Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1888-12-21
BALKED OF HIS PREY.

that n man sought your life, and that he
would not dcsist until ono or the Other
oil you were dead, the feeling would be
a strange one. No matter how bravo YOU
were, you could not hide your anxiety
and alarm. No matter how strong YOUR
nerve, you would feel broken up. Let
me send you word to-day that I seek
your life and will not rest until / have
seen you dead Mt my feet, and. mn hour
after you receive tho message you will
be changed man. You can't help but
worry, and the more you worry the
sooner your nerve will go. yrIf L was to
hight you fair and openly, you would not
hesitate. 1t is the knowledge that am
to strike you at an unexpected moment.
that may stab you in the street car, shoot
you down in tho park, cut your throat
while you sleep, that unscttlcs YOU and
makes your flesh creep.
While member OF Pinkorton's do.
tcctivc force | made the arrest of high
way robbcr at Madison, Wis. He was
arrested Tor robbery committed in ILL
nois live months before, and had been
on the case. two months when | finally
ran him down. He was n machinist by
trade, and was then working in shop.
! proved him to be an old crook and n
dangerous one, and was satisfied that he
went into the shop to bale pursuit; but
1t seemed to strike others differently.
The reporters wrote him up rs one anx-
lous to reform, and they wrote me down
rs bloodhound hanging 10 his trail, and
go considerable public sympathy was
aroused for him. | then Ind proofs OF
Tour other crimes committed by him, an v
one OF which would send him to prison,
but had TO keep silent and tako public
criticism. My man got sentence of five
years, and he had scarcely departed for
prison when received through the mail
note reading:
'lou have by money and perjury sent
an honest man to prison. You knew he
was honest and handwriting. Ycu
wanted to glorify yourself. Tho poor
fellow is n friend of mine, and | have
sworn TO revenge him. Take notice
that | will have your life on the first
opportunity.n
There was no signature to the letter,
Dut l knew at glance that the writer
meant business. 1t was n plain, bold
hand and after half an hours study |
made these deductions:
!. It was written by crook.
2 1t was written in prison.
.. The writer was in dead earnest.
a.. lie was large, muscular man, with
light hair, blue eyes and fair complexion.
.. He would wcara silk hat aud dark
ish clothes.
q. lie would aim to either throttle me
or strike mo down with club.
How did reach these conclusions?
We'll, the average detective clutches on
to crooks chiography by instinct. II
was written on n half sheet, and the pen
and ink were poor The paper was
creased and soiled, and l felt cciain
that the writer had passed it to a pris
oner about to be discharged. The lat
ter had mailed it to me in an envelope
addrcsse by himself. The chiography
OF the letter was bold and earnest. Large
men are bold and more sympathetic than
small ones. Large men who bctray this
sentiment are of sanguine temperament.
They are also vain and dress we'll and in
taste Large men seldom ambush q
victim. They depend on their strength.
This Is about the way figured it out,
and l was so firmly satisfied that | was
right that founded my programme ac
cordingly, and permitted no change tc
%ffp in. | further believed that the
m,itcr would not be out of prison for q
rpnth, and l had ample time to gel
\ lady for him. Had he been out ht
would not have written. II he had sew.
eral months to serve he would not hayc
written. was bachelor then, having
room OH State street and taking my
meals ut restaurant. My room wa:
reached by private stairs, and alone had
the key to the street door. From side
window in my room to side window in
real estatco.licc was q distance of only
five feet. As there were bars on the 9th
er window had left mine unguardcd
now had them put on, and there wa.
no way 10 reach me in my room OK,
cept to open the street door and come III
stairs. had the inside of the door Gov,
cred with sheet iron, and arranged {
spring gun for the stairs.
Was l afraid? No, l had plenty o.
confidence in myself, and l wanted tc
get the drop on the stranger first. HI
had pitted his wit, nerve and couran,
against mine, and my professional prd,
was aroused. He had n big advantap,
in knowing me and my habits, and it wa.
only fair to offset this by taking somt
extra precautions.
gave the writer of the ANONYMOUS
letter thirty days to come out of prison
and ten moro to get himself in shape t.
begin the campaign. | was not ia
wrong. On the thirty-eighth day afte
receiving the warning, as boarded {
State street car TO come down town, my
man was passenger. lie was n maj
who exactly correspondent to the pictur,
had drawn, and it never occurred Il
me that could be wrong. While wa.
sizing him up from the corner of my
eye, saw that lie was taking my meas.
urc. purposcly turned my head to lie
him see scar. on my neck. and when
glanced ut him again was sure that Ii,
was satisfied of my identity. Now, til,
chase had begun. lie had sworn to hay,
/ my life, and knew by the set of his iav
and the compression of his lips that h
had still further resolved Where hat
he been in prison, and what for? Hi
face was strange to me. Had dcsirei
to take an unfair advantage, I coul(
have run him in as suspect, or trumpet
up sore charge to hold him and investi
gate his record, but wouldn't do that
It was to be a fair fight. He would asl
for no outside help, and pride wopls
4.