The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-09-24
A Remarkable Detective.
Work Of the Late George Henry Bangs,
and Some Of His Experts
New York Times I

l NEW Ork Times
George Henry Bangs, aged 50, the Gener-
al Superintendent of Pinkerton's Detective
Agencies at Chicago, Philadelphia and New
York, died suddenly last Wednesday at Ro-
selle, N. j., where he was spending the
summer. His body will be taken to Chicago
on Sunday for interment. The career of
Mr.. Bangs is one of the most remarkable of
| American detectives He rose from the
| ranks to the highest position in Pinkerton's
force, and for over quarter of a century
he either planned or personally worked ev-
cry important case entrusted to the Pinker-
ton agencies.
Among the work done by Mr.. Bangs was
| the capture of Jules Imbert, the celebrated
French forger. The Frenchman obtained
four drafts, amounting to $4,000, from Au-
gust Belmont, and by forgeries secured over
$40, 200 from unsuspecting New York bank
ers, after which he fed the country He
was traced by Mr.. Bangs to Canada, whith-
er the young officer started to capture him.
With no effort at subterfuge he accused the
forger directly of his guilt, and by sheer
pluck managed to extort a confession from
| him. This once accomplished he started
| for home with his prisoner on the cars, tax
| ing the precautIon TO fasten the forger's
right wrist to his own with handouts. AZ
l ter travelling hundred miles Imbert appar-
| emily fell into doze, and Bangs, who was
| completely tired out, soon followed his exam
pie. When he awakened he found to his in
tense chagrin that the Frenchman had
picked the lock of the handcuh and escaped
The last station was Fonda, in New York
State. He felt sure that the prisoner had
left the car at this point He had the train
stopped and retraced the distance on foot.
1t was late at night and he went to the lead
ing hotel and asked for a bed, intending to
begin his search in the morning. The host
said the only bed he could have was one al
ready occupied by recent arrival. Glad to
sleep anywhere, Bangs accepted the offer.
When he turned down the coverlet of his bed
he saw to his astonishment and delight that
his companion was his recent prisoner. He
hastened to secure him, and in the morning
the pair landed safely in New York, where
Imbert was convicted and sent to State pris-
on, where he died eight years later.
Another famous case was the first great
robbery of the Adams Express Company at
Montgomery, Ala. 1t was in 1858. The
company missed $4,000 in bills from one of
its packages. There were no clues, no sus-
picions. The Vice-PIesdent, the late Z. S.
Sanford, set careful watch upon the Of
flee at Montgomery, to ascertain who Of the
employees could have committed the crime,
as it could not have been done outside.
Shortly .afterward a sealed pouch passed
through Montgomery from Savannah bank
to New York, containing $4,000. When
the pouch reached Montgomery, which was
transfer office, the local agent, Nathan
Maroney, gave receipt for the money to
the messenger. But when the pouch
reached New York the package of money
was gone, and square hole as clean cut asif
made by razor, was in the side of the bag,
concealed from the public view by the outer
pocket of the pouch. At first it was sup
posed that this was the work of a messenger.
Each of dozen messengers were examined,
questioned and watched. But to no pur-
pose. Finally, Mr.. Bangs went 10 the Geor-
gia bank and had another parcel made Of
exactly the same size as the missing one.
The bag was then produced and the package
would not pass through the hole. 1t must
therefore have been taken from the pouch
before it was sealed at Montgomery. The
only man that had access to it was Maroney,
who, up to this time had borne an excellent
character for sobriety, propriety and frugali-
cions hnt he was watched A detect;ve 81
cnred emnlovment in the Office and femaie
detective entarad his honsa as dress-maL.
| ar Rnt in snite of ali The urafeb nothino
imnortant mas aScsrtoined II No. laornado
however that he had het heavily mon borss
races and was mart owner in q raca horse
bnt there was notbinc criminating IN that
Fortnnatelv The hanE had the den9minstion
Of nearly Ill tba hills in tha fortv-tbansanJ-
dollar nsclxace and Mabonav,s eynand;tnres
were carefnI1v traced bnt none of tha stoien
money was fonnd FinaIIv within a few
months. he left the employ of the comnanv
and began travelling. A detective kent
close watch of his movements He snept
money freely. but none of the MISSING wealth
could be discovered. In the meanwhile he
sent his young wife to Jenkinyille. Pennl
where she had relatives. The late Kate
Warren, the chief of the female department
of the agency, was sent to board at the same
house. Finding none of the stolen money.
Bangs became convinced that Maroney had
stolen both packages, and was was now us
ing the proceeds Of the ten-thousand-dolIar
robbery and vas saving the $40 oOO for fr,-
Mr.. Bangs thought it safe TO arrest him on