New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1903-04-08

NX &/IEAl was born inDanbury.
" Conn, and at the age
- --=:--- of nine years he was
left an orphan and penniless. Immedi-
ately after this misfortune, as he did
not like, the people with whom he was
expected to live, he walked out Of
town. There happened to be high
wind that day, and the boy walked
with it, because the contrary course
would have been disa greeable.
No one made any attempt to bring
him back, and so he tramped for about
a week, eating nothing one day and six
good meals the next, according to the
varying charity Of the people along the
road Finally an eccentric old doctor
in certain small town found the boy
i'll on his doorstep one morning, and
that was great piece of luck for
young Elmendorf. He had a good
home in the doctors house for eight
years, without care or labor; enjoyed
the advantages of the excellent schools
of the village, and was nearly ready
to enter college when his benefactor
died.
The doctor left a good property, but
no will. Relatives swooped down like
a flock Of birds. Elmendorf had not
been adopted. He had no legal status,
and one day he discovered that he had
nothing at all except trunkful of de-
cent raiment and the sum Of $500.
The coincidence that this was the ex-
/ act fare to New York decided Elmen-
DORIS course. He arrived in the me-
tropolis without a penny, hunted up a
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 a clerk in a small
hotel which was a haunt Of ward poll
ticians. Yielding to the temptation
thus thrown into his way, he devel-
oped into a 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 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 at 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 corrupt
man like himself could make money
therein. But he had perverse way of
being dissatisfied with temptation,
and he gained reputation for hon
esty which his best friends deplored.
It was pure chance, a matter not wor-
thy of mention, which secured his
transfer to the staff of the detective
bureau. He had no appetite for the
work, yet he must have possessed a
certain fitness for it. Perhaps the ad-
vantage of early mental training, add
ed to an unfailing 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
needs is the skill to construct q good.
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 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 basis for subsequent action.
In the matter of the murderous at
tack upon Elsie Miller. Elmendorf re-
ceiyed orders, on the morning OF the
day following that upon which the
crime was committed, to look up
John Robinson. It appeared that Rob
inson had left the house on Thirty.
eighth street Immediately after Alden's
departure, which he had viewed with
every indication Of intense and painful
excitement. &