Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-19
AN AMATEUR DEFECTIVE.
Mr.. Rpdnaan's Strange Infatuation for
Hunting Down Criminals.
from tae Nsl0 YORK Herald.

/ hunting Down criminals
From the Ne,0 York Herald.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 16.-In one of the
Oldest houses on South Ninth street, near
Christian, lives George ROdman, man of
60 years, who is one of the most interest
ing characters in this city. Talking with
John Sharkey. the well-knowR detective,
a few days days ago about the infatuation
which some men have for tracking crimi-
nails he incidentally mentioned Rodman,
and your correspondent finally succeeded
in learning something about the man.
He is the son of former Market street
merchant, and at his fathers death, %
years ago, inherited a comfortable COM
petence and considerable real estate,
which, by rapid advance IN price, has
made HIM wealthy. He had been a great
reader in his youth, and had imbbed a
morbid fondness for studying the ways of
that part of the community that preys
upon the other He watched all the re-
cords Of crime in the daily journals, and
| often rendered service of the utmost
/ value in tracking important criminals.
| Having plenty of means OF his
own, he would pack his grip
sack and leave on the impulse of the mo-
ment for Boston or Pittsburg to work up
| a peculiar bat of criminal work that de-
| lighted his fancy. When be had secured
the clews that he expected to find and had
| located his game he would pay visit to
| the chief OF police. If he found this man
a reasonable. creature, willing to accept
| suggestions from stranger who wanted
no glory for himself but desired only to
remain unknown, ROdman would place
/ the police department in possession of the
| evidence that would lead to the arrest of
the criminals. Then he would take the
| first train and vanish.
This work has been his amusement for
q quarter of a century. Rodman is a
| bachelor, who lives in the house his
father occupied before him, the house In
/ which he was born, though the neghbors
| Of his youth have all moved westward
| with the social tendency of the town.
| An old housekeeper attends to the estab-
! lishment and he has very few visitors.
! He has all the French detective novels at
| his fingers end, and among his library 1
I saw all the records OF crime, including
! the "Memoirs Of the Samson Family" and
| the "Newgate Calendar" So highly
were his services recognized under Mayor
| Fox that he was appointed q special de-
| tectlYe (under the name OF Smith, il is
said), and has ever since been
distinguished by the official
honor Of nominal membership
with sthe force0 or course. he will not
]
| of 81 month was for years included in
the incidental account, and added by him
| to the fund for providing q cot in hOspi-
| tai for disabled policemen. During the
| past year his health has not been good,
and he has remained nearly all the time
/ in the city. Your correspondent found
/ him at the chess room of the Mercantile
! Library on Friday and made an appoint
ment TO Visit biih AT his house. lie ap-
peared coGsidetaDly annoyed that his
| identity shOull have become known. and
/ excnsing himself abruptly left the place.
A STRANGE INTERVIEW.
A tug AZ the bell of Rodman's resi-
dence about S O'Clock last night was
answered by the tall old Irish woman
/ previously referred 70, but until she was
assured that the visitor called by appoint
ment she declined TO admit him. The
house is Of the Anticipated order OF archi-
lecture, and its designer evidently re-
| garded the hallway as a needless waste Of
/ space. / was nsheTed into large room,
the full width Of the house; the door was
carefully barred on the inside, and / was
| told 10 sit down. This was not an easy
| matter. The light in the apartment was
/ very dim, and was derived solely from what
is seen through the crack of door COM
municating with the room In the
rear presumably the dining room;
/
| TO settle myself into IL. the elderly lady
| then vanished through another door in the
/ end Of the room, which had not noticed,
and was kept waiting PROBABLY ten min
/ utes before the object of my visit appeared.
| lie entered through the door that led to
/ the dark room or rear hall into which the
woman had gone. In the rear room, s.
multaneously, the large coal oil lamp had
moved 10 a position directly opposite the
/ door, which swung inward until wido
/ open. / thus sat i'm a food OF light that
poured into the front apartment, while
! the man VINO had already begun 10
/ talk 10 me was back against the wall in
/ the shadow. could only see the vague
/ outline OF his figure, but could not have
| told whether he was black or white. Even
now. though met him once I'm daylight, /
l have only q recollection OF q susplciously
| black moustache. He evidently enter
tanned some suspicious Of my mission,
| and several minutes were employed IN
/ disabusing him Of his doubt. A card
/ from Mr.. Sharkey and q note from one OF
| the city mayors In whose service he had
been (bOth OF which credentials he car
ried into the rear room and scrutinized
| carefully made matters all right, but be
/ did not alter the position OF his chair on
his return. to
ROMANCE OF CRIME.
/ "The long stories that he then told me
/ cannot be repeated here. They were all
part and parcel OF the last quarter Of a
century's record Of crime. II is needless
10 say that he has theories or his own re-
/ garding every undecided crime that has
occurred In this country. He begins with
the 'pretty cigar grip murder at Ho-
bokeD, for the solution Of which he has
framed structure OF Interesting theory
| TINT aEnafa Doayu ftMurin nnugatn aud