New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-05
HONOR AMONG THIEVES.
A VICTIM HIMSELF PROVED 1T.
A CURIOUS CASE OF CLEVER RoGUERY ri
LATED BY AN OLD DETECTIVE.

A CURIOUS CASE Ot ObbNr4N hO"O~
LATED BY AN OLD DETECTIVE
aHave met with much honor in my careerl' re-
piled an old detective to a reporters question tle
other day.
ayes, honor'
"what kind Of honor and whereof
"AmOng thieves"
aOh that kind said the rogue-catcher, with laugh
ayes have met with good deal OF that character
istc you mean when you say Honor among thieves
but It's not honor it's only selGshness, sclfinteres
self preservation, and II Wits like young WHO"
weeds whenever IT pays better to cast II asloe
"But have just heard Of rather remarkable uls
play of this sort OF honor which occurred In TINS CITY
not long ago.
"An elderly man typical hay seed. who had come
to town TO see the sights, accosed policeman on the
Bowery and told him with tears in his voice that
he must have been robbed OF all his money, $50. Tor
lie could not find it in any of his pockets and he did not
know Just where or when he had last seen It,
"The old boy had been poklng about in some OF the
worst dives and dcns Of the city, and the wondef
was that in his greenness had not met with some
thing rougher than mere plckpocket 'NOthhH
could be DONE however, the old fellow was advised
to pawn his watch all lie had left, for enough money
to buy a return ticket and In future to keep away
from the wickedncss of the metropolis.
"The old man set ont from the police station fol
the pawnshop, in wild despair. but In few hours
time burst in upon the police sergeant behind tle
desk with the shout:
" 'I've been robbed againr
Again exclaimed the sergeant angrily. T1ave
you been into the dives agan7 Did you pawn your
watchr
" NO. cried old IIayseed Just as was going into
the pawnshop touched me on the arm and said
he was detective in plain clothes sent by the police
TO help me to get back my money and II would 60
with him he would have ii returned to meP
" And were you fool enough TO go with mimi ex
claimed the sergeant.
" 'Of course, went said Ilayseed.
" Then you deserved to be robbed Of your watch
toor
MY watchp
" YES, your watch
AMY watch is all rigltr
"'YOu said YOU had been robbed again.
"'So have
"'Eut when yOu left here few hours ago you said
you had nothing but your watch
"'Neter had
"'what in the mischief could they steal from you,
Them
"'My money!
"sYoure drunk You old idiot: I'll lock you In the
cooler for awhile till you can talk sense!
"'Gosh all fshhooJs, am taIldng sense, captain
Don't lock me up. but let me tell you the TRUTH the
whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me
George Washington
Go on, Them said the sergeant threateningly
but cut 1t short I've wasted more than enough time
over you already
"Then the old fellow told how he had followed the
bogus detective by devious ways and dark alleys, Into
a room on the top floor of crowded tenemcnt-house
There his conductor introduced him to another fcti
tous detective who appeared to the old man to be
of higher rank than his guide, owing to the BULLYING
way in which lie spoke and the Difference paid hin
This fellow produced the old mans $50 from drawer
| and counted 1t ont slowly to him.
"'There's your money, old man. he said' 'anc
the vigilance of the finest police force on earth f
once more attested. No other power could have re
covered it for you Now tell me, is that every cent
YOU lost BE particular and do not trhe with me- as
YOU value your liberty. Were you robbed Of one cent
| more than the $s0r
| q" NO. replied the old man, trembling with delight
at the recovery Of his money. THAT Is all, captain
| S80'
acTalc It and co. said the fellow 'and be careful
to let the same officer who brought you here conduct
YOU 10 the railway station. Speak TO no one but him
till YOU are safe again your way TO your country
home and leave the wicked city TO city folk md th'
| all watchful police
"The old man and his guide bowed themselves
out and departed. They had not gone far when
burning thirst seized the conductor, and the over
loved old fellow was not slow to appease it. Nor
drinks followed and the way to the railroad station
began to grow tortuous. Presently Haysced missed
his guide altogether in crowd, and no efforts on hi
part awaited to find him. The old man got on
horse car and when he put his hand in his poke
| TO pay his fare he found that his money was gOn
| again
ale did not understand the at all. even then
and 1t took the police sergeant long time 10 maxi
him sec that he had been played for a sucker o
the rankest kind Finally he took 1t in and thel
lie exclaimed well, gosh darn it all. dunno whicl
is the slckcst the rascals that done me or the polio
| that can see through their tricks
You See" added the detective, by the way 0
explanation. "one Of the organized bands of criminal
had spotted the old fellow the minute they set eye
on his toGgery and his guileless manner. They Sc
one of their light fingered members, the one VIII
PLAYED the guide afterward, TO rob him. The swag
$50 was much less than they had expected 10 sc
and they suspected the man who had robbed him 0
a lack Of 'honor among thieves and accused him o
keeping back part OF the plumber. He had under
taken to show them that he square and yol
have heard the clever way in which he led his s!mpl
old victim to assure the captain of the gang that a.
was all hc had lost and honor among thieves wa
once more cNempied, without costing the theve
ANYTHING, the plumber was soon back again in tn
gangs treasury"