The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-06-07
SHADOWING A CRIMINAL.
Interesting Interview with an Old Detective.
from the Cincinnati Enquirer.1

LONDON, April "a, 1s77.-In the
lounging-room of the Langham Hotel
last night, met Tim Golden, the New
York Detective. He is a grizzly chap,
with forid face, is slowly pulling up to
the fty-mile-stone in life's journey, and,
under the exterior of New York Z" thor
ough- bred,' conceals vast amount of
knowledge of human nature, and great
familiarity with things crooked. When
he gets his gold-rimmed glasses on the
bridge of his nose and crosses his legs
to read newspaper, he looks like
well-to-do-member of the Produce Ex-
change Mr.. Golden's recital of ex-
PLOTS in the detective line is fully as en-
tertaining as the yarns recorded in the
Arabian Nights and his stories, | am
led to believe, are far more veracious.
He has been over here since last Janu-
airy, hunting down Mr.. Thoms r. Lewis,
one of the skillful and methodical clerks
formerly in the employ of Rabbit, the
soap man, of New York. Rabbit, in adj
dition to his saponaceous trade, has eX-
tensive iron-works at Whitesboro, New
York, and is generally so much engaged
that he can't give personal attention to
his business, and, like the late Emperor
of France, intrusts his affairs to gentle
men celebrated for details. One Beck
with was Mr.. Rabbits soap cashier, and
Lewis was the head clerk. For a period
of five years these gentlemen systematic
cally plundered their employer, and dur
ing that time amassed the snug sum
of 100000. They had a system of false
entry and false vouchers which worked
beautifully. They did their stealing on
the shares, but subsequent events show
that Lewis, who commanded the cash
account, was fobblng, during a great
portion of this time, about 800 per day,
rendering no account to his estimable
partner. Mr.. Rabbits suspicious be-
ing aroused in 1872, he dismissed his
confidential friends from his employ
Some time afterward he discovered that
he had been badly treated, and COM
menced talking. Lewis, after his dis
missal, took his mistress and went to
Bridgeport, Conn. One of his acquaint-
ances in Rabbits employ, hearing of
the disclosures concerning the stealings,
warned him of impending danger, and,
stuffing a lot of papers in an old piano
one morning, he kissed his lady and
went wandering. Some time afterward
his mistress had occasion to examine
the papers in the piano, and found 49,
600 in the par bonds of western rail-
way company. These her provident
friend had purchased with the money
contributed by his employer The wom-
an sold a portion of the bonds and COM
menced high life. Up to the time of
amiS,c damn ba ba1 l;vol ,,poc+o,
tatiously, investing his money quietly in
stocks and bonds. He had as much as
$15O,OO0 at one time on depositin New
York bank. About a year after his flight
from Bridgeport he turned up at the
house of his mistress, and demanded his
bonds. Like thoughtful woman she
declined to surrender, and Lewis, in
great distress, slipped up to Vermont,
married a nice girl, and decamped for
Canada. At Quebec he took passage in
an Allen Line steamer. The detectives
were on his track, but could get no clew
beyond the fact that he had left the
country. This was in 1873. A full list
of the stocks and bonds issued by Lewis
was obtained by the detectives, and they
sat down to watch. Meanwhile, Beck
with was overhauled, tried, convicted.
and sentenced to ten years imprison-
ment. About year ago lot of rail
way bonds held by Lewis were sent
through the Lambeth Bank, of this city,
to New York to be sold. The detectives
got wind of them, and proceedings were
at once instituted to secure them for
Babbitt, on the ground that the money
which purchased them had been stolen
from him. This was slow process
Lewis's location had thus been made ap-
parent, and in January Mr.. Babbitt en-
ployed Golden to come over here and
run him down. Babbitt didn't care
much for the half million stolen from
him, you know. 1t was a matter OF
principle with him, and he told Golden
to expend $4,000, if necessary, to get
his man. Application was made to the
Police Board of New York City, in secret
session, for Golden's leave of absence
After adjournment one of the trouble
some press reporters picked up Bah
bits letter asking for Golden's leave,
and made note of it. One OF
Lewis's friends saw the paragraph
and cabled a "tipn to London,
whereupon Mr.. Lewis left the
metropolis. When Golden reached
here he obtained "fy-cop" from Scot
land Yard, and commenced to trace
his man. He found where he had lived
out in Kensington. The owner of the
house was barrister at the Temple, but
he could give no clew. A search was
made for the servants of the family, and
in time one was turned up. She said
that the man had departed before the
woman, and that the furniture had been
taken away in van belonging to the
South Coast Railuau Co,,,nanr ard Ii a