The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1906-07-27
AStute
Mr.. Phillips
Blu c. D. LEWIS
Copyright. 1905, bH Homer SprdOuc
Copyright. 1905, bu Homer Spra0uc

There WAC no room to doubt that Mr..
James Phillips was astute. He had
been told 50 by his employer, by his
fellow clerks In the bank and by two
IT three detectives with whom he had
come IN contact. In fact. he had rooms
il the same house with detective. and
they were Oh such intimate terms that
the sleuth let him In on some of his
cases and OH several occasions had said
to him:
phillips, you would have made
great detective. You have the natural
astuteness of Vidocq."
There we're times when the bank
clerk really thought of resigning his
position and taking up detective work
as profession. He had almost made
up his mind in earnest when brilliant
thought came to him.
He was Il young man Of twenty-SiX,
earning salary of 800 per week. I'm
til further promotion should come he
could not hope for any increase. The
place he aspired to was years away,
and there was no way Of adding to his
income and getting married and living
as he wanted to live.
The brilliant thought that flashed
upon him one evening was to turn his
astutcness into criminal channels and
reap the profits. He did not intend
murder nor highway robbery nor bur-
glary, but simply to beat the public in
some easy way. AS he was q good pen
man, and as he was we'll acquainted
with the ways of banks, it was natural
that he should decide on forgery as his
line
The aGtutc Mr.. Phillips did not rush
into the new business in q day or q
month; it was Il whole year before he
was ready to move. He first called up
all the cases of forgery that he had
heard of IN connection with banks and
went over them one by one In the most
mcthod!cal manner. Some had succeed
eli, and lie satisfied himself as to why
others had sent men to prison. Then
he borrowed the detectives scrapbook
and purchased the published reminis-
cences of tvs or three others and read
every line connected with forgery. His
deductions when he had finished were
that nineteen out of every twenty men
arrested for the crime were burglars.
They had been careless; they had left
loopholcs; they had neglected the most
ordinary precautions. In some cases
they had lacked nerve-a thing he knew
he possessed to wonderful degree; In
others they had taken alarm when there
was not the slightest cause for 1t.
Forgery he decided after studying ev-
cry phase of 1t for year. was the very
safest game in the catalogue.
When Mr.. Phillips had fully and firm
~ made up his mind to enter into "busi-
ness" he jstted down the following
points in his favor: He had always
borne good regulations; he was con-
nccted with a responsible house; he
could initiate any mans chirography;
he knew scores of men who banked at
institutions outside his own: he was an
adept at Disgusting face and voice; he
was cOmrade of a detective who
would keep him Informed Of what was
going on, and his friendship with the
officer would serve TO lull all suspicion.
1t is said that there are plenty Of
men who would beat q bank out of
thousand dollars and yet hesitate to
take ten from any other source. Per
sons of wealth will beat the customs
because Uncle Sam is considered fair
game. The criminal who gets ahead of
Il bank or other corporation does not
feel that he has broken the law as IL
lie had robbed a private house. Mr..
Phillips intended to pay all his atten-
ton to banks and none of it to private
individuals. Had any one suggested
that he beat q corner grocer out of $50
by some gum game he would have
been highly indignant.
The detective had told the bank clerk
that mere criminals came to grief
through confederates than in any other
way There is honor among thieves
only up to a certain point They stand
ready to sell each other out at any
hour when 1t seems that they can per
sonally benefit by it.
Mr.. Phillips natural astuteness
warned him to go it alone and trust
TO no man. and therefore when he got
ready 20 put his programme In motion
10 living man shared his secret. There
had been certain preparations to make.
lie was allowed an hour for lunch. He
had been IN the habit Of going to GER
tain place patrOniZed by other bank
clerks. He purpOsely raised row with
the proprietor that he might have some
".risc for going elsewhere. He would
Iced TO be disguised, and he had to rent
room in Il convenient location to
make the changes. There must be q
safe place for his money, and he found
It by renting second room half II mile
from the other. TO both landlords and
10 account for his brief stops he claim
"a to be ii detective.
Nil Phillips was in no hurry, and be
I'D not propose TO leave any loose ends.
lie went over hts plans time after time
AMI finally satisfied himself that they
were without n flaw. He had provided
for every contingency likely TO arise.
and 1t only remained to rake In the
p!undeF. After going over his list OF
"aval1ab les'' he finally selected busi-
ncrv house which had formerly banked
with his people Their signature was
Mt his disposal, and he knew the size OF
their account Mt the new bank. He
could get 81. coo from them easily, and
the chances were that the crime would
remain undiscovered for Mt least q
fortnight.
One day the astute bank clerk was
quite ready to start out. He was not
q bit furried or excited. He left his
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