The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-16
A DETECTIVES MAN HUNT
LONG, siERcE TUssLE WITH GRIM
NAL IN THE WOODS.
Secret service Omcer Halls Relates
an Experience He Once Had
at PoseyViIIe.

across
ever saw and came very near losing my
life in chase after desperate criminal
once" said Secret Service Officer Halls.
when l received my instructions TO ar
rest the man. whose name was Mccoy,
began an investigation. and after eonsd-
erable difficulty learned that he was in
little town called Poseyville, where he was
living under an assumed name. 1 also
found that a letter had been addressed TO
that place for Mac and at once took
steps to delay the transmission OF the let
ter. so that 1 could reach the town ahead
Of it.
when 7 alighted from the train it was
late at night. and 1 found myself in the
midst of dense woods 1 stood for few
moments. watching the lights of the train
get smaller ana smaller and finally van
ish away in the dim distance. When the
throbbing of the engine died out of the
air, deathlike silence and a most uncom-
Portable loneliness took its place. However.
i shook myself together and started of
to find the town or village. which 1 pre-
sumed was close at hand At the place
where 1 had left the train the woods were
so thick that the branches of the giant
trees almost interlaced above the track
glimpses of the sky could be obtained. Aft
er looking about in vain for the station
house even a depot platform and being
somewhat at a loss as to which way to go.
4 finally made I'D my mind TO follow the
railroad track After proceeding some dis
tance without discovering anything ex-
cept large rick of wood. which at first
took to be building of some kind, was
about to decide to retrace my steps. when
1 suddenly came upon a well-defined high
way which crossed the railroad track
Here hesitated quite a while, in doubt
as to which half of the road to follow,
but finally concluded to turn to the left.
After 1 had gone some distance 1 discov-
cred that the road skirted the banks OF a
good-sized stream. the waters of which
looked dark and sluggish under the heavy
foliage of the trees on its banks.
SAW A BUILDING.
II was once more making up my mind
that / had taken the wrong direction
when just a short distance ahead of me
] observed what looked like a large build
Ing OF some kind, the gable end of which
seemed to be in the very center of the
road Drawing nearer, discovered that
this was big covered bridge extending
across the stream, which made a sharp
detour at that point, thus giving the eff
feet of the bridge being in the middle of
the road. I pressed forward with re-
newed vigor, and emerging from the
bridge, came upon small group of
houses which fringed the left side Of the
road These houses had the stream for
their back yards. Taking a survey of the
buildings before me, I was no little
pleased to observe a long, rambling struc-
ture, in front OF which was a pole set
in the ground and swinging from the top
of the pole sign indicating that the place
was a tavern. I lost no time in placing
myself in front of the door of this wayside
Inn, where I proceeded to hammer for
admittance In about five minutes the
door was opened by a stockily-built man.
evidently OF Teutonic extraction, who,
when asked for lodging, at once conduct
ed me TO a room at the head OF a fight
Of winding stairs without vouchsafng a
single word of conversation. Setting the
lamp which he carried in one hand upon
a table In the room, my host took his
departure in the same phlegmatic style.
was too tired to be choice as to my
surroundings, and tumbled into bed at
once. without noting their character The
next morning I was awakened by the
changing of a bell. accompanied by la
bored grooming sound, which afterwards
discovered was caused by the grinding
or rubbing Of the bell rope against the
timbers in the ceiling of my room, through
which 1t ran in its course from the bel
fry to the first floor beneath. In the abb
sence OF marble washstands and highly
polished faucets, supplying both hot and
cold water, I made my toilet at the
pump in the back yard in true primitive
fashion. Entering the breakfast room,
saw that most OF the guests were ahead
OF me. The majority OF them We're I'M
kenpt and wore no coats, although the
shirt-waist FAD for men had not as vet.
reached the village. Taking a hurried
survey OF the men at the table, 1 noted
that Mac was not among them. and took
my seat and proceeded to eat at my leis-
ure. There was a charming spirit OF
cameraderie among the people at the table,
which vented itself in free flow of con-
versation and handing articles of food
around at frequent intervals. Every man
constituted himself waiter in ordinary to
the rest of the guests.
LOOKING FOR PoSToFFICE.
a
lied forth in a search for the postoffice
This found TO be more difficult than had
st first anticipated. I made the round OF
almost the entire village before found any
trace OF Uncle Sans place of business
and was beginning 10 wonder If it was a:
i had sometimes heard. in the coat poke
of one Of the villagers. Finally l was di
rected to long. low building across tn.
street, and, glancing at the structure,
observed the remains of what had ono,
been a gaudily painted sign depicting
huge mug OF beer. with the foam running
over the sides. and the legend Lager Beer
beneath the suggestive picture. Enterin.
the place 1 found myself in an exceedingI.
long room, across the front of which wa
the usual screen, with counter or bar ex
tending nearly the full length OF the apart
ment. Back OF the bar was the familia
assortment OF bottles, glasses, cigar boxes
etc. found in such places. On the OPPOSITE
side Of the room saw blackboard on tn
wall. facing the bar. upon which were
number of names and some figures writte1