Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-06-04
A DETECTIVES STORY.
Tracing Gang of COunterfeiters- Clos
Call.
From the Onoshs Ras

| About the narrowest squeeze I ever had
| IN the course of my profession happened
| TO me while tracing down gang of coun-
terfeiters in Chicago two or three wears
ago,commenced a noted Eastern detective
who was in the city last week on visit
IN answer to reporters request for a
| Earn"
This is what saved my life and re
tation as well as aiding in capturing
men" he continued handing the scri' p
a peculiar looking contrivance resembling
cigar case in many respects. This is
pocket telegraph sounder and is used
qnite extensively by members of the Sc
cret Service in warning each other in case
of danger or when necessary TO impart
information. See" pressing the sides
and producing a clicking sound, lit sounds
like telegraph instrument in a distant
room. l took a through course in tele-
graphy when l was young and have fouud
II of great benefit to me in my profession.
With this thing two OF Us who under
stand the system can carry on CONVEX
sation and never appear to know one an
other. Getting impatient are you? Well,
as my yarn hangs ON my secret ticker.
| thought best to describe its use before
telling the story.
1T was during just such weather as
this" continued the detective. when l
was summoned from an important case in
some southern town to undertake the
highly lucrative if successfully case of fer
retlng out this band of criminals. They
had given the local authorities no little
trouble, and the case was getting cold
when | took hand. 1t Is useless to wor-
ry you with a tale of vexatious disap-
pointments in getting their trail sufficient
to cay that at last | struck one that led
into interesting quarters and among Il
set of criminals who were hard to handle
To get conclusive evidence it was neces-
sary for me to visit certain dive in an
unsavory quarter, and to resort to some
detective tactics not necessary to mention
now. l was disguised as Il sport. and |
tell you 1t made me feel chilly when !
thought of the possibility of being dis
covered i'll my character, as | descended
into the room where the leaders of the
cOunterfeiterS' band were wont to cOngrc-
gate, for some of them knew mo Gyname.
L had carelesslo made no provision for
police within call, not thinking [ would
corner my men that night. l was soon
mixed up in some game, playing with a
crowd of men. none of whom would scru-
pie at takiu life, and among whom a be
tain death. In entering the room l had
noticed something familiar in the APP
pearance of one of the walters, but did
not give it much thought SO deeply was I
engrossed with other things. Plenty of
whiskey had been flowing and the men
were getting hilarious. Seeing their con
dition l thought it best to depart, and had
made steps toward doing so. when hand
was laid on my shoulder, and voice per
fectly steady, said: Hold on Gully. don't
be 50 fast know you; please sit down"
Turning, perceived d member of the
company until now slightly noticed by
me, but who, on closer inspection, proved
to be noted and desperate criminal. |
sat down more from weakness than in
mpliance with the sarcastic request
He arose and told the Others who | was
what | wanted. and ended by requesting a
suggestion as to how / should be disposed
Of Threats of all kinds made. most of
the men being i'll favor of killing me on
the spot.
Il sat thinking deeply, when suddenly
clicking sound startled me. | almost
jumped from my chair with JOY. One of
my men was i'll the room in some disguise. |
and had recognized me, and was now let |
ting me know of his presence. We kept |
conversing, until learned that he was the |
waiter whom first failed to recognize A !
plan was formed on the spot that he |
should slip out and raid the concern with |
the police. Wen, in an hour the entire |.
gang was under lock and key, and we had |
earned the heavy reward offered by the au-
thorities. You can depend upon it that |
ever since that episode [ have cOngratu-
lated myself that l understood telegra-
ply"