Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-11-21
THE DETECTIVES OATH.

being tried for burglary.
There was but little doubt Of their
guilt; but they had secured excellent
legal services, the actual evidence against
them was very slender, and there was
every promise of their being acquitted,
when the prosecuting attorney suddenly
called as a witness for the State, the
name of Patrick Harnden, the mere men
ton of which caused an abrupt and
striking overshadowing of the criminals
prospect.
They both lost CONFERENCE.-The
counsel looked black; and as the bearer
of the namc-a powerful, well knit young
man, with a pale face, an iron jaw, and a
stern. relentless eye-stepped upon the
stand, and IN hard tones and simple
language, gave the evidence that secured
their conviction beyond doubt, they
turned white with terror, and trembled as
though confronted with a ghostly
Nemesis of all their crimes, and bark
ening to the accusing words of Fate
Itself:
"These men are professional thieves
they are guilty of this particular charge
for which they are now on trial, as my
evidence will prove; and they are the last
of the Silver Gang, the members of which
I have haunted, tracked, Swallowed, and
bounded down, one by one, for years."
Such was the opening sentence of wit
ness Harnden's testimony, which, IN ad-
dition to securing that particular con-
viction, displayed throughout certain
sleuth hound tendency and deadliness
Of purpose on the part of the speaker
that was quite remarkable.
After the prisoners had been sentenced
to heavy penalties, McArdie. the veteran
whispered in my ear:
81 knew it was all up with those fel,
lows as soon as Harnden took the stand.
Did you notice the crushing effect of his
mere presence upon them? He is the
bette nOire, the incubus, the haunting,
nightmare phantom of their tribe
"What is he? A detective like your
self9n
'Something of the sort, though he has
been hunting down This especial Silver
Gang of thieves, about the last of whom
have Just been disposed of, more out of
revengeful hatred than for pay. He is
converted into one who has proved their
retributive and pursuing Nemesis. Some
time 1 will tell you his story, if you
would like TO hear it,
expressed my ardent desire to that
effect, and not long thereafter he told me
the story, very much as follows:
"Patrick Harnden was about finishing
his apprenticeship at brass finishing
and was sober, industrious and prom
lslng young man. when he became at
tached to pretty shoplifter, namnd Jen,
ny Brettle, and then went downward un-
til he landed in her profession. 1 am
bound to confess that they agreed well
together, and chung TO each other, through
thick and thin with an affection and de-
yotion that have seldom seen equaled
Still, they were only thieves, and Jenny,
as thief's wife, was, perhaps not great
~ better than she had been before; she
was faithful to him, and that was all
'They were identified with the Silver
Gang, an associated band of robbers, who
were just then becoming UNANIMOUSLY
notorious under the mysterious direc-
ton of Monteith, clever rascal, who &C
quired immense influence over them
through the uniform success of his
schemes, and was, strange to say, almost
as much ola mystery to his criminal
subordinates as to to the police and those
upon whom their depredations were
committed. He only communicated
with them under various DISCUSSES. Not
one of them at that time knew who he
was, what was his real name, occupation,
or even probable age; but as each of the
Silver Gang $50 named from one of Its
specialties of robbing wealthy houses of
their silver service plate) was under a
terrible oath not to pry into things that
did not concern him, and as it was to
their interest to keep the oath, the iden-
tity of the "major," as he was called, re-
manned secure.
'sTo make long story short, Harnden
tell under the displeasure of this myster-
Gus leader, through dispute concerning
the division of the spoil, and was mark
ed for summary punishment. The Ma
jor put up a job on him, and then betray-
ed him into the hands of the police
doubtless under the supposition that he
would be effectually disposed of by being
sent up for a term of fifteen or twenty
years. But the entrapped man got only
twelve months, by pleading guilty, and
then after swearing vengeance against
the man who betrayed HIM, bidding an
affectionate farewell to his wife and
child, and solemnly promising the Judge
who sentenced him that he would come
out of prison a reformed and altered
man, prepared to undergo his punish
ment with philosophical cheerfulness.
I was present at his last interview with
his wife and child, and it was very af-
fecting.
Good by and God bless you, Jenny"
he exclaimed, kissing her and the babe
on her bosom. "I'll bravely work out
the years sentence, and, when 1 come
out, I'll do as you've long begged of me
I'll turn honest, and work for you and
the little one with these arms like good
man. Keep away ttom the major and
the miserable band you've been herding
with. Don't let them hunt you down,
as doubtless they'll try to do, and III
make 1t sunny and good for you when I
come out"
"Bless you for those words, Pat muir
INJURED the poor thing in reply. 'Little