The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-01-03

| SlIOllS VI uldIkGQ VAiiSAi ~
ten proves the means of their undolng
About the strangest freak l ever knew
a professional crook to indulge in wal
that of a notorious thief named Lloyd
who not only succeeded in keeping mi
Guessing for a long time, but made me
a great deal of trouble besides. My at
fair with Lloyd happened during the
period of my connection with the rail
way service. I was considerably an
noyed by reports coming to me of the
loss of several trunks which disap'
peared at certain intervals either from
baggage rooms along the lines of the
various divisions of the railroad system
upon which I was employed. These
trunks disappeared as completely as
if they had gone up in smoke. In spite
of my most diligent efforts they con-
tinued to disappear. | held consulta-
| tons with brother officers on other lines
of railroad, and discovered to my sur
prise that they were having similar
experiences and were quite as much at
a loss to account for them as I was
myself. However l succeeded In get
ting on to- the thief and also his modus
operandi at last in most curious and
interesting manner. Among the trunks
which We're reported as having been
stolen was one belonging to the travel
| ing agent of stationery house, and it
| contained a general assortment of
diaries, fine pocketbooks and the like.
| Right after this came the loss of a
trunk belonging to hardware house.
| 1t was filed with an assortment of
highgrade cutlery. The next trunk
| to vanish from view was one which
was the property Of a gentleman resid-
ing in Washington, D. c.. The owner
made d great fuss about the loss of his
trunk claiming that it was filed with
very valuable stuff, among which was
a handsome pin cushion which he said
was presented to him by some of his
women friends in the capital city, The
gentleman described this cusion to me
so often and with such minute particu-
larity that I dreamed of the pesky
thing and knew perfectly well I would
instantly recognize 1t If / ever ran
across It, One day I was in Urbana,
ILL.,, which was the terminus of the runs
of all the freight crews on that rail-
ioohs Va Scul Ndo NSii 1SabetiItSA
with these men. While standing on the
platform conversing with a couple Of
freight conductors happened to notice
q beautiful gold pencil case swinging
from the end of a watch chain on the
vest of one of them. A very handsome
little charm I remarked. Yes he re-
piled, 1T was present to me from a
friend OF mine named Lloyd. Y have
a knife which Lloyd gave me- observed
the other conductor; he is nice fellow,
Isn't hep Just at that moment a train
master came along and called me away
interrupting the talk. The next day,
being at Peoria, on my way to the de-
pot, met two other freight conductors,
and we stopped to have little friendly
chat. During the conversation one of
them drew from his pocket very pref
ty little memorandum book, in which
he proceeded to Jot down notes of GER
tain instructions ] gave himy The book
had gilt edges and seemed to be rather
well made. You appear to
be rather high-toned,' said, in the
matter Of stationery oh, yes, he re-
piled, a fellow can afford to be high
toned when he can get such things for
Where did you come across
such an article as that? ! asked, Why,
he answered, Bill Lloyd gave me this
II then became deeply interested in
this man Lloyd, recalling the charm
on the conductors watch chain the day
before Who is this man Lloyd?' In
CURED. Well said the conductor. I
don't know. He travels on freight
trains a great deal and always seems
to have plenty of money. Why, he gave
me a nice knife, too Have you got it
with your / asked Yes he replied,
producing a very elegant pocket knife.
The other conductor laughed and told
me Lloyd had given him knife also.
made as many inquiries as ! could
regard to this munificent gentleman
without exciting too much suspicion, |
and learned that he made his home in
Jrbana with one of the conductors on
hat end of the line This conductor
was called familiarly by his comrades |
Fourpaw,' on account of having lost |
| finger from one OF his hands. I i'm
nediately went to Urbana and waited |
or 'Fourpaw' to come home. The next |
morning l succeeded in getting a talk
With him, and during the conversation
incidentally mentioned Lloyd's name.
He informed me that he had not only |
eceved several nice books and knives
rom Lloyd but that the fellow had
PRESENTED his wife with very hand
ONE pin cushion. He then proceeded
o describe that identical object which
had photographed indelibly on my
rain from the owners repeated ac-
cunts of it's appearance. then knew
was on a very hot trail In a few
avs I arrested Lloyd as he was COM
ng out Of Pretoria by his favorite mode
f travel-a freight train. He was very
Indignant and put up a good sized
bluff but when I searched him / found
/ his possession a large diary, in
,hich the fellow had actually kept
omplete record of all his movements
uring the year There, in the clearest
ossible manner was set forth an ac-
cunt of every theft he had committed,
the manner in which he had
isposed of each trunk and its con-
ents. He even told in the diary ex-
city how he had operated in stealing
lie trunks, This, of course, was very
lteresting reading, not only to me, but
} my brother detectives on the other
rads, where it appeared that Lloyd |
ad been the author of all the losses of
'unks.
"When his diary was taken from him
1a fellow broke down cOmplete1v and |