The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1904-07-07
Their Way
In Ru sia


on strictly lawful business-to look for
the heirs to some property in the west
ern part Of the United States, and my
information led me direct to the city
Of Narva. Before / had been In the
place two hours the chief Of police
called and let me know that was con-
sidered suspicious"
He told me that Peter Bogoff, whose
heirs was seeking, had been strongly
suspected of nihilism before he died
and that warrant would have been
served had he lived a day longer. This
was as good as telling me that would
get into trouble if l prosecuted any In
quiries, but I foolishly determined to
beard the lion In his den.
Thinking might better carry on the
business from st. Petersburg, depart
ed for that city after few days and
at once called upon lawyer. He was
sharp enough to realize that / would
not have taken the long Journey unless
the property was Of considerable value.
and without any beating around the
bush he told me that he would find the
heirs and put the matter through for
the sum of 5000. This was rank rob-
berry, and l refused to submit to it,
and us result soon discovered that no
lawyer would have anything to do with
the case at all.
Not only that, but I was soon sum-
moned to the office OF the chief of po-
lice. He was very polite. but at the
same time it was easy to read his
hypocrisy. He first secured possession
of my passport, which, he claimed,
needed some slight amendment, and
then began to question me. He kept
me on the rack for three long hours
and then had the impudence to offer
me his hand as departed.
went straight from his Office to
that Of private detective agency to
set Inquiries on foot. The superin-
tendent entered into the matter with
considerable earnestness and agreed to
dispatch man to Narva that evening
to secure the wished for information.
returned to the hotel feeling rather
| jubilant at outwitting the police, but
| this state Of feeling did not last long.
Within an hour the superintendent OF
the agency called to inform me that b.
/ must drop the case, turning me OFF
with the excuse that he was too busy
to attend to it.
He had scarcely departed before the
proprietor Of the hotel came to my
room and politely asked me to vacate
It. He would not admit that 1t was the
work Of the police, but l had no trou
/, BILE in coming to that conclusion.
l finally got rooms in boarding
house after being refused ut every
/ other hotel, and Tor week the police
let me alone. 1 had made the long jour
ney to find the heirs Of Bogoff and
close deal for the land. l had no
been provided with money to bribe any
one, and must either defy the polic'
and work up the case single handed o1
return and report failure.
Being firmly convinced that Mrs. Bo
| goff was in Narva, l secretly left th'
capital for that town one night. Secur
ing rooms in a boarding house afte
my arrival and Disgusting my persona
appearance to considerable extent,
prosecuted my inquiries under one ex
cuse and another until at length dis
covered the woman. She was living II
her own house and In poor circum
stances nnd was rejoiced at the pros
poets Of selling the land
now had to give my case away b,
calling on a notary to make out the Pc
pers. and In less than half day th
police were at my heels again. The,
not only warned every notary at NaI
va, but the widow was obliged to fie
the city and go into hiding.
Things might have stopped there ha
been cool and placid man. When
found the police bounding me again
lost my temper and gave the chief m
candid opinion OF things in general an
of his own conduct in particular. AS
natural sequence was promptly al
rested, though just what the technics
charge was never learned.
/ I was taken to jail and confined in
cell with man waiting trial for rot
berry. He seemed to be thOroug
yillain.- but as he could not speak