The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-10-17
DIARY LONDON DETECTIVE.
One Might i'm n G a mbIing- III Ouse.
BY NEx-PoLicE OFFICER.


A little more than year after the period
when adverse circumstances-chiefy the result
of my Ieckl ;ss folles-compelled me to enter
the ranks OF the Metropolitan Police. as the sole
means left ME Of procuring food and raiment,th
attention of one of the principal chiefs OF the
force was attracted towards me by the ingen1i-
ty and boldness, which was supposed to have
manifested in hitting upon and unraveling a
clue, %RcfN6ltimately led TO the detection and
pun ent of the perpetrators of an artistical-
ly contrf%ed fraud upon an eminent tradesman
of the west end of London. The chief sent for
me-and after somewhat heightened converse
ton, not only expressing admiration of my con-
duct in the particular matter under discussion
but limited that he might shortly need my ser
vice in some other affairs requiring intelligence
and resolution.
II think have met you before, :" he remarked
with meaning SMILE embarrassing me, ''when
you occupieda different position from your pres
ent one Do not alarm yourselt-I have no wish
to ply unnecessarily into other mems secrets
Waters is a.name common enough in all ranks
'Qf society, and | may, you know"-here the cold
smile deepened into an lronical expression--"b
mistaken. Vat all events, the testimony OF the
-gentsman whose recommendation obtained
yShr admission to the force-I have 10 ked in
to the matter since heard of your behavior in
the late business is sufficient guarantee that
hYthing more serious than imprudencc and folly
cain be laid to your charge have neither right
nor inclination to inquire further. To- morrow,
in all probability shall send for you
l came to the conclusion, as | walked home
wards, that the chief s intlmaion of having pre-
Viously met me in another sphere of life was
random and unfounded az | hal seldom
visited London in my prosperous days, and still
more rarely ming led i'll its society. My wife,
however, to whom |, OF course, related the sub
stance of the conversation, reminded me that he
had once been At Doncaster during the races
and suggested that he might possibly have seen
me there. This was sufficiently probable ex-
PLANTATION of The hnt-but whether the correct
one or not, / cannot decide, as he never after.
wards alluded TO the subject, and had not the
slightest wish to renew 1t.
Three days elapsed before l received the ex-
pected summons. On waiting on nm. was
agreeably startled to find thar l was TO be at
once employed OH mission which he most san
guine aud experienced detective officers would
have felt hOnored to under rake.
Here is a writsen desert ption of the persons
of this gang OF blackteg swindlers and forgers,
concluded the commissioner, summing up his In
structons. ut will be your object to discover
their private haunts, and secure legal evidence
of thei1 notorious practices. We have beed
hitherto baffled, principally, l think, through
the too hasty zeal of the officers employec--you
must especially avoid that error. They are
practiced scoundrels and it requires consider
able practice, as well as acumen to unkennel
and bring them to justice. One of their more
recent victims is young man Mr.. Meaton, son
by former marriage, of the Dowager Lady
Eeverton. Her ladyshlp has applied to us to ex-
tricate him from the tolls Ill " Inch he is meshed
You will call on her at five o'clock this alter
noon-in plain clothes of course-and obtain
whatever information on the subject she may be
abe to afford. Remember TO communical d.
rectiy with me-and any assistance you may re-
quire shall be promptly rendered.
With these and few other minor directions
needless, to recapitulate. was dismissed TO a
task which, difficult and possibly periicus as il
might prove, l hailed rs delightful relief from
the weary mouotuny aud dull roUan6 O. orcI'
nary duty.
l fastened home. and after dressing with
great care-the best part OF my wardrobe had
been fortunately saved by Emily from tle wreck
of my toiture-I proceeded to Lady Evertons
mansion. was Immediately marshailcd TO the
drawing room. where found her ladyship and
her daughter-a beautiful fair looking girl
awaiting my arrival. Lady Everton appeared
greatly surprised at my appearance, differing,
as dare say it altogether did, from her abstract
idea OF a policeman however attired or DISCUS
ed-and 1t was not until she had perused the
note of which | was the bearer, that her haugh'
ty and incredulous stare became mttlSated 10 a
glance oil lofty condescendent civilty.
BE seated, Mr. Waters" said her ladyshlp,
waving me chair. ''This note informs me that
you have been selected for the duty OF endeaV-
oring to exsricate my son from the perllous EN-
tangements in which he has unhappily inVolv-
ed hims elf"
l was about to repls-for was silly enough
to be somewhat netted at the noble lady s
haughtiness of manner-that | was engaged III
the pubic service OF extirpating gang ot swlna-
lers with whom her son had involved himself,
aud was there to procure from her ladyshlp any
Information she might be possessed OF lReS u
forward so desirable a result-but, fortunately
the remembrance OF my actual position, spite OF
my gentleman's attire, flashed wildly upon my
mlnd and instead OF permitting my giio tongue
to wag irrevereutly in the presence ot righ'
honorable, l bowed with deterential acquies-
cence.
Her ladyship proceeded, and |, in substance,
received the following Information -
MIR. Charles Merton, during the few months
which had elapsed, had very literally fallen
amongst thieves" & passion for gambling
seemed to have taken e"tire possession OF MS
being; and almost every day, as well as night
of his haggard, teveIisl life, was spent al play
A run of i'll luck, according to his own oelel-
but in very truth run Of downright roDoei J
had set in against him, and he had, not only
dissipated all the ready money which he had III
heIited and tn large sums '. hich the foolish III
diligence of hi lady mother had supplied MN
but has invo yea himself i'll bonds, bills and oth-
er obligations, to filghtul amount The prin
cipal agent in effecting this ruin was one San
f,,rd IA In dash exterior
and the presiding spirit of The desperadoes whom
was commissioned to tind cut Strange to say
Mr. Merton had the bllndest reliance upon this
man of honor and even now-trlcked ,deSpoll-
ed as he had been by hun and his gang-reliee
on his council and assistance for his escape
from the desperate position III which be was IN
volved.
The Everton estates had passed, in default o
male issue to distant relative Of the late lord
SO that ruin, absolute and irredeemaUle, staret
both the wretched dupe and his relatives III the
face. Lady Everton' IS jointure was not very
large one, and her son had been permitted u
squander sums which should nave been devoted
10 the discha ge Of some claims which were nov
pressed harshly against her.
| l listened with the deepest interest to Lady
Evertons narrative. Repeatedly during th'
course OF it, as she accidentally alluded 10 tn'
manner and appearance of Sanford, who na(
been introduced by Mr.. Merton to his mothe
and sister, suspicion, which the police paper
had first awakened, that the gentleman Ill ques
| ton was an old acquaintance of mine, and one
moreover, whose tavors l was extremely desl
rous to return i'll kind, flashed with increased
conviction across my mind. This surnise 10
course, kept to myselt-and after emPhaucall.
cautioning the ladies to keep our proceeding
a profound secret from Mr.. Merton, l took m
leave, amply provided with the resources re
quislte tor rying into effect the scheme ma
resolved upon. l also arranged that, lnSteau {
waiting personally on her ladyship, which mgr
excite observation and suspicion, l should re
port my progress by letter through the post
1T it should be ne ~ thought l, as emerge
into the street. The bare suspicion had ser
The blood through my VEINS with furious VIC
leuce. If this SANFORD be, as / suspect tina
viilan Cordau, will indeed be triumph-victory
. Lady Everton need not, in that case seek to an
mate my zeal by promise of money recompens'
' A bhghted exiteuce, young and gentle wife |,
: MS means east down from opuleuce 10 sorui
! ha0OarI Wouid stimulate the dnllest craven TIL