The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-12-18
Frankison's Plot. !
siJTIJIIIN7lTIVVJIVIJI Observation-Disclosures
By c. AITCHISON. s
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A FEW days ago my friend Rob
n son, late superintendent of the
detective department of a large city
in the North, was entertaining me
with a few "reminiscences of his past
career.
You ask me, he replied to a ques-
ton l had put to him, if it is not the
case that some person having a
knowledge of an unpublished crime
often uses the power his knowledge
gives him to compel the offender to
execute deeds he previously would not
have dreamed of. Such may be the
case in a good many instances. though
in my opinion the average criminal
has natural propensities which gener-
ally enable him to circumvent the
intimidator and relieve himself of the
threatened danger without mourning
further risks. Such propensity is,
think, in the possession of every man,
and unless the will-power has been
utterly wrecked by dissipation, it is
impossible for anyone to be forced
against his will into committing an
offense against the laws. l recollect
"a NaoC bNdllllS Ol lllt SuDICCl, WHICH
1 will give you. AS it was purely a
family affair, and the persons in
terested were unwilling to create a
scandal, the facts never became pub
lie property.
About ten years ago a man named
Grimes returned to Nj, after serv-
ing a term for some offense, the
Of NE-hipb /
He was, without exception, the most
daring, cunning, and resourceful
scoundrel that ever breathed. Orig
inally an actor, he was a past mas
ter in the art of DISCUSSES; in fact the
time of his downfall dated from the
day on which he impersonated the
manager of the company he Travelled
with, and absconded with the treas
ury. Somehow, other peoples clothes
seemed to have fascinatiC%l for him.
which naturally created a large
amount of ill-feeling ON the part of
the true owner, and a lot of work
for us.
Soon after his arrival he received
letter from a gentleman giving the
name of Frankison, making an APP
pointment for the following night,
and having nothing better to do he
called upon him.
For a time Frankison confined
his conversation to commonplace
matters, as though afraid of intro
ducing the subject for which the in
terview had been arranged. Seeing
this, Grimes, who had on several oc-
casions previously engaged on shady
jobs by gentlemen equal in position
to the one who stood before him,
proceeded to enumerate some of the
most daring cases he had been en-
ployed upon, and successfully carried
through-when the necessary reward
was forthcoming. This had the de-
sired effect.
Il noticed your case in the papers,"
commenced FranilisOn, land intended
when you came out of your tenn
porary confinement to offer you po-
sition in which you could not only
be a swell, but probably settle down
in life and become useful member
of the community"
Grimes thanked him, but added that
if it was intended to try and reform
him it was hopeless task. He loved
the profession too much to settle
down into the dull, monotonous round
of respectable existence.
But this case" returned Frank.
son, "offers excitement sufficient for
the most daring" Grimes nodded his
satisfaction.
"How would you like to get mar
ried?" continued Frankisor. Say, to
a lovely girl with an income of about
1000 a year?"
I'D like that immensely" said
Grimes, with a grin. But unfortun-
ately [ have already got two wives
living, and it's as much as l can pos
sibly do to keep out of their way"
But this one" replied Frankison,
will only be too pleased to make you
a handsome allowance to leave her"
"Then what on earth does she want
to marry me fort" questioned Grimes.
Frankison smiled at his astonish-
ment, and handed him a photo of
an exceedingly pretty girl. Grimes
held it at arms length for a few
moments, without speaking.
It's no use" he said, with a sigh;
"a young lady so good-looling as she
will have no difficulty in obtaining
lovers enough, without having to
descend to take on-well, a gaolbird,
Out with it; l suppose you have some
job or other on hand"
Frankison sat down and swallowed
a stiff glass of whisky, then, after
momentary hesitation, commenced
to unfold his scheme.
"The young lady whose photo I
have just shown you is my cousin.
From child she has been of deli
cate nature, and is even now recov-
ering but slowly from the effects of
a dangerous illness. This illness,
may tell you, was the cause of her
wedding being postponed. Now that
she is convalescent, however, her low
er insists upon the marriage taking
place at once, in order that he may
take her abroad to try and regain
her health. This wedding must not
take place"
"Why?"
Because he continued. drawing
his chair closer and loWerinU his