The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-24
WAYS OF RYEL.DOERs.
Queer Ways Crooks Garry on Core.
spondence.

by which professional criminals COM
municate with their accomplices. No
body knows better than the rogues
themselves that by sending their mes
sages through the ordinary channels
they place both their liberty and their
plans in jeopardy. Built is so impor-
tant that they communicate with one
another swiftly and secretly, to elabo-
rate some scheme of raScality or to give
warning of danger from the authori-
ties, that the clever criminals set up
peculiar Dostoffices that are distinctly
their own. says a writer in the New
York Times.
The United States secret service
agents and the United States postal
inspectors run across large number
the stories they tell of ''postoffices'
they have discovered it appears that
nothing is too audaclouS for men play
ing a game the loss of which means
for them term in stripes behind the
bars.
"Out in Iowa a few months ago." said
a secret service man who was trans
ferred recently to the New York office.
myself and four of my associates were
detailed a battling case of counter
feiting. The state had been flooded
with spurious coins and some less cleV-
erly made bank notes and later it APP
peared that the same stuff was going
into all parts of the country. We
couldn't locate the plant. and it was
evident that the work of manufacture
and distribution was being directed by
master mind that was wise enough
never to go near the plant.
"There was a suspicious newcomer in
small town on the Mississippi river
who attracted our attention. He was
man of some education and very re-
served. He lived in fine style in one
of the best houses in the place. We
watched him for nearly a month. There
was nothing to give any force to our
-, -.
He never got a letter at the town post
office that he was not willing that any
one should see. In fact, he very fire.
Quently read them on his way home
and then threw them carelessly into
the street They were innocent APP
pearins notes. all of them. containing
not a clew.
Every morning at about o'clock a
young milkman went to the mans
house and left a quart tin of milk. The
milkman was a newcomer, too. He had
arrived about a week before the other
fellow and had bought out small
had left him by his father upon his
death. A stout cook at the 6ne
strangers kitchen always took the can
of milk and handed the young milkman
| the can that had been left the day pre-
viou=.
"These cans. as we learned after
4 ward, had false bottoms. in which let
tiers were placed-letters to and from
! the me appearing newcomer. Inc let
| tiers We're from the men who were OBJ
Grating the plant which we subse-
quently uncovered in a town eighty
miles away, and from agents in va
queer The answers were the master
minds instructions. The milkman and
the cook were faithful accomplices. The
millkman had been set up in business
/ the correspondence that directed the
whole works.
The operator of a notorious 9e+-r'"h-
quick concern eluded the police wnen
a raid was made recently upon his es-
adjustment upon complaints of a
score or nnoreOof persons i'm several
states that they had. lost many thou
sand dollars He Secreted himself I'M
der certain plain DISCUSSES in a tene-
ment house in Elizabeth street, not
more than a dozen blocks from police
| headquarters. Several Dostoffice in
spectors and central office detectives
were searching for him. The fugitive
had number of friends who wanted
to prevent his capture. one of their
! reasons being that his trial would
bring out their names and show their
completely in the unlawful scheme they
had worked.
These men, however, were known to
the police, and it was impossible for
them to communicate with the man in
Much more was it out of the question
for them to visit him. But they agreed
to keep a watch on Developments in
official circles and to serve Logan in
whatever way they could. Within a
week danger was lurking near for the
fugitive, and one of the watching gang
heard of it. He sent a servant to a
telegraph office with this message to a
friend in Chicago:
Your Aunt Helen died today"
Mastering his grief with an effort,
the nephew went to telegraph Office
and wrote this message, addressed to a
clothier in the vicinity of Houston
street and the Bowery:
j Deliver at once to Henry Prescott
Oogans alias), at - Elizabeth street
six pairs plain black sox."
With this the Chicago man sent a
Geographic money order for an amount
sufficient to cover the cost of the ar
| ticles ordered.
The socks were delivered to Logan
that day. When night came he disap-
peared from - Elizabeth street The
Chicago man had told the fugitive
when and in what direction to go-the
firm chosen, the articles, their number
and color all being part of clever
code which the hunted man understood