The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-07-08
Trapping a Rascal.

IL puDnCdllOH enUlJleu y mybJeIleS VI
New York"
People who live in the Bowery, or the
vicinity of Hester Street, or who have had
occasion to be much in that locality, will
probably remember hobbling old man,
somewhat lame, and supporting himself on
thick stick, who was often to be seen
there on Sundays, as well as on week days,
some two years ago. He was decently
dressed, but was only known as cold
Sam" He was supposed to live in New
Jersey, but no one precisely knew. He
was generally taken for farmer, or for a
resident in some little outlying place.
People called him also ELAINE Sam," and
whoever heard his ever quiet mode of
speaking, and saw the friendly smile that
was always lighting up his face, must have
taken him for very harmless man. And
whoever met him on Sunday wonding his
way to church with most devout aspect,
must assuredly have thought that he was
a very good old man, who was going thith-
er out of pure piety. tHo1
But elaine Sam" was very little of
saint on the contrary he was most arrant
sooundrel, who, to get money was capable
of any wickedness, and only went to
church for bad motives. In everything he
had dishonest object in view, and al
though he was generally considered as
good old man, he was in truth nothing
else than crafty, deceitful, scoundrel, and
| ha IN IF a
lar, and safe thief, named Crosby.
Sam had been running his evil course
for some years, and had systematically cir
culated counterfeit money wherever oc-
casion had guided him in his wanderings
a proceeding which was easy enough to
him with his seemingly honest face, and an
| aspect from which one would have thought
that he could not say "boo to goose"
And fortune favored him so well, and SO
long, that he succeeded in accumulating
a sum of money which enabled him to buy
a fine farm in Quakertown, which brought
him in handsome return.
Sam was always at work, for the circu-
lation of counterfeit money continued to
remain his sole occupation. But he con-
Quoted this vile business 80 cautiously, so
carefully, and under such pious air, that
it never occurred to any one to take him for
what he really was. And so, as he hob
bled about from place to place, he was al
ways the subject of friendly good word,
until one day the chief of the United States
detective police, Colonel Whitley, conceiv-
ed suspicion against him, and thus, the
man who had for SO many years been cheat
ing people with false money, began to be
watched.
AS before remarked, Sam always carried
thick stick, which, as he said, he could
not do without, because he was so lame,
that he therefore required strong support.
Wherever he was seen, wherever he went,
sitting or standing, he had the stick con-
stantly in his hand. He never let it 90
from him. But one day the thought oc-
CURED to the detective who was entrusted
thing more about that stick than at first
appeared, and he determined to come at
the truth of it.
About that time there was large num-
ber of counterfeit notes, of various denom-
nations, in circulation in New Jersey, and
down as far as Maryland. The detective
officer working under the assumed name of
Rugg, found out that Sam often paid Wis
its in that direction.
So the officer scraped an acquaintance
with Sam. At first, meeting him on the
road he would go with him, then he very
soon took a journey on the railroad with
him, and the two were constantly in bar
rooms and beer houses together. He drank
and gossiped with him, and thus the ac-
quaintance grew thicker, and at last on one
occasion Sam was observed TO pass coun-
terfeit ten dollar bill in hotel and soon
after to repeat the action in another house.
Now the officer was at work. Sam was
travelling about in New Jersey, but Rugg
was watching him unobserved and one
day just after Sam had come out of a hotel,
in country place, the detective went In
and asked whether Sam had spent any
money there.
eyes" answered the landlord, "tifty
cents. He Is an old miser-never stays
through the night" ln
"what money did he give you" asked
Rugg. mn N nm
"A ten dollar note"
May see It ?, ssrle.l r.
"Yes, here it is. answered the publi-
can, taking the note out of the till.
"The note is bad,'i Rugg quietly re-
marked. .l-f-