Amador ledger., 1902-08-29
NOTABLE MAN HUNTS
HOW CRIMINALS HAVE BEEN CHASED
TO THE ENDS OF EARTH.
Benson, Who Posed as Nine. PATHS
Agent, Cheated Justice by Death.
Relentless Energy of the Police In
Tracking Counterfeiters.

There have been many long pursuits
of criminals, great in the distance trav-
eled, 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 q, 900 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 pretty Spanish
girl and beggared himself in buying
fnery for his sweetheart To obtain
more money he robbed and murdered
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 in 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 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
$4,250 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 long term
in Portsmouth Jail.
No sooner was he out than he was at
his old tricks again. These eliminated
in Switzerland, where he managed to
gain the affections of the daughter of
an English officer. Through her he in
duced her father to trust him with the
investment Of his entire capital, some
$50, 900. He 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 the
money. The latter did so and left for
America. Hardly was the vessel out
of sight before it was discovered. that
the bundle Of scrip the thief had
handed over was worth at most $780,
Followed across the Atlantic, Ben
son escaped to Mexico, where he made
1000 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 and
twisted under a dozen aliases and was
heard of in almost every South Amer
lean state before a clever New York
detective ran him down in Rio after a
two years hunt
Even then he cheated justice. Land
ed in prison in New York, he walked
upstairs, chatting amiably to his jailer.
| Suddenly he made spring and jumped
clean over the banister. He was picked
up with a broken back and died that
| night.
The police never exhibit more relent-
less energy than in hunting down Il
coiner. A coiner's crime is against
government, and so the whole forces
of the state are against him. The
! United States suffers far more from
coiners than England does and is
proportionately keen to run down such
offenders. Early in 1900 man named
| Hastings was surprised in his work
shop, from which he had issued many
thousands of small silver coins, but he
was too quick for his would be cap
tors and escaped. No fewer than seven
secret service men were put on his
track. The remarkable fact is that
Hastings never attempted to leave the
states.
Ellfer, one of the detectives, got q
hint that stranger was in the woods.
| He took a blanket and some food and
hid himself in a thicket. Very early
in the morning Hastings passed, carry
ing bag Of food. Ellfer tracked him
| to his refuge and saw that the forger
was armed. He waited some distance
away In hiding. When night came,
! Hastings came out with a dark Ian
tern and searched every bush near his
hiding place. At last he was satisfied
and went back. So soon as Ellfer felt
sure the man was asleep he crept up
and had the handouts on him before
he could awake. On the way to the
jail Hastings told his captor that he
| had seen him on Ton different occa-
sions and had once, in Cincinnati, been