The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-08-28
TRAILING A THIEF.
A Detectives Long Chase After 8
Fugitive Cashier.
From Minnesota Through Canada, En-
gland, France. Spain and Italy to Switz-
rrfand-A Clever Ruse to Avoid
Extradition Proceedings.

Extradition Proceedings.
While o murder is now and then
committed without the murderer be-
ing brought to justice, and while pro-
portion OF burglars, robbers and en-
tezzlers are bound to escape arrest,
from the nature of things, an expert
ence of twenty years in criminal work
has satisfied me that no criminal can
escape justice if a clue be left to work
ON, If that clue is persistently followed.
Tn March, 1865, a man named Vine
wood, of Vermont, with another named
Adams, of Cincinnati, established a
bank in new town in Minnesota. The
former was bachelor fifty years old,
and the latter a young man OF twenty
three just how they became ac-
quainted | have forgotten. but | be-
lieve they first met in a bank in Gin
cinnati in which Adams was employed
as book-keeper He had $4,000 in
cash which relative had left him,
and Vinewood put in $4,000, and a
bank with capital of $50, 900 was es-
tablished. After about a month, when
every thing was running smoothly,
Vinewood returned to Vermont on
business, having the most perfect faith
that all would go well in his absence.
On the very day he left Adams re-
ceiyed deposits from citizens and from
the county treasurer aggregating $751;
900. The trustees of an institution
likewise placed in his vault for safe
keeping $40, 900 worth of United States
bonds.
Upto this date the bank had loaned
out about So, 900, and it had $40, 900 on
deposit in Milwaukee and Chicago.
Finewood left in the morning. That
same evening at eight o'clock Adams
followed, having taken every dollar
in the bank and the securities above
mentioned. He left on Sunday night,
and OF course no one in town could
suspect any thing until time for the
bank to open on Monday. Then no
one knew what had happened or what
to do, and no one had Vinewood's ad-
dress. 1t was three days before it was
known for q fact that Adams had
robbed the bank and fed. 1t was ten
days before Vinewood put me on the
case and said:
81 want this man run down if it
takes ten years and costs me my last
cent Follow him day and night. Do
not leave his trail for an hour. l will
put $4,000 to your credit in New
York bank, and when that is exhaust
ed will replace it."
Vlnewood was man of deep feel
Ing, and the robbery had aroused a
sense of Indignation which could not
rest until the robber had been fifty
punished. Igot several cabinet pho
tographs of Adams as starter. They
all showed him with mustache. 1t
was likely he would shave that off,
and | got a Chicago artist to sketch
his face as it would appear without.
AS he did not wear glasses he would
likely put them on as disguise. l
had sketch made with glassesyon his
nose and with his straight, long hair
cut pretty close. AS it was raven
black he could not color it. He had
gone to Milwaukee and Chicago and
checked out every dollar OF deposits,
and in the latter city he had disposed
OF the securities for cash. He thus
mad nearly eighty thousand dollars
with him, much of it in small bills. |
visited every bank in Chicago, but
could not find that he had purchased
drafts or exchange. At the express
Offices there was no record that he had
shipped any cash. When he left the
bank he only had the sachel in which
he was carrying the money. He there
lore had no change of clothing. After
visiting seven or eight different
hotels in Chicago / found where he
mad registered as "Burt j. Smith, St.
raul. He had made but n slipht at
tempt 10 disguise his handwriting.
de had remained at the hotel a. mart
OF the afternoon and over night, In
stead OF purchasing a trunk he had
bought new suit of clothes and taken
his old ones out and sold them second
hand. The new suit was entirely of
gray, while his old one was black.
This made such change in his looks
that remarks were made when he
came to pay his bills.
Two square from the hotel, on the
way to the Lake Shore Depot, was
barber shop, reasoned that Adams
would seek to get rid of that mustache
N'ore he left Chicago, and after he
left the hotel l could only guess
aalsa way he went, but 1 meant to
all routes. The barber in the
~ chair in the shop had all the in
.Unaaon wanted. Adams had come
:. mere with his sachel, complained
:, sore lip, and had his mustache
tas. Oft. He had in his hand a
s'uer Oh the Lake Shore road. After
~ ~ mus'aehe was off he had his hair
r.s s'ea and the change in his looks
Saslderable. The barber had |
ever pretty closely. and |