Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-01-10
s-OLD SAM
And How a Detective Found Him Ont
TFrom the DARK Side OF New York IifeI

occasion 10 be much IN that locality, will prob
sbly remember hobbhng old man. somewhat
lame, ana supporting himself on a thick stick
Who was often 10 be seen there on SUNDAYS, as
well as week days, some two years ago. He was
1ecently dressed, but was only known as ''Old
sam lie was supposed TO live in New Jersey,
cut no one precisely knew. He was generally
taken iOr farmer, or for a resident in some lit
tie outlying place; People called him also
ELAINE sam" and whoever heard his quiet mode
OF speaking, and saw the friendly smile that
was always lighting up his face, must have
taken him for a very haI nlless man. And who
ever met him on SUNDAY, vending his way TO
church with a most deyOIt aspect, must have
assurtdly thought that he was a very good Old
nan, who was gong thtther out OF pure piety.
But elaine Sam was very little OF saint; on
the contrary, he was "A most arrant ScOundrel
who, to get money, was capable of any wicked
ness ami only went 20 church for bal motives.
In everything be ala he had a dishonest object
"a view, and, although hs was generally con, id
cred a a good Old man, he wa~, in truth, nOth-
ing else than crafty, decelttu scOundrel, and
the COuted crate OF "A notorious fUTgeT, burglar,
aud sale thief, named Crosby.
sam lad been running fis evil course for
some year.. and had Systematically circulated
counterfeit money wherever occasion had
guided Rim ia his wand-Tjngs-a proceeding
which vl> easy enough for him with his seem
iIgiF EUf est face, and an aspect from which
one wVT.i have thought that lie CJuid not say
. boo 20 q Ecos-' Aud fortune favored him -
wci! AMI - long that he succeeded ~ aCCumu-
lstiUg sum Jt money winch enabled him 70
buy tine farm in CUakCTtcwH, which brOaght
ann In handsome return.
sam always at work, for the circulation
Of counterfeit MONEY continued TO remain his
sole occupation. But he conducted this vile
business 80 cautiously, crafty, and under
such PioUs air, that II never occurred TO any
one 10 take him Tor what he really WAS. And so,
a. he hObblcd about from place to place. he
was always the subject OF a friendly good word,
until one day the chief OF the United States de-
tectiVe ponce, Col. Whitley, conceived sus-
piciOn against him, aud thus the man who had
.yr 30 many years been cheating people with
false money began to be watched.
AS before remarked, Sam always carried a
thick stick, which, as he said, he could not do
without, because he WAS 50 lame, that he there
fore required strong support. Wherever he
was seen, wherever he went, sitting or standing,
he had the stick constantly in ms hand. He
never let It go from him. But, one day, the
thought occurred to the dst' ctive who was en-
trusted with the case, that there must be some
thing more about that stick than at first APP
peared. and he determined 10 come at the truth
OF 10.
About that time there was a large number OF
counterfeit notes OF various denominations in
circulation in New Jersey, and down as Tar as
Narylani. The detective officer, working under
tue assumed name OF Rugg, found out that sam
often paid visits in that direction
80 the OthCeT sCraped an acquaintance with
Sam. At inst, meeting him on the road, he
would 20 with him. then he very soon took a
journey on the railroad with lin, and the two
were constantly in baT-ToOm- and beer houses
together He drank and .5r--iped with him, and
thus the acquaintance grew thicker; at last on
one occasion sam Wa observed 70 pass conn
tsrfGit ten dollar bill! IA hotel, and soon alter
10 repeat the action IN another house.
Now the Of ger went Il work. ) lm was trav-
cling atcuJlu New Jersey but Rugg wd> watch
ing bIEl uHobseTyed; tri, one day Just after
SAN had come ont 81 . nt1si in "a county piece,
tue detective went IN and a-hei wut Their sam
mad spent any money there.
yes. answered the landlord, ''uity cents
He - "a old miseE-UsSer stays through Ihs.
night"
What money did he give yol'.' asked Eugs.
4 ten dollar note.
