St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-01-10
Frankison's Plot.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
By G. AITCHISON.

4 FEW days ago my friend Rob-
n son, late superintendent of the
detective department of large city
in the North, was entertaining me
with few "reminiscences of his past
career.
You ask me, he replied to ques-
ton had put to him, if it is not the
case that some person having a
knowledge of an unpublished crime
often uses the power his knowledge
gives him to compel the offender to
execute deeds he previously would not
have dreamed of. Such may be the
case in good many instances, though
in my opinion the average criminal
has natural propensities which gener-
ally enable him to circumvent the
intimidator and relieve himself of the
threatened danger without mourning
further risks. Such propensity is,
think, in the possession of every man,
and unless the will-power has been
utterly wrecked by dissipation, it is
impossible for anyone to be forced
against his will into committing an
offense against the laws. I recollect
q case bearing on the subject, which
I will give you. AS it was purely a
family affair, and the persons in
terested were unwilling to create a
scandal, the facts never became pub
lie property.
About ten years ago a man named
Grimes returned to NJ, after serv-
ing a term for some offense, the
nature of which / have forgotten.
He was, without exception, the most
daring, cunning, and resourceful
scoundrel that ever breathed. Orig
fnally an actor, he was a past mas
ter in the art Of DISCUSSES; in fact the
time of his downfall dated from the
day on which he impersonated the
manager of the company he Travelled
with, and absconded with the treas
ury. Somehow, other peoples clothes
seemed to have fascination for him,
which naturally created large
amount of ill-feeling on the part OF
the true owner, and lot OF work
for us.
Soon after his arrival he received
a letter from gentleman giving the
name of Frankison, making an ap-
pointment for the following night,
and having nothing better to do he
called upon him.
For a time Frankison confined
his conversation to commonplace
matters, as though afraid of intro
ducing the subject for which the in
terview had been arranged. Seeing
this, Grimes, who had on several oc-
casions previously engaged on shady
Jobs by gentlemen equal in position
tn the one who stood before him,
proceeded to enumerate some OF the
most daring cases he had been EN-
ployed upon, and successfully carried
through-when the necessary reward
was Forthcoming. This had the de-
sired effect.
81 noticed your case in the papers"
commenced Frankison, land intended
when you came out of your tenn
porary confinement to offer you po-
sition in which you could not only
be swell, but probably settle down
in life and become useful member
of the community"
Grimes thanked him, but added thar
If it was intended to try and reform
him it was hopeless task. he loVeo
the profession too much to settle
down into the dull, monotonous round
of respectable existence
"But this case" returned Frankl-
son, "offers excitement sufficient for
the most daring" Crimes nodded his
satisfaction.
.How would you like to get mar
ried?" continued Franllison. "Say, to
q lovely girl with an income OF about
1000 year?" -,
ard like that immensely" said
Grimes, with grin. "But unfortun-
ately l have already got two wives
living, and it's as much as can pos
sibly do to keep out Of their way.