The Portland daily press., 1893-06-27
SOME ODD STORIES.
A New York Detectives Yarn-DetectioA
by Walk Rather Than by Faoe-A Call.
En- T.aarr

to Learn.
Copyright. 1893, by American Press Associa.
stion.1
like to talk with detectives, for though
they know more about the shady than the
bright side Of human life they are not mis-
anthropes, as one might be led to believe
from their calling.
The New York detectives are, as q rule,
policemen who, having shown an aptitud.
for such work, are detailed for secret duty
''We are always learning in our bust.
ness" said Detective Fox to me as he slipped
his beer in private bar not stones throw
from the T6mbs few nights since .You
see. as soon as we get on to the sharp tricks
of the thieves and crooks they plan up q
new lot, and we have to study up how to
block them. and you can bet that keeps us
busy. Talk about college training, why
It's nowhere for sharpening q mans brains
like our work"
"Do professional criminals disguise
much" I asked"
"Oh, bless you, yes, and they are bette,
at such makeups than the best actors on
the stage. Now come here and look out
through this lattice into the public barr
did as Detective Fox requested, and
pointing to a man with gray hair and beard
and all the marks of respectable old age he
said: Hg
"What do you think Of that fellow."
] answered in accordance with my first
impression.
"well. you are away off," chuckled the
detective. "That IL young follow of eight
and twenty and one OF the brightest Of the
kind. They call him Opal Sam because fol
+ <rx Co.
saw him coming in here tonight, and
am keeping my eye on him, for he's plan
ming a burglary as he sits over there Just
as sure as we two are In here"
SLOW did you recognize hima" asked.
"By his walk"
"You surprise me-"
"But it's true. No two men walk alike,
though many men look alike Then q
man may change his dress and disguise his
face, but unless he can keep his mind on it
all the time, which you will see is about
impossible, he cannot disguise his walk.
Why, have frequently recognized Grim
inals in the jailyard, though they were in
uniform and with their backs to me, just
by their walk.
the cigar had handed him and continued:
1T was just about year ago this time. I
was coming over one night from Staten Is
land, where I'd been working on a case that
looked like murder and might be sui
eide. On lower Broadway, just as was
about to take car for the central Office,
where had orders to 20. to Inspector
Byrnes within an hosr. my attention was
attracted by the 4 man on the
other side OF the d made up my
mind to shadow IN for few blocks
LAS went on was puzzled to know
where had seen that walk before, when
Of a sudden it came to me that it was Jake
Houston, noted craftsman who had Just
served seven years up at Sing Sing. The
man was SO we'll disguised that wouldn't
have known him from side of sole leath-
er if it hadn't been for his walk.
II followed Jake up to Maiden lane, but
before he turned in there he looked sharply
about him. Long practice made me antic-
ipate this movement, and SO was in the
shadows when he came to look down the
street. @Sa y
"Jake was one Of the shrewdest men in
the business and particularly hard to
tackle from the fact that he was well e1u-
Gated, self reliant and never had pal to
divide his swag with or to give him Away
If he was pinched. g ~
"As Jake vanished around the corner I
looked at my watch and saw that it was
within 10 minutes of the time when I must
report at the central Office. wanted to
hunt down my game, but the knowledge
that the chief was great stickler for Or
ders and discipline forced me reluctantly TO
give up the chase.
II reached the Office just on time, and
after making my regular report stated
my suspicious as to Jake Houston tosthe
inspector, but being busy with other mat
tiers at the time he did not appear to al
tach the same Importance to the matter as
did, SO feeling that had done my duty /
let the matter drop for that night and
went home to get sleep. something had
not had for As hours.
when reported at the Office next morn
ing at 9, I was not a bit surprised to learn
that the night before one of the richest
diamond establishments on Maiden lane
had been broken into and over 800, 900 in
stones stolen.
TO my delight was put on the job, but
Twas far too shrewd to tell the chief what
I had said the night before I kept my
counsel to myself. but associated the
missing diamonds with Jake Houston.
Another man was detailed to 60 with
me to lend hand in case we got into
fight, and off we started to locate Jake
Houston. A man thinks mighty quick at
such times. ! recalled that woman who
called herself Jake's wife had recently
moved to an isolated cottage down near
Fort Hamilton, and although hardly ex-
pected to find my man there and was not at
all sure that could get proof of his guilt if