The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1904-04-16

THT IN the detection, pursuit.
and capture of criminal
| @ @I that has been developed 10
E fSEJ years, was performed b.
az on4cer Of the New York detectiy
police force some years since.
About that time the officers Of tn
City Bank OF New York discoyere,
that they had been swindled out G
| $4,000 by means OF forged checl
ior tnat amount, purporting to hav,
Deen drawn by Commodore Wander
Dill. Nearly a month passed before tht
fraud vas discovered, and in the mean
tlme several other checks for large
amounts, drawn b. the same party
mad been honored; so 1t was almost in
possible for any Of the employees to
remember with satisfactory distinct
ness any Of the circumstances con
nected with the payment Of the fraud
ulent document. However. it was
placed in the hands OF a shrewd detec-
tive. and he went to work to fni a
clew. and trace out the mystery.
The officers nrst suspicion was that
some OF the clerks Of the banks had
been in collusiOn Will the forger. and
doubtless shared the profits Of his
crime. After two weeks SCRUTINY Of
the character, habits and associations
OF the various clerks. that theory was
abandoned. and it only remained for
him to gather from them, il possible
some clew, however slight, Of the bold
operation. His first inquiry was If
any one, not in the habit OF presenting
checks, had been seen doing so within
the past month. Only two Of the clerks
had any memory on the subject. fnd
theirs was o. the nest shadowy and
unsatisfactory character. One rene N
bered seeing stout, elderly man drive
a strikipgly beautiful black horse and
fine carriage up to the bank, enter the
Office, and transact some business. he
knew not what, and depart, since
which he had not seen him.
The other clerk, after thorough ex-
animation and numerous questions put
10 assist or quicken his memory, a:
last concluded that he did recollect
strange man. who entered the bank one
day about the time the forged check
was presented, and had a check cashed
for large amount. A popularity in
the mans necktie attracted his atten-
hon. and he looked him full in the face
md retained vivid recollection Of
every feature. He was an amateur
artist. and especially expert in pen
drawing. Taking a sheet Of paper and
IN old pen which was lying upon the
desk. he quickly produced portrait.
which he declared to be an accurate
likeness of the man he suspected.
The officer did not look upon these
.lews, if such they might be called.
Is promising much hope Of success.
He first exhibited the drawing to the
clerk who had seen the suspected
'ogue drive up with the fine black
lorse. and he confidently identified it.
Here at last was some encourage
nent. The first attempt was to trace
he horse and carriage. and discover
Who owned or who had hired such
ig. The effort was unsuccessful; the
,fHcer, however, was convinced that
he man. whoever he might be, was an
ldmirer Of fast and stylish horses. and
le therefore commenced a search
lmong the establishments devoted to
he stabling and sale Of such animals.
loping that he would find some one
Who could identify the party. After
,oing to nearly all such establishments.
the portrait, he came upon
man who recognized in the drawing
ne William Livingston, whom he had
;nown year or two, but who had dis
ppeared within the past month, after
,aying up some old debts and buying
me or two fancy horses. Further in
uiry brought out the fact that Liv-
ngston was In very straitened circum-
tances but a few months previously.
nd how he could honestly obtain the
means to pay his old debts and crafty
is love for horseflesh was not so clear
nd gave fresh encouragement to the
ersevering detective. To follow Liv-
ngston was necessary. but how could
e be traced? He had disappeared.
nd no one knew when or whittier.
What, then, was to be done: Should
he trail be abandoned and the case
iven up as one of the mysteries that
afied solution?
Never, said the indefatigable officer,
nd he went to work with desperate
nergy to unravel the tangled skein.
H anally reached the following con-