The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-11-26
MYSTERIOUS vENDER OF BRASS.
Mr.. Cohen Comes to Portland to Find
His $4,000

| Pursuit, but in Quebec, After Good De-
tective Work, Finds that the Trail Was
| that of the Wrong Man.
| Nov. 2, there was successfully carried
through in Boston very bold swindle, the
sale of copper filings for gold dust. The
seller was Jew who claimed to have just
arrived from the mines of Siberia with
gold dust of large value. He offered to
| sell the lot for S6,500, and the sale was
made to Mr.. Cohen. of Boston, who sup
| posed he was buying gold dust to the value
of about $4,000. A specimen submitted
| to Mr.. Cohen, and apparently taken from
| the entire mass, was pronounced by Bos-
ton banking firm, and by jewelar to be
| fine gold of high value. There was an
| adroit manipulating of the contents OF the
| bag, and the few dollars worth of gold ac-
| tually thele was made to sell the brass of
no value whatever.
OF course the Boston man was not willing
| to lose the $4,000 he had paid out, and he
| did not propose to allow the sharper who
| sold him the brass to go free # he could
| prevent it, but circumstances were badly
| against him. He had only slight knowl-
| edge of his man, just enough to enable him
| TO 'know him again. but hardly enough
| to give such description of the party
would intelligently set others to work. He
| sent what description he had to various
| parties, and among others TO some persons
| in this city.
The man who got the $4,000 started off
! at once with his rlunder, and a party who
answered pretty we'll to the same general
| description was traced to Portland land was
| believed by Jews here to be in hiding. He
| asked many cautious questions regarding
| the sailing of steamers from this port, and
| at last seemed to conclude that it wouldn't
pay him to stay here that long. and SO
bought Grand Trunk .ticket,ssan started
on morning train for Canada.
This man had a trunk with him that
seemed to give him great deal of concern,
and which was seldom out of his sight. He
left Portland about the time that Boston
parties had about come to the conclusion
that their man was in Portland. and that
he came directly here from BOSTON with his
S6,5O0. The man had gone. but there was
still hope-that he might be found and ar
rested.
| With that idea in view extradition papers
were secured. and Mr.. Cohen and Boston
officer came to Portland, where they had
talk with Mr.. Isaac Abrams, by whose assis-
tance they were able to trace their man or
lather the man they supposed was their
| man, while in Portland. Of course Mr..
Abrams did not personally know the party,
but when the Boston Ieople concluded that
he was their long wanted and ardently
sought for man, they engaged Mr.. Abrams
to go with them to Canada.
At the suggestion of Mr.. Abrams, an at
tempt was first made to trace their man by
wire, and he sent tracing message along
the line. and found THAT the party left the
Grand Trunk train at point very soon
after he crossed the line into Canada, and
| that he remained there over Sunday going
| forward the next morning.
Theltheory under which the Boston officer,
Mr.. Cohen and MIR. Abrams acted was that
their man was planning to escape from
| Canada by steamer, and that he was think
ing of reaching some English port. They
reasoned that he would go to Quebec, but
that he wouldn't take the steamer there.
| but at Lands End, when the steamer
touched for the last time to take the mails
made up at Toronto and western points.
one day later than if sent to Quebec. This
theory was bly, correct, put they were
not running down the right man IN
known to themselves they were tracking
some other cIiminal,.as was shown later on.
They left here, and after reaching the
little Canadian village where their man
passed Sunday, they found that he checked
his trunk, still the same valued and watched
article of personal property that it had been
in Portland, through to Quebec, and that
he left on the Monday train for that place.
The hunt was getting hot, but when thev
reached Quebec, and had consultation
with the chief of police, they found that
! official rather in doubt regarding the .possi-
bility, or at least proba bility. of making
| capture. He was inclined to think with
| them that il their man was thinking of 60
! ing on the last steamer from that port. that
| he would not 60 on board the steamer at
| Quebec itself.
| Then the three separated, Mr.. Abrams GO
ing alone. and as 1t turned OUT dong the
| walking along the streets when he found
himself in the midst of group of hackmen.
Abrams talked with them. thought he might
want horse himself for milk route he
was thinking OF starting but wanted good
man man 'l Who o. was M stranding by. Addressing
| himself to the man Mr.. Abrams said that
he wanted to find the man who carried a
| trunk from tho station. He described The
| that trunk myself. / couldn't lift it alone
"What did the man give you for taking
! it up?" asked Mr.. Abrams.
Forty cents"
| "That was my trunk" said Mr.. Abrams.
81 gave him 35 cents and he said he gave
] it to the truckmsn."
''l'lI have them 50 CENTS said the indig-
| nant tluckman. You come with me-"
| In short time the man said, Here's the
house, ''and started to leave the team. Mr..
| Abrams quietly handed him a dollar and
| told him to drive to the police, station.
where he told the chief that he had located
the man. The chief complimented him on
his detective ability. and sent an officer
| with him. At the house, kept By a young
married couple, Mr.. Abrams wanted to hire
| a ROOM He knew that the 1odger had the
| lower room, and asked to see it. The man
of the house opened the door. and there
| Mr.. Abrams saw the much sought for trunk,
and believed that the S6,50O would be re-
| covered.
The owner of the trunk was not in, but
| returned in few moments. and was bad
| ly frightened man when Mr.. Abrams
! motioned to the officer to arrest him.
What is the CHARGE he asked. and before