The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-07-25
SECRET SERVICE AGENT HALLS RE-
LATEs AN EXPERIENCE.
He Believe. Providence watches over
People Who Are i'm Danger
How He Escaped Death.

TO 4 positive conviction. One time when
was at Covington, KY. / was very de-
sirious of meeting certain criminal by
the name of John Hough, for whose APP
prehension liberal reward had been Of
fered. There were several detectives be-
side myself who had the same desire and
each one was, of course, anxious to outwit
the rest by being the man to capture
Hough single-handed and alone.
81 had exhausted every possible clew to
his whereabouts and was rapidly coming
TO the conclusion that I had better drop
the case altogether. when an old lady
came into my office one morning and asked
me IL 1 wanted John Hough. l lost no
time In assuring her that such was my
earnest wish. How much will you give me
if l will tell you where he can be, found
said she, with the light of avarice gleam-
ing strongly in her eyes. L told her /
would give her $50 if / succeeded in get
ting my man through directions given by
her. Well said she, I can tell you right
where you get him tonight. You take
the Covington road and go out until you
come to the Nixon place. Just as you go
down the little hill and come up on the
other side, after passing the Nixon house.
you viii pair of bars leading into
Woods pasture. You let down the bars.
pass through and follow the road on the
other side and it will lead you into
meadow. After crossing the meadow you
will enter another strip of timbered ground
Beyond this you will find a gate leading
into a cornfeId. In this field is a log
house. in which John Hough's sister re-
To is in in hat nd
can be found there any night
FOLLOWED DIRECTIONS.
'I thought l would get the laugh on
the boys" continued Captain Halls, 'by
going out there that night and bringing
Hough in with me next morning So 1 sad
died my horse and started on the road,
leaving Covington about 4 O'Clock IN the
morning, calculating reaching the log
house Just about daybreak. j found the
road. meadow, strip of woods and corn
field, just as the old lady had pictured
them to me. I tied my horse to the fence
near the gate which led into the corn
neld and commenced slipping as quietly
as / could through the tall corn. 1 had
hot gone very far until / could see the
log house which had been described by the
old lady. But there was thing upon
which 1 had not reckoned. and that was
| the dogs, of which there were both num-
bers and variety. AT once my ears were
| assailed with a veritable babel of yelps
| barks and deep bays, varying in degree
according to the size and breed of the dos
making the sound. OF course / knew that
such terrific uproar would wake up my
man and that he would escape me If
were not pretty prompt in getting to the
| house. l made quick dash for the front
heard a window open at the back of the
| house. IL didn't need anybody TO tell me
| that my man was dropping out of a bach
| window. mad previously observed that the
/ corn surrounding the house had recently
| been plowed. leaving the ground soft anC
| easily impressed by the foot. / made Z
| swift detour of the house, examining the
| soft earth as | went. / soon discovered
prints of bare feet a considerable distance
| apart, thus indicating that whoever made
the impressions was running as he die
so. The footprints led towards a deer
F.! ravine which divided the cornfie1d in tive
| distinct parts. The edges of the gully wer,
| covered with dense growth of shrubber,
| and blackberry briars, with an occasional
brush heap. l felt confident Hough would
| find temporary hiding place somewhere
| in this thicket and Immediately began t
beat the bushes as they do In Indi;
| when they want to stir up tigers othe
| Dig game. Beginning at side of tn,
| field next to the fence. / carefully parted
the bushes and looked into the dark places
| also kicking into them with my feet. II
this manner | searched thoroughly bot
i w
| pleted my investigation OF the ravine day
light was upon me and / realized that fur
Their search was useless. Accordingly.
retraced my steps. mounted my horse an,
went back TO town, thoroughly disguise,
| with the whole affair.
ON ANOTHER TRAIL.
I'm day or two the same old womal
she uttered were, You didn't get your ma,
|
agree with her statement. Well / can tel
you where you can get him now. she said
You go out on the Jimtown road, and jus
where you cross the river you will fin
three houses on the side of the HILL TIL
middle house is occupied by John Hough'
other sister. John isn't doing any sleep
ing of nights now, but takes his rest il
the daytime. You can catch him any morn
ing. provided you succeed in reaching tn
house without being discovered
IL determined to make my second effor
at capturing the man the next day. Thi
time L went in buggy to the locality I'm
dicated by my aged informer. 1 stopped i
the woods near the three houses an
hitched my horse. Then / made a lon
detour TO the rear of the house which con
cealed Hough, and was able to get with
a few steps of the kitchen door without be
ing seen by anybody. l was just in the &C
| of entering the door when woman whor
l took 20 be Houghs sister case out, car
rying water bucket. Her surprise was s
| great that she unable to raise a
alarm and put Hough on his guard
stepped quickly into the first room at hanc
and there, to my delight. saw Hong
| stretched at full length on the bed. SCUM
asleep. Walking up to the bed, felt un
der the pillow for the weapon 1 felt sur
] would find there. and grasped big nav
| revolver, which all ready for us
! upon an instant's notice. AS / withdre,
the formidable weapon from under hi
| head, Hough sprang out on the floor wit
| muttered curse. He realized that re
sistance was useless and submitted wit
some degree of quiet to the operation @
being handcuffed.
WAS NEAR DEATH.
LAS we were driving back TO the cit
Hough scowled at me like a thunderclou
and srowied out: Confound you, L wish
had killed you the other morning when
| came so near doing it, My curiosity
learn how close / came to discovering hi
hiding place In that thicket prompted m
to ask him to tell me about it. You
never have a nearer approach TO death
said he. than you did that morning whe
you were kicking about in the bushes nea
where / was lying hidden. When you wer
searching the edge of the ravine I was 80
| GREETED in a clump of brush | saw yo
! drawing near. and felt sure you would rou
me out of my hiding place. When yo
parted the bushes and looked i'm / couldn
understand why you didn't see me- Whe
YOU kicked in there with your foot yo
came pretty close TO my knee. l held
| my hand the same revolver Won took fror