MAY [ iL.'''
EYES, here It L., - answered the publican. tax
.rs the note out OF fl- tli.
The note Is bad. EIgs quietly rem lrkCt.
The devil ~ is ,-il.i the host.
Nothing but a CO lIEesteit, my friend, Not
worth a cent"
..Damn it, shouted the publican. AMI he
burst into a torrent OF Oatu-. But EIgg whit So
Yrred 10 HIM, "NOw be quiet. frIenI. [ am a
detective. Leave the rest t. me AMI take care
OF the note TIL / Te,uru.'
Upon this kUgg left him, and going on the
road after sam, soon overlook him.
sam had Just come out of a store upon whose
proprietor he had played a similar gans.
My daughter said he as be went ia, ''a-yad
me 70 get her three yards OF calico. Have you
anything good in that way
''ies. answered the st1rekeepeT.
How much is { yard
Twenty cents
ais not that 8 little dear
no; on the contrary you will not yet 1t a:
cheap anywhere else"
Well, then give me three yards" sam took
q, paid for II with another bogus ten-dollar bill
and left the store with his calico .sfor his daugh-
ter and nine dollars and forty cents OF gOOI
money in his pocket.
Meanwhile Rugg had altered his dress. beard
and hat, 30 that he Clu.d not recognize him
lie also as he fell into Sans Toai, feigned u
De somewhat intoxicated.
=. How are you getting along, old fellow >,
s.,u ~, lsugg, IN a ;tammeTins voice. Where
Sam stopped. Trey gOssiped for a little while
and then went of together.
Rsgg asked San what he had in his littl,
tNaNHF "a
Just bought in that SORE said sam lOokinc
backward at the place. Upon which Rugg sud.
denly remembered that be had TO take som;
needles and thread 70 his % old woman" He
took good ten-dOlIar bill out OF his pocket and
asked Sam if he could not change il. sam
gladly seized such good opportunity to q
business AMI lie gave Rugg two counterfeit
lNe-uOAAI bills, Tor, thJus ht hs, the fellow
good one.
Rugg now begged sam 10 20 to the s.ora with
M 'heh IHSy "udid 10 on together and. as
time, Sans stick.
What a curious sticL, 90 he stammered And
% wing DC took II out OF Sans hand looked
AZ IL on all sides and examined il 10 see III inc
!ai &c tOl ui.'creWsd. IL did, he screwed il OH,
ana found that Inside a string WAS fastened
sam Was now on thOrus, but he was a cI1nuiuy
ieIiO" and knew how to control himself
hugg pulled out the string which had a knot
~ VIC loneI sndl and cut Iell little roll of
DanAhstes- lie pulled again, another little roll
zen out, anu then another, till altogether there
were twelve rolls OF i've aui ten dollar bills
kGggl who stlll pretended to be dru 1k
laughed aloud apparently at the quantity OF
money he had pulled out; while sam WAS con
founded and hardly knew what to saw
hSilO' you are rlcL, Old fellow, very rich, -
cried kugg. @'
sam collected his notes together again.
DO you think they are good ones ASKED
Sam, soon recovering himself.
husg looked at the notes and replied:-ssYes
indeed. they are all good, while he had no.
uced AZ a glance that they were all new cOun-
teIielts OF the Kind most recently put in circu-
lstIOn.
e IL Is curious" said Sam; 81 have carried
mat STICK more than twenty wears. IL be-
iOHged once to ms father, who Is dead, and
never IN my life knew that the head would un-
twenty years. stammered Rugg: HauI
on nave had II all the time"
on" 49, VI my P'Sses-
=" " seems to me, remark d Ruyg, still fsis
printed at that Iirue2' 0'
Ihat vas delicate question; bu, sam wen.
on AZ II be dii not hear IL; and when he had
gathered together all his notes, be said:-.sYon
wanted 10 10 and buy something in the store.
let US 90 and do it, and then VIC will move along
together
e So We will" said Ragy, mixing aa fort "a
stand on hrs legs.
30 they went 20 tie store.
49, 81