The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-11-25
TWO NERyY MEN.
A Thrilling Story Told by Secret Service
Detective.

/ wv MhA'e
A Thrilling Story Told by "A Secret Service
Detective.
Seen after the war our bureau was no
tilted that counterfeit 81 and s. bills
were being extensively circulated in the
region about Reading, Pa. was de.
tailed, together with companion named
William Madden, to proceed to Scranton
and work up the case. We soon found
that tie money was being hcated by a
gang of six or seven, OF whom the
majority were as toagh cases as ABE
Buzzard, of modern fame. We struck
two leads at the same time, and while
mine led to Harrisburg, his led into the
mountainous country around Pottsville,
| which at that time contained some of the
most lawless miners who ever handled q
pick. ,,,,
AT Harrisburg l unearlhed an old bird
| known as "Greenback Charley" and
landed him temporarily behind the bars.
In three or four days was satisfied that
he was the only one of the lot in that
| neighborhood, and l set out to find Mad
den, from whom l had not yet heard a
word. | met him in Reading, and ne
also had as prisoner man known as Sly
,Jim.n but whose real name was Ieaac
Watson. He had been brought from
| Pottsville, and he was the head and front
of the Showers" No sooner had Mad
den located Jim, who was the ostensloie
owner of saloon in town, than the iei-
| low slipped out and made his way up the
| mountains, and took quarters in a cabin
occupied by an aged woman, widow.
| Madden hung to the scent until he relo-
Gated his game and at about 4 o'clock IN
the afternoon he drew near the house.
Forty rods away he was met by the old
woman, who stated that Jim was in the
house and willing to surrender. Madden
should have stopped to reflect that some
sort of trap was being laid tor him. If
Jim was willing to surrender, why ha'p't
he come out and shown himself? " at
need of go.between between him and
the officer?
The detective thought of nothing but
securing bis man at once, and he pushed
on without even drawing his revolver.
The outer door was partly open, and as ne
entered the house it was shut behind
him and he was covered by revolver in
the hands of the couuterfeiter. Sly Jim
had served FIVE years for a previous
offense. He reasoned that the officer had
him dead to rights on the new case, and
that he would probably be Settled" for
ten or fifteen years. This prospect had
made him desperate, and he had deter
mined on desperate thing.
sSit down over therel" he commanded,
and the helpless officer obeyed.
"Now, theu," continued Jim, "what do
you want of me?"
"To arrest you for uttering counterfeit
money"
"Got any proo's?"
"Plenty."
"Well, that settles it. I'd rather die
than 20 back to prison, but you shall die
with me. could kill you and skip, but
I'd be run down and hung. Well go to-
gether p o..
On table in the room was a fifty
pound keg of powder, and leading into
it was four minute fuse. Jim walked
across to the table, covered the officer
anew and lighted the end of the fuse
with the remark:
"In four minutes we'll be in h-ll !!
If you make move from that chair I'll
have to send you on ahead & little soon'
err" =, -,
81 think I'll wait and go with you!"
coolly replied Madden, sand if you've no
objections I'll take out my watch and
call time,"
"That will be good idea," said Jim,
and out came the watch and the detective
called out: -.
"Ten seconds Fifteen Twenty Thir-
ty !" and so on.
Nobody will never know what hap.
pened to u.s." remarked Jim as the first
minute was nearly gone. :,
"But they'll mix up the scraps and
probably bury portion of me along with
you. That's the only thing l care
about"
"Well, always vas fond Of good
company" retorted Jim.
When two minutes had passed the de.
tective began to softly whistle to him
self.
at will come mighty sudden when it
comes" observed Jim as he crossed his
legs.
eyes, we won't know what hurt u.s."
"What's the time now"
ooh, we've got over minute yet"
"Don't you wish you hadn't come !"
"No, sir I was bound to have you or
die with you"
That's the sort! It's some honor to
die with such man as you. The fuse is
getting pretty short"
"We've got fifteen seconds more"
Madden leaned back in his chair, and
Jim held the revolver full on his breast.
He hadn't been playing bluff game,
and the detective had made up his mind
that there was no escape from death.
From the corner of his eye he watched
the FIRE creep nearer and nearer, but he
did not move finger. The spark finally
touched the slaves of the keg, and Mad
den felt that his last minute of life had
come. He dropped his eyes to his watch
and saw tile seconds fly past-two-four
-6ve-ten, and he felt that there had
| Oeen some miscarriage. w ueu Aiteou
seconds had passed Jim growled out:
"The durn thing has gone back on
me-"
He rose up, as if to 60 over and exam
inc it, and the instant the muzzle of his
revolver was depressed Madden sprang
for him and struck him blow between
the eyes which felled him like an OK.
The revolver was discharged, but the
bullet entered the floor. In another
minute Jim was handcuffed and dragged
out. He wilted as soon as the irons were
on him, and no trouble was experienced
in getting him to Reading. He was
silent and sulky with Madden, but to me
he said
Say, old man, you've got partner to
be proud Of He's got more nerve than
any other man that lives."
Excepting you," l replied, and he
stroked his long whiskers and seemed
pleased with the compliment.-Detroit
Free Press.
= The New York correspondent of the
Baltimore Sun, writing under date of
November 10, says "The extraordinary
movements in the securities of the South
ern railroads at the Stock Exchange to.
day would seem to foreshadow some