Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-03-25
DALLAS.
A. II. Gray With a Card From 8
Wichita, Kan. Detective Agency
In Trouble.
The Farmers Convention to Do Some Political
wire-Pulling Cooking Main a
Short Lived Affair.
THE GAZETTE BUREAU,
S27 MAIN STREET,
nsTTac Try March u 1SQ0
Arrested on Suspicion.


A. NJ. Gray is the name OF a we'll
dressed man, rather below medium
height and of slender build, who was
brought into the police station about II
O'Clock this morning, having been ar
rested on suspicion of being the man who
attempted to hold up Mr.. J. C. st.
John, q real estate man, last night in
front or the Kansas City house, sport
ing place, at the corner of Jefferson and
Young streets. Mr.. st. Johns assail
ant made grab for his watch. but only
succeeded in getting part of the chain.
Gray came here from Wichita, Kan.
about two weeks ago, and shortly after
his arrival called on Detective McCane
and exhibited membership card from
McMahan's detective agency, Wichita,
Kan. He claimed to have been engaged
in an amateur way in detective business
in Wichita for about eight months.
Though not a full fiedged detective, he
thought he had it IN him to make good
one.
Mr.. McCane advised him that If he
thought of making living for himself
and family as a private detective in Dali
las he would starve unless he gave it up
and went to work.
Gray admitted to THE GAZETTE re-
porter that McCane had SO advised him,
and expressed regret that he had not
taken it. Said he: ''I thought to play
private detective, only to get caught
myself
Station keeper Arnold said that the ar
rest of men carrying commissions from
so-called detective agencies was OF fire.
quent occurrence. "They think, said
he, "that these commissions give them
the right TO make arrests and carry
pistols. They buy them from some
agencies for So, but they are not worth
the paper they are written on.
The membership card carried by Mr..
Gray is signed by J. A. MoMahan Of Nc
Mahan's detective agency, and contains
in the upper left-hand corner a photo
graph of McMahan. This legend ap-
pears at the bottom of the card:
''No man is a member of this agency
without this card bearing my photo
graph. J. A. MCMAHAN. -
Mr.. McMahan prints string of refer
ences on his card, including the follow
ing Wichita banking and business instl-
tutions and railway officials: National
bank, Citizens bank, r. Harding, SUI
perintendent Missouri Pacific railroad;
State national bank, Judge Vale, w.
W. Hays, sheriff; Sluss & Stanley, at
torneys, and ] Il. Richards, vice-presi-
dent and general attorney Missouri Pa
cific railway company.
On the other side of The card Mr.. Nc
Mahan informs those whom il may con-
Germ that ''This agency is independent
of government or municipal control, and
is prepared to undertake all proper de-
tective business entrusted to it by rail-
road or other corporations, attorneys or
private individuals. 1t does not operate
for rewards. -
1t is perhaps well enough for all would
be detectives to know that Mr.. McMa-
han s commissions and membership cards
will receive no recognition from the Dali
las police, and that an attempt to enact
the role Of detective on the strength Of
the supposed authority given by them
will land the one making it behind the
bars.
AS TO the affair last night, it appears
that Gray and companion named w.
Meyers, a barber, who is now in custody
on suspicion of being concerned in the
attempt to hold up St. John, were max
ing the rounds of the bawdy houses in
South Dallas. They called into Dollle
Edgar's and other places, and are sup
posed TO have tried to hold up St. John
after leaving.
A small gold-headed ebony cane was
picked up by the officers near the scene
OF the hold-up, having been thrown
away by one of the assaulting parties.
Its side was splintered and piece split
off from it was found in Edgar's place.
This cane is identified as one carried by
Gray. The latter, however, while he
admits that he was very drunk last night,
says he has robbed nobody. He is a
married man and is expecting his wife
and family here in few days, where his
household furniture is now stored. He
wears an Odd Fellows pin and says he is
in good standing in the Wichita lodge,
and can prove a good character in that
city.
Myers, with whom he has been run
ming, is a barber, also from Wichita. He
came here with q good kit of tools, and
making the acquaintance OF Mr.. August
Kern, proprietor of the BARRIERS supply
house, 942 Commerce street, was en-
ployed by the latter to run a barber shop
for him at 83S Main street.
Yesterday Gray sold TO Mr.. Kern fine
dog, described as ''Mastiff, one-fourth
Russian hound.' Kern gave Gray a
check for $50 for the dog. He is now
anxious to know whether or not the dog
was Gray s property.