The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1872-12-20
M i s G elan eous
Detective Persons Queer Dream.

Said Detective Pierson, at was queer. :"
Detective Pierson was tall man, with
sharp features, and just the slightest tinge
OF a reddish moustache. He wore a suit of
dark blush clothes, and black hat in
his right hand was a slight orange tree
cane, and his left pulled somewhat nervous
ly at his moustache. Eyes, it was queer"
You see, the first information that he had
of there being any amount of counterfeit
money in the city was circular letter adj.
dressed to the Chief from New York, and
which stated that from certain information
received, gang had started for this CITY
with over $4,000 worth of fives and tens
This gang" was led by man who was
described to be about thirty years of age
stout built, dark eyes and hair, bushy side
whiskers, and with bad teeth, and the third
finger Of the left hand missing. On this
information we were obliged to work. 1t
was useless, we knew, to wait until their
presence was detected by the counterfeit
money afloat in the city, because by that
time, especially if the notes were we'll exc
cuted, they could have passed a sufficient
number satisfactorily, and would have left
All that was left for us was to trace the
gang at once and arrest them before they
had time to commence operations. To eff
feet this we had only the description ofthe
leader to work upon, the others were per-
tectly unknown to us, and we might have
passed them in the street any day.
So accordingly we watched around for
about two weeks without success, when in
formation came to us that q ten dollar coun-
terteit bill had been presented at one of our
banks, and so well was it executed that
even there it had been at first accepted as
genuine. | at once went to the bank and
was shown the note, it was perfect with
the exception that in one of the signatures
the usual flourish was wanting, appearing
blurred and indistinCt. The teller could
not remember whence it had been receiv-
ed and so that settled the matter.
Shortly afterwards was walking down
st. Charles street. when l was struck BIZ the
appearance of man standing on the cor
ner of Common. Why | was struck l do
not know; there was nothing cxtraordina-
ry in his appearance; he was stoutly built,
with black hair and eyes, and smooth
face ; yet, singular to relate--and there is
where the queer part comes in-I was pos
itively fascinated. do not know how it
can be, but it seemed exactly as if had
fallen in love with him, and was absolute
ly insane. | at once determined to find out
who he was, and crossed over There whs
one or two Of the boys standing at the con-
ner, and spoke to them.
The stranger was standing with his hand
thrown carelessly over the letter-boX, and
noticed in a cursory manner, that on his
left hand he wore a glove. This APP
ptared strange, as it was summer, but might
be accident. | asked who he was, and was
told bis name was STEINER" from Cincim-
natl, and was introduced. | thought he
started a little at the mention of my maine,
but he quickly recovered and smiled. |
noticed that he had beautiful teeth, and
, they were white us ivory.
1nterchanging few words l left, and
walking up to the central office was occu-
pied in various business until late at night
when | went home. 1t was about ~
o'clock, and | undressed and laid down,
shortly falling into u dose Suddenly it
seemed to me as if | was standing on st.
Charles street with Steiner and he invited
me to his room in the hotel. | went, and
he quickly changed. He was short, stout
mar, with dark eyes and hair, had bushy
whiskers bad teeth, and the third finger on
his left hand was missing. In my dream
it seemed as ifI looked steadily at him and
he at me- grappled with him, and we
clutched and fell, his hand was ON my
throat, and | woke. 1t was dream, but
a singular one. Somehow detectives are
used to singular means and ends, and will
honestly say that | then believed in my
mind that Steiner was the leader of the