Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1897-11-19
HAS A DUCKS INSTINCT.


Mysterious Escapes Of NotDI Criminal
from Prison Walls.
The retired detective said: lone Of
the hardest chaps to run down l ever |
came across was one had something |
to do with when was on the London |
police force, many. years ago. He was
an all-round thief, ready and willing
to crib anything he could get his banda
on, from house and lot to hot stove.
and he never let anybody get their
ands on him if he could help it, and
he always did while l was on the
force. For the five years l was work.
ing along the dock district the fellow
kept at his work, and we couldn't
catch him. One night he cracked a
safe and got away with one thousand
dollars or more, and q reward was Of
fered for him. This put us all on our
mettle, and was keen TO make repu-
tation, and had everything and every
body spotted.
mot a hair of him. though, showed
for as much as three months, and then
one night l flushed him and gave
chase. He went for the dock, and !
was sure had him. for there was only
was by the water, and in this particu-
lar place he couldn't sneak under the
flooring, but had to take to the open
water. ! wasn't ten yards behind him
as he went out the dock on a run, and
saw him go over and heard the
splash. 1t couldn't have been a Sec
ond till was in sight Of all the water
where he went in, but when got there
there wasn't any sign Of my man, and
the whole place was we'll lighted with
lamps. l made a thorough search, go
ing all around under the docks beyond,
the only place where he could get un.
der. but there wasn't any man there.
was sure then that he had been
drowned, and we dragged the place,
but could find nothing in the shape of
woman, who had evidently been in the
water for q month. His body had
Aoated of, that was all there was to
it, and we congratulated ourselves on
getting rid of him, even If we had lost
the reward. However, six weeks later,
q detective detected him one night
ON boat on the Thames, and just Us
he was going to take him in he went
overheard and disappeared in the dark
waters of the river. Every effort was
made to find him again, but without
success, and this time we were sure he
had been drowned.
"For year afterward nothing was
seen of him, and then VIC heard of him
in Liverpool, and one Of the Scotland
Yarders went there to take him, if pos
| ~ IL to1
about the docks, where he seemed tc
be careless, and again he took to the
water and escaped. By this time We
felt that he wasn't born to be drowned
and that he would turn up again. He
did, several times, and each time he
got away. At last, about five year.
after had been in America, received
q letter from q friend of mine at Scot
land Yard to the effect that the 'watel
dog as we called him, had been cap
tured by an accident He had beer
seen near the docks by roundsmal
and chased, and as he went towart
the water across the dock he trippe,
and fell, striking his head on a stan
chion and falling into the water in al
unconscious condition. He was fshe'
| Out 6uu ECouoCA S6 sCeAs OuV oOAOiO esAO
brought him around they discovere
, his amphibiousness, SO tospeak. Fast
! ened around his neck was rubbe
, tube, ten feet or SO long, with a mouth
! piece ready handy at one end, and tn
other end fastened into small cor
float, so that when he went into tn
: water he stayed there, either swim
. ming away or holding to dock pill
but never coming to the surface fc
air, as he got all he wanted throug
the tube, with its open end in the floa
!. which wouldn't be noticed one time
|. q thousand in the dark in such mast
' water as is about the docks. OF cour.
l. they would have got onto him aftt
4 awhile, but the accidental falling save
!: time and explained mystery. whie
4 he no doubt guarded sacredly, eve
!, from men of his class, for know MOI
Of the thieves we ever caught cou
give him away. "-Washington Star