The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-03-06

tlemen OF fortune who protested with
knife and fist The cEiet might never
have come out of the scrimmage alive If
Ruderick hadn't happened around about
that time. The chief, t. his credit be it
said, never forgot this coincidence
''How much time we got, Rudericl1? ,"
asked Billy the Bruiser.
"Twentyfour hours"
He jus wants the thmble an the
roll. amt that 10"
mo, he wants the gun, too. His Nibs
is hostile. you see, an this zap from the
countrys got the pull, an it's up to the
chief to make a splurge."
Twill he let the bloke go?'
Didn't say nothin' bout that. P'r'aps
he will after he's let the zap rubber at
him. 1 don't give damn whether he
does or not 1t was bunglin job an the
bloke deserves a stretcher Besides, see
all the trouble he's giving us. He'll
queer the whole of us if we don't get
him
That's right commented Billy. mo
one blokes got any business queerin
the push; if he has got to take strecher
then he has, an that's all there is about
it. Well, tell you, Ruderick, I'll screw
my nut down town an rubber around,
lettin' the blokes know what's dom
You'll put the people up here next, will
you? Alright Wherell we report?'
Up in my rooms.
The two men separated and began put
ting the blokes next" Ruderick drop
ped into saloon after saloon, talking
quietly with men sitting at tables or
standing at the bar and pretty soon these
men were to be seen coming out on to the
street and taking different directions.
He talked to them in a language unique
for its authorizations and directness.
There were no long explanations. The
simple statement, backed up by Ruder-
ick's presence, that "the Front Office
wanted to know who made that touch
in Jersey, and wanted the swag and the
gum sufficed to set going an unequaled
detective agency.
There were no silly trips to Jersey to
inspect 1.-The scene of the crime, no
/ long interviews with reporters about
suggested clues, and no keeping the
wires hot Gums" of all ages and con-
ditons strolled quietly up and down
| Manhattan, rubbering," passing the time
of day and putting people next One
would enter a Joint" give cough and
I
joined by those whom his cough had at
tracted. Find out who got that thim-
BILE an the roll on the trolley over in
Jersey-the chief is hostile an wants to
know--Ruerick McKlowd is on the
case" and another half dozen recruits
were enlisted for the honor of the chief.
Gossip about touches is as essential
! to the Under World as is gossip about
| ar,,f- nd he ~ hns
Burke Ryan could no more foregos the
pleasure of telling his pals about the
touch" on the trolley in Jersey than
he could resist the temptation to pull
it off" He had "hocked" the Inland
invested the greater part of the roll in
a quiet little game of poker by the time
Ruderick McKlowd and the push were
on his trail, and he had also published
widely the details of the theft. only
Rudarick and his companions had not yet
reached the "joins" where the story had
been told. At the very moment that
Ruderick and Billy the Bruiser were
agreeing on the campaign to find him,
Burke was in a saloon not over ten
blocks distant telling some cronies how
he had to clear the deck on the troll
ley with his razor to make good his
"mooch," and giving them amusing, ac-
counts of how the "Molls dove out o
the windows" in their haste to give him
room.
Burke had his friends in the push as
well as did Ruderck. and there was one,
Jimmy Ryerson by name, who felt that
it was cup to him" to let Burke know
that Ruderick and his push were in pur-
suit.
''Do they jus want the dough an the
watch" asked Burke, "or arc they after
me tOo?"
THEY'RE after you you duffer, SAID
Jimmy, ian they'll have you II eyou
don't lnooch You've been cheWm the
rag all over town, an somebody's told
EN- by this time
DO you mean to say that they re go
ing to turn me over to the CHIEF
''That's what they are, an you Il be
settled, too. His Nibs is on his ear
they say, an the chiefs got to square
things"
"Well they can go plump to hell. |
ain't no sucker to help out that chief
let him help hiself out. I'm goln to
rnooch right''-his speech was cut short
by the entrance into the saloon OF Ruder-
lex and two pals.
1t was chase which IS talked apouV
still when chases come up for discus
sion. 1t began below TWenty7thiro
street and ended in vacant lot hear
the Eighth Avenue Railroad telinliidi'
and is probably the only pursuit OF
criminal in whose arrest criminals alone
were interested Trolley cars CABS anu
the elevated were all used by potn the
pursued and the pursuers, ana nelee
struggle ended the fight AS laSE re
sort Burke took his stand IN lenoe
corner of a vacant lot, drew ms razor
and dared Ruderick and his TWO com,
panions to touch him. ITS case
Knockout" said Ruderick. ana poor
Burke was made the target 1or STONES
swiftly thrown and carefully alneo. re
stood 1t as long as he could ms laeg
and hands being cut and bruised anu
smeared all over with blood anu '"eH
cried out: 81 cave-I cave! :, =.
Couldn't help it, Burke. oiu iu"I',
said Ruderick soothingly. 'Ihige 70 o"t
amt fair but it's business, ne -,
needs you, an we need the chlel- 9oo