The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-06-12
Fooled THE FOOTPADS.
How Large Sum Was Saved
by Presence of Mind.
NIGHT ADVENTURE IN ST. LOUIS.

Four Thieves Had wayfarer Cornerod.
He Put His Money In nm Envelope, Adj
dressed 1t to Hlmself and Dropped 1t
In Letter Box.
There's nearly always some way of out
whiting footpad If you only keep cool
and use your head, said the old singer.
Three of them had me oornered once and
thought they wero going to get 50, 500,
but fooled them just tho same.
1t was in st. Louis, shortly after tho
war. had been there several weeks nc
gotiating some business for New York
parties, and in that time I had become
pretty well acquainted with the monoycd
men around town, who, at that time wero
inclined to- BIO rather sporty. 1 ganbled
occasionally, myself,
One night went into the largest gam
bling house with friend of mine and be-
gan to play roulette It's game seldom
played, but had fancy to play it this
night Well, sir, ] lost 5000 almost as fast
as l could buy chips. Finally, had SIS
worth of white chips left and pushed
them over OH tho doublo-o, and, much to
my surprise, tho double-o came. That was
the turn of my luck. Within an hour 1
Ind $4,000 in front of me. lost back to
Sc, 500 and cashed in.
The dealer had to give me an order on
the proprietor, and as 1 didn't want to
carry small bills, he gave mo two 81 900
bills and ono $500 bill. lie said he'd keep
tho money in the safo for mo, but WAS
accustomed to handling large sums, SO
just took the bills and put them in my
vest pockets. My friond and l left. the
place. walked with him to tho corner
and then started for home-I then had
apartments in private house.
On my way home had to pass through
the wholesale district. 1t was business
part Of tho town, very dark and lonesome
mt night, but had u revolver and never
thought of such thing MS being robbed.
On this night 1 hadn't walked block
from the corner at which l had left my
friond until saw two men ahead of mo
about half or two-thirds of u block. saw
them pass under IL lamp, and just rs they
did so they turned to see If was coming.
While was watching them closely, deter
mined that they shouldn't catch me nap
ping, heard footballs behind me, and
knew TINT two men were following me.
Then begin to appreciate my situn-
ton. If hurried, tho men in front would
stop me. If turned back, the two mon
behind would intercept me. They were SO
close to me that 1 could not escape into
side street except by running, and then
they would have u chance to shoot Mt mo
from behind If there was to be any shoot
ing done, wanted to be faced around and
have hand in it.
You can understand my predicament.
Their plan was evidently for the two mon
in front to slackcn their pace so that I
would catch up with them, and the two
men coming up behind would mako mo
completely surrounded four mon to one.
They evidently believed they would have
tough job or there wouldn't have been four
men in 1t. felJ sure that could kill ono
or two OF them If it'came to shooting, but
1 didn't sec much chance to escape If four
of them opened up on me.
had to do something mighty quick.
and made UP my mind in flash.
rcnched in my inside pocket where 1
always carried some stamped envelopes,
and pulled ono of them out. I slipped tho
money into the envelope, and then, taking
my card case out of my pocket, so as to
have something on which to rest the letter,
felt for my pencil. 1t wasn't therol l
remembered that 1 had loaned it to fell
low in the gambling room.
DO you know what didp I stopped
right under II street lamp that had mail
box attached to it and yelled to those fell
lows in front and asked, either of you
They stopped and seemed to DO in doubt
about coming back, but they evidently
didn't want to arouse my suspicious, so
ono of them walked back and asked me
what I wanted. ] told him l wanted a
pencil. In the meantime the follows who
had been following behind had stopped to
see what was going to happen. They
wero probably surprised to SEQ me call this
fellow back. AS for him, he didn't know
what to do. 1 told him wanted to mail
letter, and had forgotten part of tho nd
dress and wanted to put it on, as It was
important that the letter get into the mail
the first thing in tho morning Tho ex-
PLANTATION seemed to satisfy him. He camo
up to me, handed mo II stub of pencil, and
l rested the letter on the cardcaso, wrote
my st. Louis address on the envelope and
dropped it into mail box. 1t was big
chilled steel box, put there for the con-
venicnce of some of the Wholesale business
houses that sent out quantities of mail
After had mailed the letter said to
tho man who had loaned me the pencil
Arc you going down street?' He mum
5led something, and followed along, and
we overlook his partner in front Pros.
emily the two men behind camo up, and
the five of us walked along in silence.
1t was darker part of the street, and
knew they wero about ready to state their
business. so ]. STONED all of sudden. and
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