The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-11-03
A DESPERATE PLOT.
Determined Efforts of a Crook to
Assassinate Mo.

If you were certain in your own mind
that a man sought your life, and that
he would not desist until one or the
other of you were dead, the feeling
would be a strange one. No matter
how brave you WERE you could not
hide your anxiety and alarm. No mat
ter how strong your nerve, you would
feel broken up. Let me send you word
to-day that / seek your life and will
not rest until have seen you dead at
my feet, and an hour after you receive
the message you will be a changed
man. You can't help but worry, and
the more you worry the sooner your
nerve will go. If / was to fight you
fair and openly, you would not hest
tate. 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 the park, cut
your throat while you sleep, that I'M
settles you and makes your flesh creep.
While a member of Pinkerton's de-
tective force | made the arrest of
highway robber at Madison, Wis. He
was arrested for a robbery committed
in Illinois five months before. and |
had been on the case two months when
| finally ran him down. He was a
machinist by trade, and was then
working in shop. I proved him to be
an old crook and a dangerous one, and
was satisfied that he went into the
shop to battle pursuit; but it seemed to
strike others differently. The report
-ers wrote him up as one anxious to re
form, and they wrote me down as a
bloodhound hanging to his trail, and
so considerable public sympathy was
aroused for him. / then had proofs of
four other crimes committed by him,
any one of which would send him to
prison, but had to keep silent and to
take public criticism. My man got a
sentence of five years, and he had
scarcely departed for prison when l
received through the mail note read
ing:
''Yoa have by money and perjury
sent an honest man to prison. You
knew he was honest and handwriting.
You wanted to glorify yourself. The
poor fellow is friend of mine, and |
have sworn to revenge him. Take
notice l will have your life on the first
opportunityn
Thaae was no signature tothe letter.
but | knew at glance that the writer
meant business. 1t was plain, bold
hand, and after half an hours study |
made these Deductions:
l. 1t was written by crook.
2. 1t was written in prison.
3. The writer was in dead earnest.
4. He was large, muscular man,
with light hair, blue eyes and fair
complexion.
5. He would wear silk hat and
darkish clothes.
6. He would aim either to throttle
me or strike me down with club.
How did | reach these conclusions?
Well, the average detective catches on
to crooks chirography by instinct
1t was written on a half sheet, and the
pen and ink were poor. The paper
was creased and soiled, and | felt GER
tain that the writer had passed it to
prisoner about to be discharged. The
latter had mailed it to me in an en-
velope addressed by himself. The
chirography of the letter was bold and
earnest. Large men are more SYM
pathetic than small ones. Large men
who betray this sentiment are of san
guine temperament. They are also
vain and dress well and in taste. Large
men seldom ambush victim. They
depend on their strength.
That is about the way | figured it
out, and was so firmly satisfied that /
our East and Southwest. The Sout
with England work for one interes
The South raises cotton, sugar an
rice. She needs no protection. Sh
don't manufacture anything. On
Northern State manufactures MOI
than the whole South. She wan
England's cheap goods to come i
free Of duty. She detests the YaI
kee. She begrudges the money pal
for pensions which comes mostl
from the tariff on foreign goods. TT
tariff which is our protection again
cheap foreign labor, wool, coal. irol
ETC., is to the South obnoxious. IL,