Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-04-03


The doctor left good property, but
no will. Relatives swooped down like
flock Of birds. Elmendorf had not
been adopted. He had no legal status
and one day he discovered that he had
nothing Mt all except a trunkful of de-
cent raifnent and the sum of $3.50
The coincidence that this was the ex-
act fare to New York decided Elmen-
DORIS course. He arrived in the me-
tropols without a penny, hunted up
boarding house near the station. car
ried his trunk there on his SHOULDER
and then went out to look for work.
He had many occupations in the
next five years, but none to his liking.
Finally he became clerk in small
hotel which was haunt of ward poll
ticians. Yielding to the temptation
thus thrown into his way, he devcl.
oped into lieutenant of the district
leader. learning more tricks than he
had the hardihood to play and prosper
ing the less because of his scruples.
1t became a delusion with him, how
ever, that he was one of the most dis
honest Of created beings; that he
would do anything for money, and that
only his hard luck prevented him from
selling his soul ut a good figure. Once
when his affairs were at low ebb his
patron suggested the police, and
Elmendorf became member of the
force in the firm belief that a corrupt
man like himself could make money
ptrth n n yr-o, Of
being dissatisfied with temptation,
and he gained a reputation for hon
esty which his best friends deplorcd.
1t was pure chance, matter rot wor-
thy of mention, which secured his
transfer to the staff of the detective
bureau. He had no appetite for the
work. yet be must have possessed q
certain fitness for it. Perhaps the adj
vantage Of early mental training, add
ed to an unfailng memory and per-
ception OF little things that was due
to the German blood In him. helped to
make real detective Of him.
Yet there Is no money In detecting
alone and but small advancement, as
Elmendorf well knew. What one
u,
strong PULL" coupled with the ca
pacity to turn the incidents Of the pro-
fession to ones personal advantage.
In these important particulars Elmen-
dorf was a dire failure. He secured no
pull, and he was forced to live almost
entirely upon his salary. Indeed his
continuance on the staff was due
largely to the favor in which he was
held by certain men connected with
the press. The feeling that If Elmen-
dorf should be sent back to patrol duty
somebody would get roasted" for it
long and hard In at least two Of the
big papers was the deciding factor in
his case on several occasions.
He was useful. however, in affairs
like that with which the present rec
ord has to do, where early rumor con-
nected persons Of prominence and
wealth with criminal cases and it was
desirable to have prompt and honest
report as a basis for subsequent action.
In the matter of the murderous at
tack upon Elsie Miller, Elmendorf re-
ceived orders. on the morning Of the
day following that upon which the
crime was committed, to "look I'D"
John Robinson. 1t appeared that Rob-
insOn had left the house on Thirty
eighth street Immediately after Aldens
departure which he had viewed with
every indication Of intense and painful
excitement.
No obstacle was put in the way of
his departure when he desired 20 gO;
but an unobtruaive young man OF Cap
tain Neale's retinue walked upon the
other side of the street. Robinson did
not see this young man-which is some
times a great misfortune for the per-
son thus attended-but it happened, in
this instance, that after n considerable
amount of pedestrian exercise of a
seemingly aimess sort the young man
CID not see Robinson, and this was I'M
douhtedly a serious misfortune for the
"shadow.' He was roundly sworn at
by his superior when, after fruitless
search, he was obliged to announce
his failure to that individual. lie did
not do this, of course, until he had
waited long time in front OF the
house where Robinson lived. Had Rob.
inson returned there the shadow"
would have given, in his subsequent
report full statement covering every
detail of Robnson's movements md
every minute of the time, and would
chcerfully have sworn to it in court
had later events made such proceed
ing necessary. But, failing to pick
up Robinson, there was no escape
from confession.
The landlady of the boarding house
where Robinson lived said that he
was somewhat Irregular in his habits
ald that he did not always come home
TO dinner; but when Mt o'clock in the
morning it was reported that he had
not appeared Captain Neale began to
be uneasy. AS he expressed it, IF Rob
inson has skipped, there'll be nothing
doing"
Translated this meant that II hum
BILE clerk of unknown antecedents had
stained his soul with crime for 500
there remained only the profitless task
of catching him and sending him to
Jail.
Elmcndorf had no idea that Robinson
had skipped" principally because
there was no apparent reason for it,
The clerk had delivered the note to
Elsie and had then left the house, as