Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-04-03

had a high reputation in criminal cir
cles for his ability in getting his fellow
rascals out of Jail. There was reason to
believe that in the past year no less
than nine men, some condemned to
terms of imprisonment and some held
for trial, had escaped by means OF as
sistance given them by Sparky.
His methods of giving help to Jail birds
were various. Sometimes liberty was
conferred through the agency OF saws
and ropes, at other times through that
of a habeas corpus and an incontest1ble
alibi. His means were adapted to the
circumstances of the case and 1t was
believed that if Sparky could be induced
to take up the case of captured rogue
the man had better chance of finding
himself free than the law had OF keep
ing him behind bars, especially II his
case were treated before it had passed
into its more chronic stages.
Sparky's success was greatly due to
his extremely specious manner and his
power of playing the part that the occa-
sion demanded. In this particular he
was even the superior Of Mandit, wEo
was an adept in this line. These two
men found no difficulty in securing the
services of proficient burglars, safe rob-
bers and the like, for, in addition to the
high rewards paid these men, they were
in a manner insured against permanent
imprisonment in case of misfortune. 1t
was always arranged thatif any OF their
enterprises came to grief and II either
Mandit or Sparky should happen to be
arrested the working miscreants should
substantiate any story their superiors
might choose to tell of themselves, and
if necessary to take upon themselves
the whole responsibility of the crime
In this case their speedy release was to
be looked upon as a thing assured.
A great deal of evidence in regard to
the character and practices of these two
men came from the stout burglar, COM
monty known as Barney Fitch. When
he found that nothing was to BIO ex-
pected from his two astute employers
and that they were in as bad place as
himself, he promptly turned States evil
dence and told all that he knew about
them.
1t was through the testimony OF this
man that the motive for the attempted
robbery of my house was found out. 1t
had no connection whatever with the
other burglaries of our neighborhood,
those probably having been committed
by low-class thieves, who had not broken
into my house simply because my doors
and windows had been so we'll secured;
nor had our boy, George William. any
share whatever in the protection OF the
household.
The burglary was undertaken solely
for the purpose Of getting possession OF
some important law papers which were
to be used in case in which was con-
cerned and which soon would be tried.
If these papers could be secured by the
opposite party the side on which was
engaged would have no case at all and a
suit involving great deal of property
must drop. With this end in view the
INSCRIPTIONS defendants in the case had
employed Mandit to procure the papers
and that astute criminal manager had
not only arranged all the details of the
affair, but had gone himself to the scene
of action in order 10 see that there
the details of this most important piece
of business.
The premises had been thoroughly
accommodated by Sparky, who a few
days before the time fixed for the burg
larry had visited my house in the capa-
city of an agent of telescope book
case, which could be extended as new
} volumes were required, therefore need
} never exhibit empty shelves. The young
man had been included in the party on
} account of his familiarity with legal
documents, it being, of course, of para.
mount Importance that the right papers
should be secured. His ingenuity was
also to be used to cover up, if possible,
] all evidence that the house had been
entered at all, it being desirable to make
it appear to the court that l had never
had these documents in my possession
! and, if possible, that they never existed
Had it not been for very natural de-
} sire for refreshment that interfered with
} their admirably laid plans it is probable
that the mechanical skill of Mandi,
would have been equal to the noiseless
scraping of the bent bolt and the obliter-
alton of the scratches and dents made
by the attempts upon other shutters, and
that Sparky, after relocking all open
desks or cabinets and after the exit OF
the others, would have closed and fast
ened the kitchen shutters and would
then have left the house by means of an
open window in the upper hall and the
roof of a piazza.
Thus it was that these three men SC
eminent in their different spheres OF
earnest endeavor, came to visit my com.
paratively humble abode, and thus 1t
was that they not only came to that
abode, but to the deepest grief. They
were wanted" in so many quarters, and
on so many charges, that before they
had finished serving out their various
sentences their ability to wickedly avail
themselves of the property of Others
would have suffered greatly from disuse,
and the period of life left them for the
further exercise of those abilities would
be inconveniently limited.
was assured by prominent detect
i've that it had been a long time since
two such dangerous criminals as Mandit
and Sparky had fallen into the hands OF
the law. These men, by means of very
competent outside assistance, made a
stout fight for acquittal on some of
the charges brought against them, but
when they found that further effort OF
this kind would be unavailing and that
they would be sentenced to long terms
of Imprisonment, they threw off their
masks of outraged probity and stood out
in their true characters of violent and
brutal ruffians. Barney Fitch, the