The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-08-26
THE DETECTIVES OATH.

ago, when two professional thieves were
being tried for burglary.
There was but little doubt of their guilt;
but they had secured excellent legal SER
vices, the actual evidence against them
was very slender, and there was every
promise Of their being acquitted, when
the prosecuting attorney suddenly called
as witness for the state the name of
Patrick Harnden, the mere mention of
which caused an abrupt and striking
oyershadowing of the criminals pros
poets.
They both lost countenance-their
counsel looked blank; and as the bearer
Of the ..me-a powerful. well knit young
man, W; h pale face, an iron jaw, and a
stern relentless eye-stepped upon the
stand, aud in hard tones and simple Ian
guage gave the evidence that secured
their conviction beyond doubt, they
turned white with terror, and trembled
as though confronted with the ghostly
Nemesis of all their crimes, and harken-
ing to the accusing words of fate itself;
''Ihese men are professional thieves;
they are guilty of this particular charge
for which they are now on trial, as my
evidence will prove, aud they are the last
of the Silver Gang, the members of which
| have haunted, tracked, shadowed and
bounded down, one by one, for yeare.
Such was the opening sentence of wit
ness Harnden's testimony, which, III ad
dition to securing that particular convic-
tion, 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 l-ayy penalties, McArdle, the veteran
detective, who sat at the reporters table
whispered in my ear:
II knew it was all up with those fell
lows rs soon as Harnden took the stand.
Did you note the crushing effect of his
mere presence upon them? He is the
bette noir, the incubus, the haunting,
nightmare phantom of their tribe
"What is hex A detective, like your
self"
Something of the sort, though he has
been hunting down this special Silver
Gang of thieves, about the last of whom
have 5t,ct baa,, gJ;ODocoJ of ,,,cro o,,t ~
revengful hatred than for pay. He is not
only "a thief transformed, but thief con-
yerted into one who has proved their ret
ributive and pursuing Nemesis. Some
time | will tell you his story, if you would
like to hear it.
l expressed au ardent desire to that ef-
feet, 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 a sober, industrious and promising
young fellow. when he became attached
to a pretty shoplifter, named Jennie Bret
tie, and then went headlong downward
till he landed in her profession. l am
bound to confess that they agreed well
together, and clung to each other through
thick and thin, with devotion and aft
ection that | have seldom seen equaled.
Still they were only thieves, after all, and
Jennie, as thief's wife, was, perhaps.
not greatly better than she had been be-
fore; she was faithful to him, and that
was all.
''They were identified with the Silver
Gang, an associated band of robbers, who
We're Just then becoming famously motor
ious under the mysterious direction of
Montieth, a clever rascal, who acquired
immense influence over them through the
uniform success of his schemes, and was,
strange to say, almost as much of mys
terry to his criminal subordinates as to
the police and those upon whom their
depredations were committed. He only
communicated to them under various
disguises. 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 his specialties of robbing wealthy
houses of their silver service plate) was
under terrible oath not to pry into
things that did not CONCERN him, and as
it was to their interest to keep the oath,
the identity Of the major as he was
called, remained secure.
''Io make long story short, Harnden
fell under the displeasure Of this myster-
ious leader, through a dispute concern
ing the division of the spoil, and was
marked for summary punishment. The
major put up q job upon him, and then
betrayed him into the hands of the po-
lice, doubtless under the supposition
that be would be eifectually disposed of
by being sent up for 4 term of fifteen or
twenty years. But the entrapped man
got only twelve months by pleading
guilty, and then, aftel swearing penge-
ance against the man who betrayed him,
bidding an atfectionate farewell to his
wife and child, and solemnly promising
the judge who sentenced that he would
come ont Of prison reformed and alter
ed man, prepared to undergo his punish
ment with philosophical aheertulneas.
81 was present at his last interview
with his wife and child, and it was very
affecting.
''Good by aud God bless vou. Jennie
he exclaimed, kissing her aud the baby
on her bosom. ''i'il bfaYely work out
the years sentence, and, when I como
out, Ill 10 rs you've long begged of ME
III turn honest, and work for you and
the little one with these arms like good
man. Keen away from, the meior a1l