The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-04-17
THE CAREER Of A CROOK
CONTINUED from Page ;. Section s.

come to Europe a week or two ahead
OF his wife and daughter and the two
had spent several evenings together.
supping more than once with members
OF the other sex. AS the westerner
was a hard-headed citizen and Pierce
was unable to part him from any Of
his money by the usual expert meth
obs, he finally, the day before the
others family arrived in London. de
manded 500 pounds from him, threat
ening TO make the wife acquainted with
her husbands amusements previous to
her coming. unless he received the
money. This demand came by letter:
and, Immediately upon its receipt the
WeSterner went out, purchased a very
large and thick stick and started to
look for the blaCkmailer. The latter
was informed of this circumstance and
Immediately packed his trunks for
Paris. However. he stopped at the
westerner's hotel on the way to the
train. knowing him 10 be away. and
described TO the wife and her 16-year-
old daughter a series of debauches in
which he alleged that her husband had
taken part, furnished her with names
and addresses in order that she might
cCrroborate the story
Three years ago Pierce was a rich
man. He lived in luxurious chambers
in Coventry street; he had money
enough in the bank. it was said. to in
sure 4 comfortable living for the re-
mainder of his existence. he had large
amounts invested in sound commercial
companies The fact that his fellow
crooks refused to have anything to do
with him out of business hours had
been good thing Tor him financially.
II not only kept him from spending
money with them, but from becoming
imprudent in their society under The.
influence of good fellowship superin-
duced by liquor. Every other member
Of the band was arrested more than
once and most of them had done
time Pierce never SO much as got
his picture in the rogue's gallery. and
his immunity was doubtless due to
the fact that he was 50 seldom i'm the
company OF the professional brethren.
And now. IN the height Of his pros
perity. Pierce's evil fortunes began.
BY some strange perversion of the.
logical feculty the circumstance that
h knew the promoter under whose
guidance he had invested his money
and i'm whose house he had helped him
swindle his friends To be himself "a
crook at heart gave The professional
crook unbOunded confidence i'm the
other This man had been connected
with several successful enterprises. and
his name stood high in commercial
grand coup. he informed Pierce, and
clear up hundreds Of thousands of
pounds. He offered to iel him i'm on
the ground floor. Pierce came on the
ground floor with all his available as
scts-and the structure collapsed His
friend, who had been riding FOR a fan.
went into the bankruptcy court, and
Pierce was left almost penniless He
mad been done himself as compIeteIv
as ne had ever done anyone else
Even now Pierce might have re-
tTieved his fallen fortunes. for he had
lost none OF his skill at sleight-of-hand
and the birth-rate of fools had not faI-
len of. IL is probable. therefore. that
ne would now be alive had 10 not been
for the coronation of Edward VII. The
greatest crowd ever known i'm English
history was expected in London for
this event; and now, for the first time.
the police seemed 10 realize that IL was
possible 10 construe the law so that
the town might be -idded of profes-
siOnal thieves and tricksters, without
Infringing on the liberties of reputa BILE
subjects. Pierce and all of his gang
were accordingly run out Of London
never again 80 be allowed 10 return
Their nearest refuge was Paris. and il
was only a matter Of a few months
when the same lot of rascals was driv-
en- out Of France.
II Pierce now had the money he had
put into his friends financial schemes
ne might have retired from active par
ticipation in business and lived com
fcrtably on his income, but he was all
but .penniIess and his only method of
making a living was by cards and dice.
He dared not return to New York, and
he visited Berlin and many of the small
Ter European towns, even going 20
Madrid and BarcelOnia-and being
warned out OF every place he visited.
70 soon as he began to pick up any bust
ness. He finally reached South Africa
where he spent his last penny and put
an end TO himself, as has been related.
copyright 1904, by Abraham H. Hum
nell
The Fatted Calf.