, 1874-07-26
JOHN ALLEN,
The Last Operation of This Individual
In Chicago

The Last Operation of This Individual
| In Chicago.
Is there my one within d radius Of ten miles,
| with The TR1gUSK office ns centre OF the circle,
! who does not know John Allen. the wickedest
| man in Chicago-the moss careless, racy-going,
cool, confidential, Rip Van Wiukhsh youth in
| the city, whose my1iad Of small crimes earned
| for him long ago the narno which properly be-
longs to the pre-eminently bad man OF the City
OF New York; Under this oodearing sobriquet
this promising youth, for yeazs past, has been
the occasional vsitaut OF every Office in the city.
Banking, commercial, real-estate, brokering-
oficcs-public aud private OF all kiuds-were
open to him. and he used his privilege bountiful-
ly and without restraint. His first appearance
1T an office which had not yet had the pleasure
OF call, And where be wus not known by repu-
tatIon. wss not often signalized By an extremely
warm reception, especially when. Is pre1inina-
~ measure to better acquaintance, he handed
forth ono Of his cards printed John Allen,
wickedest man in Chicago" Az the ablest rep
resentative in tho city OF vice itself, it
il not strsnge that. With the subtle charm Of
his bland smile and fascinating conversation
and the most insinuasing life-nsurance man in
the city was child to him in either quality OF
quantity OF conversation-he should never fail
to make himself first endured, then pitied,
then embraced by the person round whom he
spread his tolls. He wns gentle, gliding spirit,
moving even over tile floors With SO noiseless
step that the most acute observer failed
10 hoar bis coming, aud only because
aware OF it when tho wlckcdast mans
shadow fell upon his table, and looking
up ho was greeted with the wlckedest mans
benignest smile. Even city elitols ears, atsun-
oc+ir fr>1 1iIf, hnfY
tho ponderous footstep of the chronic bore, the
nervous shuttle Of the -pasB-begga1, the
tiuid patter Of the amateur poetess dainty feet,
and the awkward hobola Of the rustic Junius
who only wants an opportunity to eclipse Cree
Iey have failed to catch the sound Of Johns ap-
proach until be MAS 80 near at hand that escape
Was hopeless. He never staid less than an hour,
and never left with less than pass for
three, and his appearance ut newspaper
Office was 30 demoralizing to the staff that it was
IN hour after hls departure before tho boys
could settle down TO grinding forth copy. And
thus John Allen grew into an institution AZ well
known Us John Wentworth or tho shot-tower
an Clinton street. and it looked as though Le
4 nuisance Is our big ilres.
This was not to be. however. One fine day
JOHN ALLEN DISAPPEARED.
But one soul knew OF hlz departuro.-hia Land
Iadr.-who, up to that day. a fe~ days atttr oven,
had placed implicit confidence IN tim as q
Young man Of engaging m.nner, very
pleasing conversation, remarkably cap
tirat.ug smile, but rather apt to be
behuuhand with bis board bill. On tte day Of his
departure John Allan, III his usual confidential
vay, asked his 1anolad5's opinlon--he always
respected her judgment higher than Ill other
upon the subject Of bis trunks leather covering.
DID she think it needed repalr7 It certainly
dld. Ten years service, during which it had
tiye times been lowered from the top story OF g
holel between midnight snd o'clock in the
morning. falling once distance OF thirty feet on
account Of the rupture OF the handle 70 which the
oiothes-1lDe was attached, had left their mark
upon the leather cover in very ugly scratches
and obt1nslve rents through which the wood
no1k pso1udsd- Tbs landlady gave 1t ~ har