Evening journal., 1902-07-08
NOTABLE MAN HUNTS
HOW CRIMINALS HAVE BEEN CHASED
TO THE ENDS OF EARTH.

HcienticSs Energy OF the fOiAce IN
Tracking Counterfeiters.
There have been many long pursuits
bf criminals great in the distance trav-
elcd, the obstacles overcome and the
persistence Of the pursuing officers. but
that of Sergeant Wood Of the Natal
(South Africa police is doubtless a
record breaker. The man sought by
Sergeant Wood was charged with en-
bezzling large sums of money at Pie
termaritzburg He got away from
South Africa and went to New York
Although the detective had informa-
ton as to where his quarry was hid
ing. yet he had first to visit London to
obtain the necessary extradition pa
pers. Then he hurried to America and
with the assistance OF the United States
police ran down his man. BY the time
he had reached Maritzburg he had been
travelling hard for nearly three months
and had covered nearly 21.O00 miles
One Of the sternest chases Of recent
years was after Loys Darrell, formerly
sergeant in the Seventh United States
cavalry. Darrell enlisted at the begin.
ming Of the Spanish-American war and
distinguished himself at Cuba. There
he fell in love with a pretty Spanish
girl and beggared himself in buying
finery for his sweetheart TO obtain
more money he robbed and murdered
a companion in arms named Crouch.
He then fed.
A detective named Dupuy was put
upon the murderer's track and. finding
clew, started for New Orleans. He
was right I'm his surmise that Darrell
had gone there. but when he arrived
the bird had flown. He had left on a
British mule transport for South Afri-
ca. Dupuy took train for New York.
fast boat for Southampton, rushed by
rail across Europe, caught a boat OF
the German East African line and
finally arrived at Beira. in Portuguese
East Africa.
There he waited like a spider for a
fly, and just as Darrell was fancying
himself safe from pursuit he pounced
upon him. Later on the detective de-
posted his prisoner safely In Castle
William Jail in New York He had
Travelled in all $1,000 miles and spent
S4.250 in the chase.
One of the most astonishing Grim
inals England ever produced was a
man named Benson, who began oper.
ations in London with two confeder-
ates. He organized a series of swim
ding companies in the city, while he
himself, pretending TO be an invalid
lived in the greatest luxury in the Isle
of Wight. He posed as a great phi
lanthropist, was foremost in charitable
works and went into the very best
society. BY dint OF bribing certain
officers of the law he lived for some
years on the proceeds Of his swindles
But one day the crash came. He was
arrested, sentenced and got q long tern
in Portsmouth jail.
No sooner was he out than he was al
his old tricks again. These eliminated
I'm Switzerland, where he managed tC
gain the affections Of the daughter OF
an English officer Through her no In
duced her father TO trust him with the
investment Of his entire capital, som,
$50, 600. Re bolted with the money
Chased across Europe, a detective
caught him at Bremen. To avoid scan
dal the victim promised not to prose
cute If Benson would give up thu
money. The latter did so and left fol
America. Hardly was the vessel on
Of sight before it was discovered tha
the bundle Of scrip the thief la,
handed over was worth at most S160.
Followed across the Atlantic, Ben
son escaped TO Mexico, where he madl
$1,000 by passing himself off as Nine
PATHS agent and selling forged con
cert tickets. BY this time his photo
graph was In almost ever police bu
reau IN the world. Yet he lodged ant
twisted under a dozen aliases and wa
heard of in almost every South Amer
; lean state before n clever New Yorl
detective ran him down I'm Rio after
two years hunt
Even then he cheated justice. Land
ed in prison in New York, he walke'
upstairs. chatting amiably to his JaileI
Suddenly he made n spring and jumpe
clean over the banister. He was picke'
up with a broken back and died tha
night
The police never exhibit more relen.
q less energy than in hunting down
, coiner. A cOiner's crime is agains
. government. and so the whole force
of the state are against him. III
United States suffers far more froI
coiners than England does and
proportionately keen to run down sue
offenders. Early in 1900 a man name
Hastings was surprised in his work
shop. from which he had issued man
thousands OF small silver coins. but b
was too quick for his would be caI
tors and escaped. No fewer than seve
secret service men were put on hi
track. The remarkable fact is tina
{ Hastings never attempted to leave tn
states.
4 Ellfer, one of the detectives. got
" hint that a stranger was in the wood.
He took a blanket and some food an
, hid himself in n thicket- Very earl
IN the morning Hastings passed, carry
! Ing a bag Of food. Ellfer tracked hiI
10 his refuge and saw that the forge