Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1893-02-01

men who bore either of the three
names, James, Lewis, or Davids, aim
ing to be especially thorough when the
individual appeared like Jew. 1t i:
suggestive fact that he trailed nearly
a dozen men who in name and looks
"filled the bill," yet who turned out
to be the wrong persons. But by-and
by he made discovery.
He was passing along the Bowcry
one day, keen-eyed and watchful as 6
ferret, yet appeared like an up-country
farmer, when he saw man of Jewish
cast, and a demeanor that, to detect
i've, was inviting, enter secondhand
clothing store. Fitch followed him in
and, while looking over some coats
under the prctense of purchasing il
suited, listened to the conversation Of
the place.
"Good morning, Meester james,
said the clerk, who then came for.
ward to serve the farmer-appearine
customer.
"Ah," thought Fitch, "this is Mr.
James-now if he is also Mr.. Davids
and Mr.. Lewis, am in luck"
And, sure enough, in the back end
of the store All old man glanced over
his spectacles and exclaimed, familiar
ly:
"Vy, goot-morning, Lewis Ven did
you reach de ceety ?" and the two
shook hands like old friends. Indeed,
Fitch gathered from their talk that
they had been in partnership, or close
business relations in some form.
When he had decided that the coats
were not satisfactory in all points and
turned to 60, he asked the clerk, in an
innocent manner, where he could find
the store of Mr.. james.
"Mecster James ees out of de piz-
ness now. He vas in here vonce, but
he haf sold out"
"Oh! is that SOP" replied Fitch.
~ mean Mr.. Lewis D. James. |
bought a fine coat of him once, and /
wanted to get another like it,"
eyes, Meester Lewis D. James vos
de zhentleman," said the clerk. "Dat
ees him in de office now, talking nit
de old man. But he ees not selling
clothing any more"
At this the farmer passed into the
street, stepped along a few doors, and
disappeared in hallway, where, like
a flash, he turned his old coat the
other side out, changed his slouch cap
for spruce felt hat, pulled off his
bushy-red whiskers and eyebrows, and
reappeared in an instant completely
metamorphosed. Lighting cigar and
cooking back his hat, he sauntered
along the walk, looking like clerk or
indoor man of some sort, and not a
whit suggestive of the farm. Ere long
Mr.. James emerged from the store, and
the trailing began that ended behind
prison bars. For two months the de-
tective was like the shadow Of the man,
going where he went, watching we'll
nigh all he did, and even hearing much
that he said.
L
tail fraction Of the work.
James's most frequent resort was the
Bowery store, until Fitch began to
suspect the place as well as the man.
Other circumstances combined to en-
phasize the suspicion.
James often carried from the store a
package or packages of certain uni
form size, varying only in thickness,
and more than once Fitch traced him
to some hotel where he would be clos
eted for a while with strangers, and
upon emerging, the strangers carried
the packages.
Fitch believed these parcels con-
tanned the counterfeit bills, but could
not obtain sufficient proof in any case
to Justify the arrest of the strangers.
Added to this was the coming and go
ing, to and from the Bowery store, of
three or four men whom the detective
knew from appearance were not clerks
or tailors, but labors of some other
class. Disguised, he entered the store
close in their wake, and saw that they
went to the basement of the building
At length, stringing his discoveries
and guesses together, he became con-
vinced that he had the whole gang of
counterfeiters, engravers, printers and
James, their manager and outside
agent, all within touch. But he is too
dead-sure detective to risk shutting
down on any case until guesswork and
suspicion become certainty.
Hence, he devised a scheme for look
ing through the sub-surface portions of
the clothing store. Obtaining gas,
filters repairing outfit and soiled
clothes to match, with smeared hands
and face, as if just from the shop, he
presented himself at the store, the next
day after the monthly reading of the
meters, saying that the meter reader
had reported a fault in the pipes, and
he was sent to reEair it. An unsus-
pecting boy, who had had little
experience as a plumbers helper,
had been hired as assistant, and
accompanied him to the store, bear
ing some of his tools. Without
difficulty they were admitted 10 the
basement to search out the fault
in the pipes. From point to point
they passed, tracing the pipes, apply
ing matches to the joints, testing the
valves, and apparently seeking in
earnest for a leak. In the course of
his rounds through the cellars he saw,
but appeared not to see, enough to sus-
tain his theory that somewhere here
was the factory that produced the spu-
rious bills. Indeed, at one corner
where heavy door closed passage
in the wall, which the clerk told him
opened into an unused sub-cellar
where were no gas pipes, Fitch dis
tnctly smelled the odor of chemicals
employed in such a business as he was
trying to detect. He also saw, by a
swift glance, the unmstakable evil
denccs around the edges Of the Gun
used" door that it was often used, and
could be forced opened by strong
pointed bar.
With many an exclamation at not
finding leak, he at length made his
departure with his boy. On the street
at some little distance he paid and dis
charged the lad, giving as excuse that
he must find a man, who, being strong
er, could render more assistance in car
rying tools. An hour later, still in his
gas-fitter's disguise, he stepped into
the store to say that the meter reader
had made mistake in the street, Il
ruse intended to disarm the suspects
of any alarm which have been aroused
by his visit to the basement.