News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-08-30
HEAVY SWINDLING BY TELEPHONE.
A Yarn for which Chicago's Inspec-
tor of Police is Responsible.
From the Chicago Herald.l

cit is a well-known fact that no othe
section of the population avail then
selves more readily and speedily of th
latest triumphs of science than the erin
inal class, said Inspector Bontield yes
terday. "The educated criminal" h
continued, ''skims the cream from ever
new invention, if he can make use of il
No safe has yet been constructed tina
keeps out the shrewd and determine
burglar, and that's the way in every
! thing. But [ don't recall q case i
which this truth was more brilliantl
demonstrated than the Maxwell case"
"What case was that?" queried an ol,
newspaper man present. 81 don't recol
lect of ever hearing of it before
"No, I suppose you don't" said Mr.
! Bonfeld. ''The fact of the matter is
it never was case that properly be
longed to the department, but l cal
speak of it now. You see it was th'
time when the telephone had just beel
| introduced into business and private use
-deorge MaXwelf-that's not the rea
name, but it will do as well-was q
that time one of the most successful
spectators on the Board of Trade, ant
was currently reported to have som,
time ago tipped the scale which marked
the million. He was a young ant
handsome man, and he had just married
a charming woman. 1t was an out and
out love match. A score or so of mes
sages were despatched every day during
business hours. They contained sucl
important questions as: .. 10 p. m. How
are You now, lovey2' And replies like
this: '2.35 p. m. L sigh for you. How
is my sweetest Well, to save expense
and to increase the facility of communi.
cation, Mr.. Maxwell connected his Office
with his home on Ashland avenue by
private telephone wire. He was one o.
the first men in Chicago to do SO. About
five out of six business hours were now
spent by him at the hello
''One day just before the close OF
business there was a ring at the tele-
phone. The devoted husband, with q
jump, was there. What does my sweet
pet wish2' he murmured.
"1'm no pet. You mistake me, sir
came the reply, in an unmistakably
masculine voice, voice gruff and rasp-
ing, but very distinct.
"'Who are you, then?' asked the
astOnished millionaire.
"I'm Thomas Jefferson Odell, the
accomplished burglar, if you want to
know
Repeat, please gasped the other.
"'Odell, the burglar, came the an
swer over the wire.
"'The devil' exclaimed Mr.. Max
well.
".No, only one of his faithful SER
wants. But now, listen. | have no
ina ~ II 4,,,1 0c
pals have gained access to your house.
The cook, the chambermaid, and your
wife are lying here bound and gagged.
The niger coachman has been disposed
of. Some bundles of oily rags have
been judiciously distributed about the
house, ready to be ignited.
"'Yon bloody scoundrell' shouted
the agonized husband, Whose eyes were
bulging during this recital.
Don't excite yourself. Now, sir,
1ere is my proposal. II you should
disappear from the telephone without
. = - N---o = =, Ill 90 fira to the
house. It's no use applying to the po-
lice, for we'd be too quick for them.
You will see, Mr.. Maxwell, that you are
in my power. The only SEN
sible thing you can do is to listen to my
and to agree to it.
'Oh, wish had my hand at your
throat, yoh internal william !! shouted the.
mad with rage.
"'But you know you haven't, SO what's
The use of talking that way! Let US
talk business instead. / need loan of
800, 600 cash. [ need it at once. If you
ire inclined to lend me that sum without
guarantee I shall leave your house with
my pals in exactly the same condition
in which l found it..
"'You are running me- groaned Max
we'll. And don't think 1 have that
much money in cash in the office safe.
"'You'll force me to commit an afro
cious deed, came the remorseless reply
"'All right, then-yes I'll pay, but to
whom?'
"It is now 5:15 exactly. AT this ve1y
moment my pal has entered your office
TO receive the money. You will pay him
and he will tell you the watchword
lgeed to between us, which you will
telephone to me at once
"Mr. Maxwell turned around. A
stranger of pleasant mien, dressed in the
height of fashion, stood before him.
Said the visitor: Il have called to
collect little matter of $4,000 for a
friend of mine, Thomas Jefferson Odell.
Correct = replied Mr.. Maxwell,
who went to the safe, took from it two
bundles containing $4,000 each, and
handed the money to the stranger. The
latter ascertained that the amount was
correct, then placed the money inside
his two breast pockets.
"And the watchword q queried Mr..
Maxwell,
"'Do right and interfere not replied
The burglars confederate with q great
leal of dignity, and strobe out of the
office with all the grandezza of q Span
ish hidalgo.
"'Do right and interfere not p joy
fully shouted Mr.. Maxwell through the
'And now you'll leave my
premises, Mr.. Odell, won't you? And
as for my wife
Have no fear, Mr.. Maxwell, replied
.he man at the other end. You have to
leal with burglar and q gentleman.
''Mr. Maxwell locked his office, got
nto his buggy, and drove out to his
house at Maud S. pace. The more
closely he approached, the keener his
ear of catastrophe became. But rs
lie stopped at the gate he noticed moth
ng out of the way. He sprang up the
tairs, two at time, and entered the |
pretty boudoir of his prettier wife. She |
was quietly reading.
8" How you must have suffered, my |
ngel!' he cried, and sob shook his
'oice.
"Ihe young wife looked up astonished.
Suffered? I?'
"'That burglar, you know-it must
AVE been awful. Oh, you poor darling!'
90 Why George dear, what is the
natter? You speak in riddles
"' But didn't he gag you 2 he asked.
"' Now see here, George, [ wish you
would talk sense. What do you mean 2
After Mr.. Maxwell had finished the
ecital of his adventure he asked.
Wasn't there somebody here using my
"'Why yes, there was, replied Mrs.
Maxwell. A young and well-dressed
nan, looking like q successful business
nan, came III, introduced himself to me
S ''Mr. Thomas Jefferson Odell, specu
ator, and requested permission to make
se of your private telephone to send
on a message. OF course, l gave him
ermissiOn. He used the telephone but
couple of minutes and then came back
nto the parlor, thanked me for the favor
had done him and went away, saying
he telephone was very useful invention
1T facilitated business.
"'And that was all e. asked Mr.. Max
7ell; 'he didnt gag you and the servants?
1e was alone. He didn't offer violence
0 you 2
why mol He was very polite and
entlemanly-quite as much as you are
t this moment, George!' =
'Oh = exclaimed George, with a wild
nthnrst 'What an infernnl ass I have