The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-31
A ROM ANTIC CAREER.
What Is Brought 70 Light by the
Absence of a Chicago Me1.

6OSSnCO vi a SA4CdRO Mt- L
From the Ne0 York Times.
CHICAGO, July ga sensational story is
brought out by the disappearance to-day of
Frank Hayner, an employe of Charles Peck
ham & Co.. insurance adjusters. It is re-
ported that prior to leaving the city Hayner
committed a number of forgeries, Peckham
q Co. being the victims.
Hayner arrived in Chicago about eighteen
months ago penniless, hungry and diiapi-
dated. He had known Mr.. Peckham years
ago in Brooklyn, from which city 10th
men came and where Hayner is respectfully
connected. He was supplied with both
money and work by his former townsman,
and until few months ago conducted him
self Us a model Of business energy and
rectitude The alias of Wilson" by which
he was frequently addressed by strangers,
was to the majority of Hayner's..acquaint-
ances source of mystery. Unraveied, it
shows shat this is by no means the first time
that Hayner has been mixed up in crooked
transactions.
Young Hayner's first exploit of note was
about three years ago. For { o years prior
TO that time Montreal merchants had been
Systematically robbed by en- organized gang
Of burglars. Watches, diamonds. sealskins
and money were the principal grades OF
plumber the thieves were partial 70, aud 81
sklllfully were the burglaries executed that
no clews were left by which tho police
could trace them. Men were discharged
from the police force as Incompetent
and others engaged in their places in
the hope of finding some trace of
the burglars. 1t was all without result,
and Chief of Police Paradis was in despair
Chief of Detectives John Fahey, who was
also at his wits end, consulted daily with
Paradis. laying all kinds of ingenious plans
to entrap the burglars or to run them down.
But srlll the crimes went on with even
greater frequency than before and with
greater boldness. Chief Paradis paroled
the infected districts himself in disguise,
and, though he was once or twice arrested
by his vlgllant men on suspicion, a big Jew
elry store in Notre Dame street was robbed
right under his nose, and the thieves as
usual got away without leaving trace.
This was too much. A number of prom
inent merchants held a secret conference
with Chief Paradis, and declared that the
police foi ce was in league with the burglars.
Paradis was thunderstruck. Such a thing.
he emphatcally declared, was impossible.
Still, he agreed to take On the force
detective to be selected by a committee of
the merchants. This is where young Hay
ner comes in.
Hayner was at that time a private de-
tectlve in Brooklyn, and, owing to some
Canadian connections. he was selected to
keep his eye on the Montreal police force.
He went on duty in plain clothes and was
attached to the central station, it being
given out that he was nephew of a prom
inent alderman. By agreement with the
merchants the secret of Frank Wilson's"
identity was sacredly kept, and neither
Fancy nor the chiefs son, young Paradis.
who was second in command Of the de-
tectives, even suspected that he was any
thing other than he appeared to be.
The result was that in less than three
weeks Chief Paradis called meeting of the
merchants to listen to the first report of the
new detective. The meeting was held in
the Windsor hotel. and on being called to
order, Frank Wilson, stepped forward
and denounced Chief of Detective John
Fahey and Detective Paradis as the leaders
of the gang of robbers, and implicated
many of the patrolmen as stoolpigeons and
active workers. He told where thousands
of dollars worth of property was hidden,
and there was scene which can be better
imagined than described.
The officers accused were at once arrested.
and in the preliminary examination before
magistrate Frank Wilson" told how he
had Joined the gang, and how he had
assisted in robbing another jewelry house
only two nights before. Montreal, as NAV
be supposed, was all torn up. and the Para
ols family bowed with shame. The family
is one of the Oldest in Canada. "Frank
Wilson" was the hero of the hour. When
the day OF the trial arrived Wilson" was
nowhere to be found. Paradis went Free
AS result, however, of WILSON'S" work,
Fahey and other members of the police
force were found guilty and are now serving
their time in the Kingston penitentiary.
When Hayner left Montreal he went to
England with the John L Sullivan slug
ging party as assistant treasurer. In Lon
don and Paris he spent all of his money and
returned to Boston. When the big Sullivan
benefit was given in Boston it is charged
that, with others, Frank Hayner. treasurer,
stole the proceeds.
From this time the adventurous youths
career is lost until he arrived at Mr.. Peck
hams office in the dead of winter without
an overcoat, his shoes and elbows worn out
and his face pinched with cold and want.
Where he is now is a mystery.