The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-12-29
A DETECTIVES STORY.
How the Finding of . Visiting Card Led
to an Important Arrest.

to an Important Arrest.
Two men sat in secluded corner Of
the EbbItt House lobby and enjoyed a
quiet chat over their after dinner cigars.
That was not remarkable fact, but one
OF the men is one of the best known
members in his profession, and if he
were inclined to tell history of his in
terestlng experience it would fill vol
umes. The smooth shaver gentleman
with the quiet demeanor is one of the
keenest OF criminal catchers, G. M.
Fletcher, of Chicago. Mr.. Fletcher re-
lated what he calls the strangest and
iuck1est piece of trailing in his life, and
the end of the trail was in Washington,
although" says Mr.. Fletcher, sit was
only luck on my part that it did"
Fifteen years ago wealthy old farmer
named Wilson was found murdered lust
outside his house, near Evanston, Ill.
The old man had that day concluded the
sale OF piece of property, and was re-
turning with nearly $1,000 in his pocket,
as it was growing dark, the cash having
been paid over after banking hours in
Evanston, and Wilson incautiously al
lowed the remark to drop that he wished
he had not made the sale until next
day.
He did not like the idea of CARRYING so
much wealth to his home, five miles dis
tant. These facts, besides the murder
itself, and the knowledge that a notori-
GUS gambler named Ed1nondson had
overheard the speech, were all the clue
rffQroH fha 1afoo+ixr<z
work on the case with reward of So, 900,
held out as an inducement for running
down the murderer or murderers.
Months passed, but no further trace of
the gambler who was suspected could be
found anywhere.
During the early spring of 1877 Fletcher
was sent east on mission by the agency
OF which he is member, and in the
course of his trip concluded to spend a
day or twoin Washington before return
ing to the Lake City. While passing up
Pennsylvania avenue. near Sixth street.
with friend, his attention was attracted
to small visiting card, which, after the
manner of his profession, he picked up
and examined
II wasn't thinking of business lust
then," said Mr.. Fletcher, shut I suppose
instinct led me to do as did, and what
do you suppose that pasteboard con-
tanned? The autograph of the very man
had been looking for for months. Of
course the signature was not familiar to
me, but the first thought to suggest it
self was, How did the card get there?
and | could answer it only one way
Edmondson had dropped it-but how did
he happen TO retain the same name if he
was guilty, unless he did not fear detec-
ton?
''Wen, to cut a long story short, de-
termined to stay in Washington awhile
and see what could be seen. / found
out the most notable houses where a
gambler of his type would be likely to
hold forth, and after ten days shadow
ing ! found him in an old frame house
on Four-and-a-Half street. Edmond
son came with me without requisition,
and made no fight. In fact, he was
tired of leading hunted life and con-
fessed the crime. He said he always
had an idea that the visiting card would
prove his doom, but somehow or other
he could not destroy it, and knew at
once when he missed it from his case
that it would be a clew, for he had
been travelling under an assumed name
since the murder. The card was the
last link of his former life.
'Edmondson was hanged few months
later, and that ended the most curious
episode in my twenty-five years expe-
rience as a detective. - Washington
Post.