Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-10-02
HE WAS HOMESICK.
30 He WAS EASILY LUREO AcRoss
the MEXICAN LINE.

nov IN Amsseu. Desective Outvieted O.
1mbenief-Rosing - Fofger In ExfI,
Whs Kasv Of . Rich Deposit q Or,
, 1hss Hsd Newer Been Reported.
u never was in Mexico but once, and
then went as an amateur detective. 81
said the mining expert 1T happened
this way: A friend Of mine in Pittsburr
had his confidential clerk-to whom he
had given an opportunity by trusting
him fully-skip with $40. 600. He knew
where he was, just over the border
from San Diego But he was safe, fo1
he kept religiously ON the wrong side
OF the line. Several detectives had been
sent down there to lure him over, but
In some way he had detected the detect.
I've in them, for they often acquire g
professional air in spite Of their best
efforts to the contrary.
Il knew that my only chance would
be to go and live there as q fugitive
from justice myself and so secure hi
entire confidence. I decided to be q
forger. 1 took up my abodaa in the
wretched little town and about "a
hours was SO sick Of 1t that I was on the
point of throwing up the whole scheme
and going back. But my friend had
done me many favor in business, and
In decency ] owed him some return. on
course did not make tho slick mans
acquaintance. I was determined he
should make mine. He held of for sew.
eral days, evidently thinking I was a
detective and expecting me to make, az
tney had always done, approaches to
him But I kept away, as If were sus.
picious Of him. The fellow was dread
fully homesick, and I don't wonder, in
that place. He used to go out on the
desert and look at tho stars and stripes
across tho border and wish he dared 90
back He evidently began to think he
was worse imprisoned than II he had
been In some penitentiary.
Finally ono day he ventured to I'D
dress me replied very coldly to his
salutation, which only made him the
moro anxious to know me. He began to
inquire into my business and find out
what I had comefo gave him no spe-
cial satisfaction until one day said that
l had come for change Of dir. With the
Same kind Of air In tho United States q
few miles away this was, Of course, alb
surd, and no concluded, as I intended
he should, that I was there for the same
reason he was. but piled him with no
questions Finally. in his impotence,
he burst out with:
What's the use Of keeping up this
pretense longera know and you know
that We are both ON the same GRAND
down here. It is true, rs you say, we
can't live over there'-pointing to-
ward the country over the border. Let's
own up and have done with the farce. ,
So we confessed to each other, he tell
ing me all about his crime, which I
knew already, and I telling him all
about my imaginary iniquity.
THAT was as far as we got for
awhile. but It did him good. For 1t left
him free to talk He was very home
sick, and we both acknowledged that it
would DO almost pleasanter to give our
selves up and servo out our terms than
to stay there the rest Of our lives I once
or twice limited that I was ready to do
50. But he wasn't, and I knew that no
ordinary inducement would get him
where he could be taken But he had
no opportunity Of investing his money,
and his cupidity naturally forced him
to see that he had made a very poor bar
gain II all he was to get out Of his ras-
cality was to sit and spend it slowly in
that little hole Of Mexican town.
II had already interested him with
my stories Of fortunes that had been
made in lucky mine investments, and
told him I knew Of one rich deposit
which I had never reported to any one,
intending to invest the amount Of my
forgery In its development If could
get some more to put with It told
him it was in an out Of the way local
ity In southern Arizona, and that we
could get there without detection II we
would 60 ON foot or burro back and
avoid the railroads Finally he con-
cluded that he was willing to take the
risk II ! would and 20 and look at the
property. The rest was easy. Iwrote
ut once Tor an officer to DO ready to head
Us of while crossing the Colorado river.
We had travelled some distance without
being challenged or exciting suspicion.
threw OH my pretended apprehension,
declared that we were safe from all In
terference and that we might as well
take 1t easy. This proved contagious,
and saw that would have no Difficult.
y in getting him to the point I had
designated 10 the officers.
1--WE were riding slowly along I'm the
hot sun Of tho desert when suddenly
lrom behind q butte two men ON horses
shot out and rode swiftly toward us and
were upon Us almost before we had time
10 realize It. Although I had expected
them. I confess was taken by surprise
it was done so quickly and success
July. OF course they handcuffed me a.
we'll as him But before We had reached
The railroaa station they had released
me. aud he understood how he had been
Iooled / expected he would burst out