'y important oper- Thus his life passed on until he reached the age of thirty years when he was smitten with the cnarms of a daughter o^ ^nnl^T^r^f 1^^" ''"^^^S in Cleveland, Ohlr John Connolly, familiarly knawn as "Old Jack Connolly."' For a o": o tLTof J^^^^ ^"«' three chilLnbemg born to them, of which the father appeared to be very fond he seemed to take a great interest in his household, prJvS liberally for his family, and furnishing his wife wfth S costly articles of jewellery and wearing Spparel ^ «orookeH''r«' ^r'r-""' ^i««ont"i»o his operations in the be absen? fi>m'hn ^^''r'^V"'^'" frequently compelled him to ations hP nl^ff T/^'.u "S^^^y P'"°^^' ^""^ numerous tempt- BU centJb Liiffp'^ *° *^' P;'"y *"^ «°™«^^«<^ lonely aLl ODon W n J. ' iT' '^^i" discovered evidences of infidelity hf« Sii I ^' ""^'^ '^"'"^ * separation. After this discovery his disposition underwent a chanee. and. iu«h«ad nf ZS-LrJ md eiijuyiug the comturts of home.' he becam"easorVof w^dS 48 PBOPESSIONAL THIEVES AND THE DETECTIVES. ing Arab, and soon was idenHftoH «,*k character, and with the cSXfTllr'*''^"' ^' * ^*««