The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-16

day And when heard that the amount
taken was $4,000 you can bet I was sore.
81 went to him, but he told me to keep
away as he could not touch the money
for a few days. Well, all told, 1 got $500
from him. 1t was the first wrong thing
1 had ever done and I was scared to
death think ing L would be found out.
ITS dead now, though, and they could
never prove anything against me- This
is the first time l have ever spoken OF
it to any one and it will be the last No,
1 never heard from him, but often felt
like writing and asking for little more
money"
Crawford had wit enough to remain at
the bank, doing nothing OF attract notice.
But although his employers did not sus-
pect the messenger, Robert Pinkerton
kept a close watch on him
At the end of ten months he told his
friend that he was going tol Contra
America to manage plantation belong
ing TO ohis benefactor.
Thus he left New York In high feather.
He did not know that inkerton detec-
tive sailed on the same boat but if he
did he could not have conducted himself
with greater circumspection.
In the tropic luxuriance Of British Hon.
duras the former car conductor and bank
thief lived the life of rajah. But Rob
ert Pinkerton was ferreting patiently in
New York, and the last act was to be
played.
Pinkerton's labor was rewarded. His
first important step was TO discover that
Crawford had lied in stating, when ol.es-
toned after the robbery. that his on'y
relative in New York was brother. 1t
was learned that he had three auns5 and
many cousins.
This led to the discovery that two CO vs.
after the robbery he had given to che Of
his aunts for safe keeping a package os-
tensibly containing gloves. When she
read of the robbery this aunt was moved
to tear open a corner of the pa2k1ge.
Her curiosity was rewarded by a g;:mps
not of gloves but of banknotes. She com
municated this discovery to her husband,
who approacdeh Crawford On the subject.
Greatly excited, the bank messenger &c
clared that the money belonged to his
rich friend. His uncle-by-ma.ria re re-
marked that just the same his conscience
impelled him to mention the matter to
the Adams Express Company. Crawford
gave him $500.
Another aunt remembered that about
the time of the robbery Crawford had
left valise at her house. The next
time he called he locked himself in a
room with it for ten minutes or so. The
only trace he left after his departure was
a rubber band similar 70 those used at
the bank in tying UP bundles of bills.
Finally 1t appeared that Crawford, I'M
der the name of Eugene Holt, had hired
a DEPOSIT box
There seemed to be a strong enough
case to justify arrest. The trouble was
that there was no extradition treaty at
that time between the United States and
British Honduras. Robert Pinkerton de-
cidede to attend to this delicate matter
personally. So he sailed, incognito.
Yellow fever was raging throughout
the country and the detective was beset
| with many difficulties. CIawf0rTs Fan
tation was at Punta Gorda, ninety miles
by steamboat from Belize, where Pink
erton landed.
There Is Senior Crawford" exclaimed
the captain Of the steamboat, as they
drew near to the end of the trip.
Pinkerton saw a beautiful steam launch
shimming by. Near the stern, under a
brilliant awning, sat a bronzed young
man in white linen.
| When the planter landed that afternoon
he was met by stout, keen-eyed gen
! tleman, who held out his hand and ex-
claimed How are your"
|
mission, which was, primarily, to recov-
er the plumber for its rightful owners
| Crawford entertained him Hospitality at
| his house for the night, but the detect
i've, suspecting treachery, did net permit
/ himself to doze for an instant.
In the morning. having failed to induce
Crawford to. surrended any of the stolen
money, he skillfully directed the CONVEX
| sation in such a way as to make his host
! believe that an extradition treaty diI ex-
ist with British Honduras, but not with
| Spanish Honduras
The bait was swallowed That night
Crawford gathered together all his
wealth and crossed the bay to Porto Cuer-
| tos, in Spanish Honduras with which thi.
country really did have q treaty.
But Pinkerton, stricken with yellow
fever, was unable to follow ID the scc-
cess of his clever ruse. and ali ne could
do was to wire New York 70" help
Detective Hotchkiss was despatched ir
response and after an exciting chase. aid
Ell by Spanish soldiers, he caught Craw,
ford at Santa Barbara, with s22, 20 in lis
/ pocket The prisoner confessed.
Hotchkiss by this time was DOWN w.tt
the fever and was obliged to return.
Crawford escaped from Spanish custo-
dy, and. although hunted through forests
and fever haunted swamps has MT lie Ell
recaptured. The bank was well content
however, to recover $4,000.