Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-10-18
Entertainments.
experience Of a Police Detective
THE ELEMENT OF CHANCE UNAVOIDABLE
TO THE CRIMINAL CLASSES.

"A great deal of what passes for fine
detective work is nothing more or less
than sheer LUCK said Police Captain
Washburn, OF the Twentieth Precinct. to
a Tribune reporter. II have had good
deal of experience in that line myself. l
remember particularly the case OF kankon-
sky, who murdered Lena Muller. in New
jersey. From package of tobacco found
at the scene of the murder it was thought
that the parties lived in my precinct, and
Coroner Virgins. who had charge OF the
case asked my assistance. which,o of course,
was cheerfully given, although the work
did not properly belong to me. worked
hard on it. but was unable to gain any
clew, and other work coming up which
unfortunately demanded my attention. l
let the matter partly drop.
| One day German butcher, Philip En-
den. came to the station and said that
/ man named Kankonsky had been receiving
letters addressed under the name of Kett-
Ter. and he thought he was the man who
committed the murder. ! at once put
men to watch the house. Shortly after
our men got there two men who turned
out to be jersey City policeman and
reporter from Jersey City paper arrived.
They had tracked the baggage to the
house, and they acted in such suspicious
manner that they were arrested. 1t was
solely due to the fact of that German
butcher noticing that Kankonsky was re-
ceiving letters under false name and
having the good sense to report it to me
that lead to the murderer's arrest.
when was keeper in Sing Sing
prisoner named Dunn escaped. The pa
pers said there had been bribery and all
that sort of stuff. Mr.. Lockwood was
warden then and he told me that he want
ed me to find the man. | came to the
city and put in about month of the hard
est kind of work. found plenty OF
traces, but never could lay my hands on
him. At last gave up the chase in dis
gust. went back to the prison and reported
for duty. When the warden saw me he
asked what meant by coming back with
out the prisoner. / told him that couldn't
do anything more He said, Go to New
York and don't dare to come back with
out the prisoner asked him for money
and he gave me an order on Leggett
& Co the provision merchants who fur
nished the prison with supplies, and l
came back TO the city. | drew $50 and
Indue up IL tllC OldIC vi NOW
York could stand paying my expenses |
could stand it too. had no idea of wor-
rying myself about Dnnn. | went up to
Tom Hyer's place and had a rafting
good breakfast and bottle of wine. Then
spent fifty cents for three cigars, and
lighting one OF them started out for a
stroll Invent down the Bowery AS far as
Bayard St. when man whom recogniz-
ed as an ex-convict came up to me and
said: "Hello, Washburn. have you
found Dunn yet?" mo" | answered.
and don't care much whether | do or
not
"'I'm sorry for that" he said, be
cause he and / have been doing some
work together and the bank thief. won't
divide. and if you'll put up enough I'll
give him away | clinched bargain
with the fellow and the next night he took
me to Dunp's place and got him. When
took him back to the prison the warden
complimented me on my perseverance.
Perseverance be hanged | said, and
then | told him the whole story. He en-
enjoyed it immensely, and made me tell
it to the prison inspectors.
another case that | call to mind, was
when was patrolman in Beckman St.
My day post was in Maiden Lane. One
morning a man came to me and said he
had lost firkIn of butter and could get
it for him. told him of course | could
| thoueh t then, and still think the man
must have been fool to think could find
tub of butter that had been stolen for
two hours. He gave me the marks on the
tub. which ! Immediately forgot. My
night post was at Fulton Market, and |
had hardly gone on post when | saw a
man with tub of butter on his shoulder.
saw the marks were similar to those
given to me. and stopped him. He gave
lame explanation of how he got the
butter, and took him and the butter to
the station. 1t turned out that it was the
very butter that had been stolen. The
owner took the recovery as matter of
course. and I'll bet If he ever lost another
tub and it wasn't recovered at once that he
accused the police of incapacity. could
give numerous other instances, but this is
enough to show that great deal of So
called fine detective work is the result of
luck, pure and simple. don't deny
though, that a reat many, in fact large
percentage of the work is the result of
cheer, downright hard work and keen
detective ability'i