The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-08-12
POETRY.
[From the New York Evening Post.l
Adventures Of q Detective.
HOW A RAILROAD TRUNK RoBBER WAS
TRACKED AND CAPTURED.

HOW A RAILROAD TRUNK RoBBER WAe
TRACKED AND CAPTURED
Many years ago, whep western Iallroau
travelling was not the safest in the woii y.
and when all moneys due from the Las son ~
payment for western produce had 10 NC PC. for
u cash by the mails, there occalred, NO. in
from Chicago each time several acciu ond
consequence OF trains being thrown ~ Tho
the bags robbed TO very large an 1 ,u;,h;n civ
first of these accidents happeneSI ms oansod
miles of the "Garden City, anu We: ~.
hv the Micbigan Southern running lnto tne
I1;nois Genital mail train, II remember
r;nhtIv stri<I,g it at right angles, and not on
~ scntiino if into two parts, but making COM
n,ete wreck of both trains. The loss in ey-
erv wav was large, and the conductor and
engine er were killed on the spot-the former
living with his face upwards close to the mail
car0which it was afterward discovered bad
had been forced open and the gold aud silver
it contained carried off. Mr.. Pinkerton, the
great western detective, who was then begin
ming ole OF the most remarkable and success
ful careers known to police history, was sent
for to investigate the robbery, and he discov-
cred upon the face of the dead conductor of
the train the imprint of a nail head such as
was ususally worn by English laborers in the
soles OF their heavy boots. He then exam
med the ground, and was lucky enough to
md complete imprint of the sole of the
lett boot, containing double row OF nails, all
OF which were exactly like that on the con-
ductors. He made also another important
discovery-that there were three nails want
ing in the impress on the earth, showing that
three were also wanting on the sole OF the
DOT that made it.
Mr.. Pinkerton's theory so far was this
that the robber was in so great hurry to
force open the mail car that he set his left
foot upon the face of the dead man without
knowing it, and thinking no doubt that it
rested on the earth; and that one of the
nails-"hob-nails" he called them-having
started from the leather, was more prominent
than the rest, and so left its mark behind it,
and with it secret clue for the detective.
Unfortunately before P,nkerton came on the
ground there had been so many people about
that the earth was trodden down hard in the
neghborhood of the calamity, and he had no
chance of tracing the hobnailed boot, and
discovering its owner.
He made some important discoveries, how
ever, during this difficult investigation. He
had found out that the robber, whoever he
was. wore boots nailed with hob-nails in a
peculiar form around the soles, with three
nails missing; and that the boots were of
English make, and the wearer of them was,
therefore probably an Enelishman, and that
the lett boot had made the impression on the
face OF the dead conductor and on the ground.
This was all the clue he had to the robber-
but meagre as it was he did not despair of
hunting down his quarry. He did not be.
lieve, however, that the collision of the trains
was purposely caused, but that it was an &C
cident and that the robbery was sudden
evil inspiration on the part of the robber.
Eighteen months passed away, and Pinker-
ton, although always more or less on the
watch, lad wellnieh forgotten the hob-naiIed
boots, when one fine morning he received a
Geographic dispatch which summoned him to
another accident which had Just happened
on the same railroad, within twelve miles of
the city OF Chicago. On his arrival he found
a great concourse OF persons, officers and
men, and passengers about the wreck, and he
Immediately ordered rope to be payed out
and guarded by the company's servants while
he made an examination of the ground, and
a search for the hob-naiIed boots, if by an,
chance they might figure upon this scene also
He first examined the locality where the OBJ
struction was placed that overthrow the train
and, to his great joy and surprise, there was
the old boot mark with the many hobnails
and full impression also of the right boot
OF course he said nothing but began to make
detours in all directions to see if he could
pick up the reireating trail. He thought ii
most likely the man would 90 boldly towards
the village after he had laid his trap, and so he
hastened on till he came to bit OF grass
leading to the main road Oh the heights
above. Here he stumbled upon the footmark
once more, and proceeding right and left up
on line with this discovery, he found the ad-
vaDcing foot too. The grass, however. threw
him off all further trail, but he had proved
that the same man who had hand in the
previous ROBBERY had planned the present dis
aster also; and better still, that he came from
and returned to the village. Owing to some
accident elsewhere this train was late by sew
eral hours 1t was an early morning train.
