Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-25

pense Of the coming crop OF European mu-
steal and other phsnoms. II takes Ameri-
cans. and, most practically, of all others
II they can be called Americans-New York
:ers. long time to arrive at the determine
ton that they are being had" or buncoed.
but when they do reach that conclusion the
brand o. indifference that they can display
toward foreign or domestic fakirs Is some
thing monolithic
Good Work of Detectives.
Men who look back with amusement upon
the days when the dme-novel exploits OF
disguised detectives inspired them with awe
and admiration and the fierce desire to EMU
late, experienced a bit of the old spine-chill
the other day over the workmanlike deeds
OF the Jerome detective who succeeded in
bringing about the downfall of half dozen
OF the most impregnabe gambling houses
In the Tenderloin. Ever since District At
torney Jerome took his office he has been
nfuitiessiy struggling to obtain evidence
asainst these big gambling plants. but he
has been baffied on account Of the sunerior
craftiness of the gambling operators who
mao a way OF their own of finding out the
, 100 so, Q, the men hired by Jerome to get
the evidence. No Jerome detective ever ac-
tuaiiy succeeded In getting to one of the
bona nde gambling houses until this Inse-
NOUS Tree lance came along to New York
the other day. This man had been all over
the country. In one capacity or another
had soldiered in the American army and
punched cattle: had been cook for survey
ing outfits all over the west; had done no
small amount OF sailorizing on board mer-
chantmen In southern seas and was a
pretty we'll equipped Individual. as the out
come proved. for any sort of work that
Jerome had on hand. Fe Is a man of edu-
cation. too. and has the frame Of giant
however. when he went to Jerome and told
the district attorney that he thought he had
pretty good way of getting evidence
against the gambling houses of the Ten
derloin the district attorney was naturally,
AFTER all OF his sorry failures in that direc-
ton, more or less skeptical The big
stranger came back at him with the state
ment that he didn't want any money to be-
gin operations, and that sort Of made the
district attorney fancy his huge visitor had
something up his sleeve The big man
told him of his scheme, Jerome approved of
1t and supplied him with the Initiative
funds, and it all happened beautifully
Metamorphosis Of the Stranger.
The big stranger, who had been a tidy,
well-kempt easterner in appearance when
ne visited Jerome. remained under cover FOR
couple OF weeks. and then one evening he
was driven up to the Rossmore Hotel, on
Broadway. headquarters for gamblers and
chaps who make their livings by their wits.
through even less honest methods He was
distinctly picturesque-looking Individual
as with his legs cooked out of the cab win
dow he was pulled UP to the hotel en-
trance roaring. In all essentials he looked
like those cow chaps who used to eyrate
so funnily in "A Texas Steer"-southwest-
erners long frock coat and sombrero high
heeled boots with trousers tucked In them
TREMENDOUS black mustache and six days
growth OF ferocious black beard and ALL
He strobe into the Rossmore, banged a
gun above two-and-a a half feet long on the
desk. and demanded a stack o. rooms"
p: o. q. He announced himself as the rip
pingist thing out of a cayuses hide that
ever broke out of his native burg Socorro.
N NJ, and he told the dazed and ratified
clerk that he was all the way from Socorro
N. NJ, right then to kick hull lot o. Stats
out o New York and spend a few million
dollars just for luck. 1t all went The
hangers-about listened. and their teeth
leaked for the man from Socorro. When he
produced bundle of yellow bills as big as
a Gladstone bag from his right boot to pay
In advance for his hotel accommodations
their eyes cleaned brightly. They annexed
themselves unto him. of course and In no
time he proved himself a genial companion.
an unlimited drnker and a spender from
the alkali country. The runners for the
gambling houses almost fought for possess
sion of the Socorro individual when he an
nounced that he aching to make a heaD
o dents In few faro banks. and they
finally compromised by drawing lots for
him.
Outcome of the Enterprise.
That's how it happened. He got into the
biggest gambling houses in the Tenderlo.n
night after night. and, In his character as
a wild and woolly proposition from New
Mexico, he was greeted effusivey at all of
them. Moreover, in spite of the fact that
the outcome of the raids showed that
al! OF the gambling paraphernaa of the
raided establishments was of the very
crookedest character, he fairly slaughtered
the crooked layouts every night The faro
bank proprietors smiled upon this. however.
feeling secure in the belief that they would
eventually load the Scclrro man upon his
little day coach bound for the southwest
with barely ticket in his clothing. He
portrayed his character perfectly. the
atrical man who confessed that h had been
gambling in of the raded places ono
night when the alleged Sccorro giant drop
ped in said that he simply had to knock
off his playing for the purpose of STUDYING
the detective. his individuality as a rip
Snorting southwesterner seemed so perfect
and dfverting. Star readers know the out
come of the detectives evidence getting
how simultaneous raids were made. nearly
all of the plants knocked to kindling wood
by the police axes, $4,000 worth Of
crooked gambling paraphernalia confs-
ca ted. S2e0.Go In money seized and the prin-
cpals all captured 1t is an absolute fact
that all of the gambling houses in New
York, except the invincible Canfelds, have
been shut up tighter than drums since the
night Of the big raids. and they will I'M
questionably remain shut for a long period
to come. Those that dare to open will
doubt be ripped apart through the evidence
getting Of the man who assumed the Socor-
no portrayal, who has now been made the
chief of Jerome's staff of detectives and
who is said to be able to assume any char
acter set for him at will and with the most
extraordinary perfection and detail. The
excellence Of his situation Is that none Of
the gamblers other evil-doers OF the
town familiar with the mans actual
appearance, so that he will be unhampered
in his future operations.
Exhibition of Good Shooting.
In spite of this fact a newspaper man.
who was strolling along the Bowery few
nights ago with the accomplished free
lance who had ably depicted the Socorro
individual, suggested to him that his life
might be in jeopardy if he remained in
New York-that the gamblers gang would
make hercuean efforts to unravel his per
sonality and go after him with a ven
geance. The top man of the Jerome staff
smiled pleasantly over the tip. and replied
quietly and with utter absence of boast
ing in his tone:
WELL if they come after me, they've got
to shoot some, and they've got to know
how to shoot.
He then walked into one of the many
shooting galleries that line the Bowery
pulled a big pistol from either hip pocket.
nd y.yitb n,,r I'D To, tha eln nor