The Washington times., 1902-12-28
WILLIAM NJ JACOBS

rooms and bar rooms and being general
ly hail fellow well met with everybody
The ruse worked 20 a charm. Within a
week after his arrival Special Agent
Mauus found himself an object Of sOlic-
itude on the part OF one or two
OF the internal revenue men, Samuel
Downey and James Burns, who al
ways seemed 70 have money and
who made no scruple Of trying % pump
their fellow Government servant as 20
the reason Of his presence iu Lancaster.
Acting up 10 the part Of an Ignorant pol
iticiau protege. Manus blurted out some
thing about stolen cigar stamps. giviI
his hearers 20 understand that several
packages OF internal revenue stamps
were missing from Washington, and that
he vas on a sort of wild-gOOse chase.
hoping 20 catch the thieves red handed
trying 20 sell stamps.
Apparently realizing that he had
spoken too much. Manus besought the in
ternal revenue men not for the world 10
mention what he had said, saying that it
would cost him his heaq If his chief got
20 know that ne had 1iabbed so easily.
His appeal, literally interspersed with
admissions that he was now I'm their
power. had the desired effect. Upon his
assuring them with almost fearful earn
estncss that he had not breathed a word
OF his errand 10 a living soul but them
selves they eventually agreed TO keep
the matter quiet. but ar the same time
as matter Of protection, they ad-
vlsed him 10 go 20 Philadelphia and see
q firm Of lawyers there, who would see
that ne came to no harm even though the
story Of his foolishness should reach
headquarters.
Involved a Law Firm.
When Manus reported to Chief Will
/ lde the advice he had received. he was
ordered 10 act upon it at once. Il be-
I tion OF this gang were endless. The
aforementioned legal firm was one Of
the most respectable in Philadelphia. Its
members. Ellery P. Nyham and Harvey
I X. hewitt. were men OF the very highest
standing at the Philadelphia bar.
/ But when Manus sent his first report
from Philadelphia. the matter was no
| longer one OF doubt. His story was
brief He had been severely lectured
upon the impropriety OF his conduct.
and then, when he was apparently re-
duCed TO a condition Of helpless depcn-
dency, temptation bold and dazzling had
/ been thrust at him. Having admitted a
betrayal or Secret Service secrets al
ready. he was informed only by a further
/ betrayal could he secure immunity for
himself And 20 make 1t worth while.
/ he was handed a roll OF greenbacks
amounting TO 81 500 as advance payment
/ for any further information he might
/ communicate to the lawyers regarding
/ his instructions in hunting down the
mythical cigar stamp thieves. With the
roll % bills IN his pocket he returned at
/ once TO Lancaster. laid the whole plot
/ before his chief. and proceeded as be
/ fore to art the bar room lounger.
Worked in the Dark
/ The time had now arrived to strike.
/ Up TO this moment not an inkling OF
I the actions Of the Secret Service Divi-
sion had reached the ears OF the coun-
terfeiters. save the false news so inno-
Gently disclosed by Manus. The engrav-
ing shop in Philadelphia was doing bust
mess in the same old way, and around
the Lancaster cigar factory there was
/ apparently no attempt TO conceal any
thing