Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1886-05-21
A LONE HAND.
It Is Played By a Secret-Service
Omcer on a Railway Train.
How Detective Succeeded In Arresting
an accomplished Coun 'erfeI;er-A
Game of Eucher and It's Sem
sationsl Conclusion.
detective. IA Detroit Free Press. !


About the time the war closed a coun-
terfeiter known as George Roberts. alias
icky George" returned to this country
from England, where he had been for two
years or more. 1t was suspected that he
had put in his time across the water en-
craving bank-note plates, and when word
reached the Treasury Bureau that he had
landed in New York there was a Hutter of
excitement, the officials fearing that he
would food the country with counterfeits
before he could be run down. While he
was an old counterfeiter, it was only sus-
pccted that he had brought back new
plates. Therefore, in order to arrest him,
we must have a stronger case than mere
suspicion. l was given the case and fur
pished With the necessary papers to arrest
him for smu ygliny. Whether he had or
had not been guilty of this offense was
none OF my business.
Ii was curious that while six or eight of
Us knew the man by reputation none OF us
had ever seen him personally. 1t was
hard work To find anybody who had and
the description we finally obtained would
apply 10 a thousand different men except
in one point. The first two fingers of the
right hand had been cut off by some aceis
dent at the first joint. He was said to TO
small, slim man, having an intelligent
face and being n perfect gentleman in
speech and manners. We knew that he
had landed in New York, but nothing be-
yond that Information was furnished me.
1 was instructed TO search for and find
him.
The first move after reaching New York
was to take in every ho.el. In this had
assistance from local detectives. We
could not fl I'd that anybody bearing Rob-
erts' description was stopping in any
OF the public houses, high or low. We
could not come across him at any of
the cafes, nor did he frequer. any of
the theaters or gambling houses. In the
course of month we spotted fifty differ
ent men be2riny his general description,
but in every case the fingers on the right
hand proved to lie whole. Oae day, after
had become discouraged, a young man
was arrested for passing a counterfeit
fve-dollar bill on the CLERK at French's
Hotel. This bill was from an old plate,
but we pumped the prisoner in a vigorous
manner for information concerning
Roberts. and he finally admitted that he
knew him. BY and by he acknowledged
that he had seen him within n week, but
more he could not tell. He believed that
Roberts was getting ready to go West. but
vhcther he Lad II W plates with him be
could not say. Tho prisoner seemed
honest in his statements, and we con-
cluded that Roberts either came back with
out plates, Or that he did not con.ide in the
prisoner.
My chief came over from Washington,
/ u oil I .lo 4
cago and let some one else watch New
York. 1 left one night by the Erie, and
had no chance 10 look my fellow -passtn-
gers over until we had left Buffalo next
morning. There were about a dozen of us
In the sleeper, and among the men picked
out three whom set down as single men
and drummers. One of these was a small.
slim man, having regular features, dark
eyes, handsome teeth and good clothes.
He was what the boys would call a dandy.
but he had no eGotism about him. He had
a seat by himself, and he evidently had no
interest in any one else. We had boon
travelling about two hours when one of the
drummcrs suggested n game OF oucher
The slim man fell in with the idea at
once. and L was asked TO make the
fourth hand ut the table. II was only
as we sat down that I noticed the
hands of the slim man, and came near
yelling right out Tho first two fingers on
The hit hand had been cut Off at The first
joni. ! had nO more doubt from that
momont. Tricky George" was right there
before me-in fact, my partner. forced
myself to be cool and to appear careless,
but made such poor playing that the trio
were disSusted with me. By aud by, as it
came my turn To deal, and after each one
had got his five cards, | laid mine down
and said:
"Gcntlemcn, my luck has finally come.
l am n out to play a lone hand. George
Roberts, | have warrant for your ar
rest"
was looking him in the eyes. He first
flushed up, then turneI white, and then he
tricd to laugh as he replied:
',YoI seem to lie very absent minded
this morning."
''Horc is the warrant" MD, as I pro-
duced it, "and hope you don't want anv
scene before these PEOPLE. The warrant is
TO smuggling. shall have to take you
OIL the train ut Ash abula."
He never tried the first word of bluff. He
was simply astoundeI. sent for the con-
ductor, arranged to have the baggage put
Off. and as wo reached Ashtabula there
were people in the car who did not know
that an arrest had been made. Roberts
lad trunk and wallis ;. and in the trunk /
found the plates OF four different bank
notes. They were perfectly new, not q
sheet having vet been pulled from them.
He attempted no defense, and was sent 20
prison for six or seven years.