Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1882-09-10
ONE MISTAKE.
A Brilliant Thief Who Was Caught
Through One Error.
An Interesting Chapter Of Detective Life
Peculiar But lnsinuating Methods
Of a Gifted Crook-A
$4,000 Haul.
OBJECTED BY MERE CHANCE,

OBJECTED BY MERE CHANCE.
San Francisco CaR.
IsF,, wears the writer has filled RESPONSE
Bic r>ition in the most widely known and
celebrated detective agency in America. In
rs-.stug some of the incidents which have
o,me under his observation, it will be
necessary to use fictitious names, for the
chief d-ureS are still living In the outset
rr me- inform the reader that l propose to
Son. with practical detective methods and
,..,, With the absurd antics Of the HrourLqrl
Who figures in yellow kiyerS." Some
other time shall endeayor 10 correct a few
..i.e erroneous ideas which possess the
...ri ~ the public in regard TO this profes.
son aUd describe the matter-Of.fact reason
S.. vt>S which distinguishes the Succe ssful
s..,.r:ve.
The Victim OF This Episode
,.A.i name Major Johnson The Majors
,,.,.a WAS almost as plethOric a. his purse.
There wNS majesty in his bearing a. he de-
g.-.tfr,y moved down street IL was
,..h. 20 sec him turn \ corner; il required
a s..leS OF "JacklngS, and was performed
VA such c!rcUmsPectjOn rs 4 man-of-war
,v, hi use.
Ms,ur johnson was given TO hospitality.
IL wanted 10 meet sill the lights in the lit
s-a.y ard social world, and he generally
lnanssrd - meet them by inviting them 70
.:a. Major Johnson, as the prOverbial
mountain Of flesh, could not 90 to Maho-
NET - be brought MahOmet to him with
,-ca ,urcS as the very best food, well served
mi we'll cooked and well wincd.
Besides this, You were very sure to meet
C...- pyOPle worth knowing. Thus il hap
2eaei as the hOSPitable years rolled by,
~, MAJOR knew great number OF people,
la ot whom he could not call by name.
lie was Known as generous liver, aud one
w.. ,r nest WAS comfortably quilted with
49,. .urS, elder down, in the form Of hard
The Crime.
The Major walked down town one morn
ny sni drew from the Safe Deposit Com.
gsuy an envelope bursting with q goodly
number oi bonds. With these valuables in
A., hand, he walked down street, taking in
Is route news stand, where he always
,.1ppei and supplied himself with the
.s,rs- magazines aud papers.
>rs~sr and Harper were laid aside, and
tie MAJOR was scanning the ItiIHtir, when
3 small and apparently middle aged gen
Lrua.l dressed in SCrupulOusly neat |
.suneT. aCCUStcd him. His dignitied bear
WAS further emphasized by pair of |
sh0arly eve glasses. II was evidently
~.we0ody who knew the major intimately, |
aad g.e major accused himself inwardly for !
not recalling the name OF the diStngus per |
syusse. The gentleman spoke in wei bred |
i,i.., which mark eduCative speech He !
casually referred 70 several mutual friends, |
and obtaining cue from the article in the !
.i..rf,r over which the major had been |
.'sucing. subject was preached, and both |
we're soon
Deep in Its Discussion.
When at length the gentleman stepped |
sVsy the major stood with the Atlantic in
b.s hands asking himself, Who the devil
: that Recovering himself in the delib. |
crate manner which distinguished all his
movements, he drew out his purse and paid
lJr the magazines.
In the same solemn way he reached out
fJ- r.e envelope which thOughtlessly he
hal placed uu the stand
IL waS gone,
IL. sneak game" had again been sue.
,c,,.u"y played. and Maj. Johnson was
minus over $4,000,
lie went straiyhtway - a private deteC-
as. a.rucy, iur he knew too much about
the municipal management Of ahair5 70
vase time there.
IN. detective hardened 10 the story, en-
learp-.n.. ,n conceal the smile on his lips
,cca,:oucd by the indignant wrath Of the
VIM he departed the business faculties
o. tie detective revived. Let rs call him
The Criminal.
E'rrf had recognized the oiIender-it WAS
"rn..,. W.i the description and the
r,o, .r.iay,rr Of the thief told him that a.
once. $500,
IL. u,v. step was to find English Bill,
,ul ,a.. sooner the better. Bland knew
Bill va, Iu town. in fact had passed him
day U- TWO ago. several men were sent -
locate the thief.
Er,lish Bill was s slender, boyish-looE-
i'm, rascal. with 8 clear skin, whose whole
snresrancc was unlike as may be the ac-
Cept,d Ideas Of a confidence operator
Ry noon the next day Bland bad learned
many particulars OF English Bill, his
hauats his companions. and his where
shout, up u a certain hour. The houses
~herr il was suspected he might be hiding
were very carefully Swallowed.
TIE Clews had been
Run Ont TO the End,
nd bland began to think he had been out
e,t,ed bv some adruit trick. Like grand
i4;.grs clock, he stopped short here.
Ir Studying up the matter, there appear
"a nothing on which to hinge new move
meut Yes. there was one little matter
which seemed TO point TO nothing particu-
'ar or shed any light upon the case, but
there was something odd about IL too.
Hank Morris, the chosen pal Of Eng
E,l Bill" the evening OF the robbery had
driven in a carriage to a certain house, IN
perfectly respectable neighborhood. 1t
proved TO be an aristOcratic school for
young ladies'.
What business had Hank Norris there?
was the first question which Bland asked
himself. Bland was 100 shrewd TO make
direct attempt to find out the reason OF
that visit. He concluded to operate in that
direction himself, and in day OF two had
made the acquaintance OF the cham0 er-
maid.
A Young Ladies' Boarding school.
Mad. peGrace's school is among the most
fashionable in the city. Among other news
bland obtained while flirting at the back
y.te with the pretty chamber maid was the
fact that there were no beings of the male
sex allowed about the school; that day or
two ago young French miss had been adj
mitted 10 the institution; that the young
lady had been suffering anguish with neu-
ralgia and had been obliged to keep her
room. The madame had already communl-
that the new pupil would be removed, and
revisit her home in France, instead OF, as
was first intended, remaining in this coun-
Try while her parents made the trip.
Meanwhile Hand kept up his discoursg-
ing search after English Bill elsewhere.
English Bill had disappeared from the city
As mysteriOusly as a falling star in the
heavens.
Bland, however,
Continued HIS Attentions to the Cham
bermRid.
lie learVed to know III hours when she
ETa' TO be seen, and WAS always promptly IN
the neighbOrhOOd
He was rewarded for his patience one
morning The chambermaid came rs usual,
and this time emptied q slOp-pail IN the
gutter
Glands eyes half uncOnsciously watched
bit Of paper floating along up the stream,
and mechanically PrOdded it with stick
IN his hand
With start he turned upon the astonish'
cd maid, asking:
81