Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1903-09-01
IN CLOSE QUARTERS

eyes, danger is an ever-constant
companion Of men who follow my
business" said the old secret service
man. I'VE know not at what hour
we may be called upon to face death
in violent form. But we get used to
experiences Of this nature, andle
to keep a cool head on our shoulders
and to think quickly.
occasionally a secret service man
loses his life while performing his
duty, but that is not often the case.
l remember that, number Of years
ago, a young man who had had more
or less experience as a detective Sc
cured a position in the service
through political influence more
than through any ability.
Gle was supercilious to a degree
and manifestly desired to make a
hero Of himself in short order.
Rounding up defrauders or mail
riAers was too commonplace to suit
his fancy. He wanted something ex-
citing; something extremely haz-
ardous, he declared. So he was sent
down into Tennessee to chase moon
sinners.
I'VE learned that he reached his
destination in safety, but after that
one of two things happened. He
either abandoned his mission and en-
gagged in Illicit distilling on his own
hook, or, what is far more likely, he
was given midnight funeral and a
lonely grave on some mountainside.
At all events, we never heard from
/ him again.
1T is strange" continued the vet
eran Of the service, chat secrets,
however carefully guarded, viii
sometimes leak out. Iremember Oh
one occasion ! was in search Of man
wanted for robbing the mails. ] had
been selected for the job because !
was an absolute stranger to the man
and his friends. and could freely
minele with the latter without being
recognized or suspected.
"Within an hour after receiving
my orders ! took a train out of Chi
caco for western city, from where |
was to take circuitous route to an
other place. where ! was expected to
pick up some clews upon which to
proceed.
But before l had travelled so
miles from Chicago l received tele-
gram from my chief informing me
that the man ! wanted had just ar
rived in a certain small city in Iowa.
A new code, which we had but recent
ly adopted, was made use Of by the
writer of the message, and it seemed
impossible that anyone on the out
side could know anything about my
business.
$50 l Immediately took another
train for the town mentioned. ] had
been furnished with a minute de-
scription and several photographs Of
the man l was after, and was positive
l would recognize him as soon as l
saw him.
GAS the train was pulling into the
station l took position on the plat
form Of the rear car, and before the
train stopped scanned the faces Of
all those at the station, as l thought
it possible my man might be plan
ming to take the same train out Of
town and might slip aboard without
my seeing him.
while l was thus engaged ! heard
some one climb upon the platform
behind me and, turning, had the
pleasure of looking down the muzzle
of big revolver and of recognizing
the man behind the gun as the man
! was seeking.
"'You don't want to get off here,
he said. You want to 60 on
"'All right said l, T'll go on
And ! did. He stood guard over me
until the train had gained consider
able speed and then he dropped off,
waving his hand at me as a token Of
farewell.
"'Oh, I'll see you again, yelled.
And he laughed.