Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-03
A SMART CROOK
He Was Able to Make a Complete
Facial Change.
THE POLISHED MANNERS OF SOCIETY
He Played Well the Role of an
Austrian Baron.
G E N T L E M A N j o E

| W. Howgate, the defaulting United States
paymaster. many persons have wondered
| how 1t was possible for such a criminal to
| live here openly for ten years and escape
ton, while he was being searched for
| by the entire force of the secret service
| bureau. Under the name of Williams, How
| gate carried on book store in 4th avenue,
and went about his business openly. How
! he was able to escape detection so long
was partially explained by the great change
in the expression of his face, noted after
his arrest by Detective Drummond.
The wonderful power of certain smart
crooks to completely change their facial
expression at will and live double life is
well known to all experienced detectives.
One of the oldest detectives of the CEN
trail office in this city was greatly inter-
ested in the Howgate case. In the days of
the reorganization of the detective bureau
| by Inspector, now Superintendent, Byrnes,
this veteran of the service was one of the
| two men who worked up a case that re-
minds him of the Howgate affair.
From his diary and from memory he was
able to give to the correspondent this &C
count of the case of Baron Rudolph, alias
| Gentleman Joe"
| One morning a yelled woman drove to
| police headquarters in carriage and was
| shown into the detective bureau. When
alone with the inspector in his private Of
| flee she removed her veil and disclosed her
identity. She a wealthy widow. who
| had reached middle age, but was still PROM
| inent in society.
| She had come to report a mysterious rob-
| berry. Diamonds and jewelry of great value
| had been stolen from Ter, ard there was no
| clew to the thief. Many Of the jewels were
old family ores, and she was willing to pay
| large reward fer their recovery. The in
| spector soon learned that the woman, con-
| trary to the rule in such cases, did not sus-
| pect any one of the theft. The jewels We're
| kept in a small safe in her room, and she
| said it was impossible for any of the SER
| wants to have taken them.
| Ibid you show the jewels to some Of your
| frienis?" asked the inspector.
| Yes; but you do not suspect them"
II suspect no one. But tell me when you
| last saw the stolen jewels"
| Last evening"
You were showing them to a friendY
| Eyes"
And you missed them this morning7"
Eyes"
This friend examined them in your pres
| ence?'
Yes. I am quite cure he did not take
| them.p
who is this friend who looked at the
| Jewels last?"
The woman blushed and hesitated a mo-
ment before she answered.:
He is Baron Rudolph Of Austria. very
dear friend of mine
HE asked to see the jewels?'
mo. We were talking about them. He
was telling me Of the jewels worn by his
| mother, and l showed him n,ine."
rs Baron Rudolph wealthy?''
II do not know; but his tile is a very
old one"
You are engagedT' =
The woman blushed again and bowed her
head
How long have you known the baronr'
Almost two months"
His address is-?''
Good heavens. you do not mean to init
mate that"
Il do not mean to intfrr ate anything. I
| merely wished to talk with the baron and
obtain from him description of the Jewels
as he remembers them. He may be able
to give us some clew to the thief"
The woman, when convinced that Baron
Rudolph was not suspected of stealing her
jewels, gave his address. The inspector dis
missed her, promising to communicate as
soon as he discovered anything.
"GentIeman Joe" and Kitty.
Five minutes after the yelled woman left
the inspectors office one of his detectives,
who had been sent out to investigate a
small burglary on the East Side came in
to report. His report was brief. The bur-
glar lad covered his tracks so we'll there
|. was no clew to his identity.
Its just like Gentleman Joe's work" said
street tells me Joe was seen on the hill last
week. He's keeping shady now but We'll
| land him before long on something else,
and when we do, / think We'll find the
swag from this job. The only thing to do
| Is to lay for Joe before he has a chance
to work off the stuff"
Gentleman Joe has girl on Cherry Hill
who has stuck to him through thick and
thin. Her name is Kitty Brady. If there
is a soft spot In 5oe's heart it is for Kitty.
Find the girl and locate joe"
That night the detective attended a dance
| on Cherry Hill and was introduced to Kitty
Brady. AS soon the detective who was
on the burglary case, had left the office the
inspector called another officer, and giving
him description Of the stolen jewelry told
him to make round Of the pawn shops
and fences and find the stuff.
In three hours the officer returned with
a few pieces of the woman's jewelry. He
| had found them In a Bowery pawn shop.
THE stuff was soaked by Gentleman
Joe," said the officer.
How do you known"
THE clerk gave me a good description of
the fellow who left 1t, and 1t fits Joe like
a new glove. He's been down from Sing
Sing three months, and 1t is time for him
to be at work.
and then he decided to call on Baron Ru-
dolph He first sent out another detective
to look for Gentleman Joe.
With a handsome face, a graceful form,
crime, true to his friends and free with his
money Gentleman Joe was the pride Of
Cherry Hill. He could pick a pocket, rob
a bank or make love to the girls with equal
success. Three times he had done a turn
at Sing Sing, and every time he came down
from the river his friends on the Hill gave
him an ovation. He could tell a story, sing
a song or do turn in the concert halls,
and he never squealed when he was pinch
| ed.
Mary times he had set all Cherry Hill
laughing by his funny stories and antics.
| His power Of facial contortion was some
| thing wonderful. Once a policeman arrest
| ed him for some small offense. and was
taking him to the station without putting
the nippers on his wrists. They got into
| crowd and when the policeman looked
around to make sure that his prisoner did
not give him the slip, Joe had vanished.
| A bent old man, with a single pencil and
| box Of matches, was standing in the gutter
| begging the crowd to buy his wares, but
| gentleman joe had disappeared SO sud
| denly and completely that the policeman
rubbed his eyes for three minutes to make
sur. that he was awake.
Joc's friends on the hill never grew tired
| of telling how he had transformed himself
| into an old peddler that day and escaped
| from the policeman.
Byrnes and "The Baron"
| Baron Rudolph was not in when the in