and the dosing clearly was to throw it off the
lines and rob the mails, but it was defeated
Mr.. Pinkerton remained privately in the
VILLAGE, putting up at the chief hotel and pass
ing for salesman of dry goods, for several
weeks, making observations and notes. He
soon knew everybody in the place, and had
not been there but a week before he began to
suspect man who was then absent. but who
when In town, stopped at the hotel where he
then lodged. A short time afterwards he re
turned, and Pinkerton found that he was an
Englishman and began to look for his cloyen
foot. But he did not wear it at the time be
was introduced to him and PInkerton reason
ed that such boots as those hob nailed ones
could only be in requistion in wet or dirty
weather, and he began to pray that it might
rain. He kept severe and close watch upon
the Englishman, and followed him ALWAYS
when he could do so without detection.
A fortnight passed away, and the English
man began to exhibit signs of great unessi-
ness and unrest. He was always going ont at
night and Pinkerton was always following
him, and his face was ALWAYS turned towards
the railroad, upon which he was sure to de-
scend, and make examinations of the road
nd holt
the village.
One day he had received some letters from
New York, and Pinkham watched him more
closely than usual. About quarter of
mile from the village was the graveyard, on
NIL which commanded the railroad. and at
dark the EngIshman set out toward this wild
and romantic spot, and PInkertOn after him
The night was cloudy, but every now and
then the moon broke out and lighted up the
lovely scenery. To Pinkerton's amazement,
ne cllmed the fence of the graveyard, and sat
snere looking towards the village, so that bis
shadow" had to hide himself. Presently he
jumped on grave, and strobe along toward
the middle OF the cemetery, with Pinkerton
sui alter him, but lodging behind the trees
and gravestones. He could hear him mutter
ing 10 himself and occasionally talking aloud
and he stole up to him as near as he darad
and managed at last to creep into a vanIted
grave close 20 him, one OF the side slabs n,
winch had fallen down. The dew was heavv
anu Tie grass SO surcharged with it that he
was wei u rough; but he kept on listening.
a qua nnahv MADE out that he was recitine a
occasionally gesticuating wildly 10 the mo "mu
was the man mad? What remorse had
brought him here to- vent itself in the terr;hI o
,na dreadful lines Of Manfred? At LENGTH he
rev OUT DIS watch and tried to make ont tn
ime. w '1"Ae out the
linen he jumped over the fence and van
lown to the railroad. He was evidentir -. aah
hg for somebody. For whoma Tine v ""i
now perhaps, for Plnkerton still tnnouod
nm: once he lost sight of hmm, Thar Ha
, Gmoieu ne heard yocies, and b-irred In the
~ be oa,p wme , tne sounds proceeded-and
nan 1as I ra,, upoA taeh' he found that his
nd tba roo ,er v A'h' :. So he skulked again,
Here he Ts m mt over to the chnrch-yard.
Nhs, .oped several times and listened.
another trap tor the overthrow of another
train? 1t was dreadful thought; and as it
struck him the due train was heard in the
distance. On it came, and no one TO warn
he engineer OF the possible danger. In an
)tber moment 1t rushed past them, and went
Numbering on in the darkness. Then with
all his soul in his ears did the detective listen
crash every moment. But it was
not to be. The man watched it as it fed
past, and then turned towards the village and
Fullerton followed him back to the hotel.
He was all the time in secret conference with
the "perintendent of the railroad, who lived
hard by.
Inc next day when Pinkerton called on
him he showed him letter which he had re.
,eived from some one who said he knew the
rang that bad thrown the last train over
md that they wanted to get him to Join them
their object being to cause more accidents"
before long. BE offered, for consideration.