The record-union., 1899-12-08

| tdi4L SOnCIuSlOll,t anu tllck S4OulA tSAA
fide in Mr. Sidney's skill in order thai
there might be hearty corporation 81
MY office was so situated that from
\ Its. windows could be most advantag-
aeously observed the vast
throng that ebbed and flowed.
For the greater part of three consec-
.utive days I sat by MFR. Sidney's side,
watching the changing crowd through
the half opened shutters, listening in
credulously, at first, to the practical
application of his science to the unsus-
pecting individuals below, till my deri-
sion was changed to admiration and
was thoroughly convinced Of his power.
AS my friends of both sexes passed I'M
der the ordeal, it was intensely be-
wttching. The marked men
were not singled out, but all were in
cluded. He was stranger, and yet
better acquainted with the people than
any of our citizens. =
"Of some qualities of mind he would
occasionally decline to speak until he
could see the features in play, as in
conversation. Some occupations he
failed to discover, If the arms were
folded, or the hands in the pockets, or
the body not in motion.
Il selected from the crowd acquaint-
ances of marked character and stand
ing, and obtained accurate descriptions
OF them. OF one he said, He is a good
merchant, and has done and is doing
a good business. He carries his bust
ness home with him at night, as he
should not. He has been wealthy, and
Is now reduced in circumstances. His
disaster weighs heavily upon him. He
has high sense of honor, a keen con-
science. and is meek, religious man.
He has great goodness of nature is
very modest and retiring, has more
ability than he supposes, and is a man
of family and very fond of his chill
dren.'
Another he accurately described
thus: He is a mechanic, of a good
mind, who has succeeded so well
doubt if he is in active business. Ger
tainly he does not labor. He is very
Independent and radical-can be impu-
dent if occasion requires-gives others
all their rights and pertinaciously in
sists upon his own Here the me-
chanic took his hands from his pocket
Hold! I said he was a mechanic. He
is not; he is house painter
desired to be informed by what
indications he judged him to be a
painter. He replied that he so judged
from the general appearance and mo-
tons, and that it was difficult to speci-
fly. 1 insisted, and he remarked that
the easy roll of the wrists was indica-
| tive =
Mr.. Sidney contended that any man
of ordinary perceptive powers need new
er mistake a gambler, as the marks on
| the tribe were as distinct as the COM
plexion of the Ethiopion A
man of very gentlemanly appearance
was approaching whom Mr.. Sidney
pronounced a gambler, and also en-
gagged in some other branch of iniquity.
His appearance was so remarkabl
good that I doubted. He turned the
corner, and Immediately Mr.. Sidney
FASTENED to the street and soon re-
turned, saying he had ascertaine6 his
history-that he was in the counter
feiting department-thath his conscience
affected his nerves; that he was
stranger in town, and was restless and
disquieted; that he would not remain
many hours there, as he had an enter
prise on hand, and was about it. I re-
marked that as the contrary could new
er be proved, as he was perfectly safe In
his prophecy, when Mr.. Sidney rose
from his chair, and, approaching rue,
slowly said, with great energy:
Il will follows that man till It is
proved
The next day but one I received a
note from Mr.. Sidney simply saying: I
am on his track He followed the sup
posed counterfeiter to Philadelphia,
where he ascertained that he had
passed So bills of the Bank of Con-
necticut. Mr.. Sidney obtained the bills
the gambler had passed to compare
with the genuine. Failing, however to
find any Of the same denomination. he
presented the supposed counterfeits to
a broker skilled in detecting bad bills,
and was surprised to be informed that
they were genuine. At Baltimore he
repeated the inquiry al the counter of
! a well-knoWn banker relative to ether
similar bills, and received the same re-
Spouse. So again in Washington, Pitts
burg, Chicago and several other cities,
whittier he had followed the suspected
man, and invariably the reply OF the
cashier would be: We will exchange
our bills for them, sir!' In some West
ern cities he was offered premium on
the bills he had collected. At ST. Louis
he obtained known genuine bill of the
| bank in question, and in company with
a broker proceeded to examine the two
with a microscope. The broker pro-
ncunced the supposed counterfeits to be
genuine. In the meantime the gambler
had left the city. Two days after Mr..
Sidney had oyertaken him. So great
were his excitement and vexation that
he could scarcely eat or sleep. In fit
of desperation, without law and against
law, he pounced upon the suspected
man and put him in irons. He heat
parley. 1t was granted and the two
went to the gamblers apartments in
company. In conversation of several
hours Mr.. Sidney extracted from him
the most valuable information relating
prosecuting, and received into his pos
session Sal, 900 in counterfeits Of the
aforesaid bank, some of which 1 now
have in my possession, and which have
been pronounced genuine by our most
skillful experts
Equipped then, with his astonishing
skill, what was Mr.. Sidney's success?
The band which he pursued he succeed
ed in terrorizing. He followed no one
fenses; he discredited their witnesses,
who appeared to be polished gentle
NM in open court. Many times the
band sought to buy him off. One man,
while under arrest, offered one hun
dred thousand dollars if the prosecu-
ton would be relinQuiShed and being