The sun., 1899-07-16
NAMES CUTEST MARSHAL.
now HE CAPTURED BEy CONDoN,
THE DETERIS SMUGGLER.
The Frenchmen Up There Have Named tho
New Ofcial "The Rabbit" because of
His Fleetness OF Foot-Other Qualities

which Make Him Feared by Eviidoers.
WALLAGRAs PLANTATION. Me-. July 14.-After
passing thirty days in Bangor Jail breaking
stones and feeding at the expense OF Penobscot
county, Ben Condor. the willy smuggler OF the
Aroostook border is back among his old
haunts fitting out team and getting ready
to import New Brunswick horses and Canadian
whiskey without passing them under the eyes
OF the Custom House inspectors. Beyond
doubt Condor is tho most adroit smuggcr
that ever made lawless living in Maine. He
has been defyng the officers on both sides OF
the line for more than thirty years. during
which time he has met scores OF shrcwd mar
shals and inspectors and until Marshal Norton
caught him and carried him to Bangor last
April he had never been arrested.
Though CondOns acquaintance with litera-
ture never enabled him to know how to write
his own name. he is n past master in woodcraft
and trickery Of the detective story variety. so
that he has become u local hero in every French
Canadian household between Alagush and
Houlton Nine-tenths Of the people will risk
their lives and property to save him from
rest and the remainder stands in such mortal
terror OF his sharp tongue and heavy hand
that they would sooner face n whole pack
OF oup garou than meet old Ben when
he Is wrathy. Bcnnis Norton OF Bel
fast had been deputy Sheriff OF Waldo
county before President Mckinley made him
over into deputy United States Marshal He
Is n big. broad-shouldered. fair-haired chap
with an indoent air about him, which is
further emphasized by n lazy Yankee drawl.
When he first came to Aroostook and began to
stand about the harrooms slipping Scotch whis-
key and making easy inquiries about snug
glers and their ways the short-legged. black
eyed Frenchmcn took whatever he offered In
the way NJ refrps shmpnts nd than want tn Ran
Condor and told him all about it,
"Mojee! Heem no good" they said Heem
fat-ver' gros. Hsem no run so much as
heem hogs toad-crapaud. Heem one dam
easy mark"
After time. when the tales drifted back to
him. Norton smiled and said that he didn't
propose to do any running If he could help 1t
because he believed he could catch all the
smugglers he wanted without any such exer-
tion. Soon after 1t had been noised along the
line that fresh and brand new marshal was
in Aroostook trying to make a record for him
self Norton hired pair Of horses and man to
drive the same and rode out to Van Buren, to
look up Jim Prrault. smugger who had
lately come to Maine with a boatload OF whis-
key upon which duty of SO a case was still
due. He spent half day in the settle-
ment of log houses near the river
and then drove mile up stream to
@ was courtne n The widow told % norton ta hat shs
had not seen Pirraut for three weeks. and
never wished to see him again. as he owed her
listened to her abuse Of the smuggler for half
an hour. thanked her. turned to 90 away. and
"Of course. you don't mind II search your
She did mind. but accepted the situation
with as good grace as her surprise would al
low. While Norton, was in an upstairs room
GverhfaniinG ~ Ded ne heard MS mster yell
m n
house and was running for the river not
quarter GSn9 Of an mile away On going to the door
the outside, One push sent, tho door flying
into the hallway. He ,eaped down the stairs
and wa, was % ont in IN the road holding bright new
Stop, he cried to the fleeing Frenchman.
Pirrault being famous runner and having
had some experience with the shooting
abilities of marshals. turned his head back
defiance. telling Norton he couldn't hit a barn
4 he were inside, of it with the doors ali closed
he went by the carriage. saying:
Tmrq b 3n" horses about and be ready when
Then his big, fat legs began to- spin until
they made blur before the eyes OF the team
sstcr With his oycrcoat and fur wranss about
him he was going three rods to Pirrault's one.
!Ie was less than a rod behind when the
Frenchmnn =, reached, the steep, bank of The
and and safety Sorton waited @ nnti DfTsHfs Firrauf's
coming down on top Of the smugglcrs shoui-
ders. Half an hour later, the, teamster was
Pirrault had been fed. dried on and lodged in
warm cell Norton went down among the
French drinking places. and though he stayed
| evening.
Although the contempt which the French
people had iet for the new marshal was
changed to mixed sentiment Of admiration
and fear. none OF them believed he would la
"a Ia nj "A
was out Of TIE question with Copdon. because
as he always crossed the line behind six OF tho
switest and best bred horses he could buy in
| who knew all the wood roads thoroughly. he
didn't need to run so long as the horses held
good runner. and could overtake most any
| man he tried for. but he mustn't think he
could Iii do Rny RanyhnE aganst sx swift horses
Norton stayed around the big villages for a
week after taking his prisoner, to- Portland
and heard the men brag about Condon's Won
| derful feats OF horsemanship. II he took a
livery turnout and drove, north. men mounted
| woods and notified the smugglers that re
/ beeg rabbit" as they had named the marshal
was e2mnG Mn to ak" n,o an arrest II he
d.icd died With III. rushing currents to convey
l,renchman. they would have bl2cked his
|
! rs long a. he lived. but. being representative
| Of the hated law. he something to be
| thwarted and foilcd at all times. Remember
| ing how Frank Nadeau had shot and wounded
| Marshal M'Nally eight years before. and had
been roaming free and defiant ever since some
! Of the more desperate ones made a plan to try
! the effects of cold lead upon Norton; They
! Dcll back for some time because the new
| marshal was good fellow when Off duty. and
! before the assassin was ready to carry out his
| contract Norton had gone to Fort Kent. ar
! rested Nadeau without a struggle and taken
| him to Portland.
| On his return to Aroostook Norton was
| treated to n larger measure of respect than any
| other marshal had ever received, The cOurierS
! and spies ceased to dog his steps when he
! went out II town. while his stay at tn" hotels
| was made perpetual season for hero worship.
! II the President of III" United States and tn"
| Governor General Of Canadu had both come TO
| place while Merton was staying there they
| would have had to take n back room up two
| flights and nobody but politicians and Office
holders would have paid any attention to
either Of them. Everybody asked him about
| Nadcau and how the capture had been effected,
| Easy enough said Norton. | went to his
| house and told HIM what ! wanted While he
! was changing his clothes and getting ready to
90 with m" played with his children and
| talked to his wife. lIo has fine family"
| Where heem ahil' h"em clothes ~ they