Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-10
Collins and the Detectives.

snccumbed to the sell of the period the eye
that ais always open" has been found unable
To sec through milestone with hole in it
those who "work for no contingent rewards
bite easily at the fool-fsher's hook; forty
wears experience in the detective business
has not taught Allen Pinkerton that all the
fools are not dead vet. The public may be
surprised, but the Pinkerton detective agen-
cy has been sadly taken in. On Wednesday
afternoon, commissionaire stepped hurried
| " into the Office of Mr.. Frank Warner, su-
perintendent of the Pinkerton detective
agcney, and, receiving receipt, handed that
gen leman note, which was signed by the
alias of well-known thief in this city, and
read as follows Mr.. Pinkerton-"a Pal of
that Man Roberts, who gougged Them r. r.
bonds in New York is in This City to my
certing knowledge: he Has bin Here several
| Times, don't no what He is up to but think
he Has got his peeper on some Plumber. lie
| goes by the Name of Tom Collins don't no
where He is now but guess You can find
| Him. Mr.. Warner tucked the note into a
| pigeon hole labeled Immediate" gave or
ders to hold all detectives who came during
his absence till his return, seized his hat,
and started for telegraph Office, where he
sent a message to Mr.. Robert Pinkerton in
New York, asking for warrant and extra
dition papers for the arrest of a certain bond
forger who has been an object of intense in
terest to the Pinkerton family for some time
past Seeing his message off, Mr. Warner
returned to his Office, found halfa dozen men
waiting for him, and detailed them TO scour
the city for man giving the name of ''Tom
Collins. whom they should shadow till fur
ther orders, and arrest at all hazard if he
attempted to escape. The detectives went
out; Mr.. Warner followed them, intending
to put his own experience and astuteness TO
the task. During his absence, Mr.. Allen
Pinkerton. who mas been devotIng his whole
attention to the abolition reunion for some
days, came into the Office, and in looking
over the papers in Mr.. Warmers desk came
across this one
Tapping his bell he asked the porter who
responded if ''any of the boys were in
Mr.. is here, sir answered the
porter
''Send him in"
Mr. - is gentleman connected with
the New York department, who has been in
Chicago for several DAYS in search, it Is sup
posed, Of "A prominent criminal. lie came
in.
MIR. -," said Mr. Pinkerton hurried
ly. we've got important information con
cerning another of those bond forgerS.
think we can get him W ithout trouble, with
the clue have here He is stopping at some
hotel under the name Of Tom Collins
Ill gasped Mr. . "do you think
I'm id fool 80
''Sir. roared the famous detective sir
hat do you mean ?''
II mean that you can't getany such game
on me. DO You take me for 4 chicken"
The chief looked at his subordinate with
an expression in his eve that used to he COM
mon. but is seldom seen there nowadays,
hut he said not word lie waited for the
subordinate to say something. and that
something was uttered in thi. wise
"Nou certainly must be joking. Mr.. Pin
kerton, but have had that sell played on
me once before.
What sell 2' shouted the man who had
charge Of the Unted States secret service
during the war, and Is writing q book on
Defective Science. " What sell ~
why, that Tom Collins sell
And then came explanations, a,d after
- ft'istiiati'llN Il wv III uuA tudElll- liis
Warner came in. Mr.. Warmers face wa
very much flushed, and manner very nervous.
His benign countenance wore an expression
Of ahiect humility. lie had bitten the
iool-iisher'S hook had pierced through his
sclf-esteem. Mr.. Pinkerton very eoolly pre-
-ented the letter to Mr.. Warner. and said .-
ado You not know. Mr.. Warner, after
your long association with me, that do not
countenance such trihins as this Are you
aware. sir. that You have placed me in q
very false and embarrassing position ?''
Mr.. Warner could not say a word be
wiped the moisture from his forehead, took
a sip of ice water, and sat down. He did
not reply for some moments, but when he
did, he framed his uttcrance in these
WORDS
we are sold-al of us They told me
At the hotel this same game had been going
ON for two weeks or more.
The men came in, one after one" BIZ
Pinkerton last. the man worst sold, and the
man who, above all others prileS himself
on his intense sharpness. Nobody could say
anything. and it was mutually agreed upon
t. keep the matter quict-''leSt 1t get into
the papers, said Billy Billy Is now look
ing for the commis~ionairc who brought
that letter
Bob has been telegrapheI that tho>e
papers will not be wanted Here endeth
the last lesson Mr. Pinkerton now knows
that the fools are no; all dead yet h'-a-
0l r..