Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-09-05
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| A CROOKS
REVENGE!
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BY a Secret Service Man.

-
When an expert crook calmly and
deliberately sets to work to get even
A with q former pal against whom he
n has a grudge, something uncommonly
artistic, In deviousness is bound to be
1.-THE result.
The release from the New Jer-
sey State prison of old man Brock
way the octogenarian counterfeiter
and forger, and the man who, as ev-
erybody knows, has been at the very
5 top OF his profession for matter of
fifty years, reminds me OF the sin
gularly handsome fashion with which
Brockway9 got even with another ia
nous crook who had done him an un-
derhand trick.
The other famous crook was the
celebrated Tom O'Brien, the man
who Is said to have made million
dollars in the purveying of gold
bricks, of whom a great deal is writ
ten In the crooks book of former In
speetor Byrnes of New York. O'Brien
is now doing 'lifer in French
penal settlement. After he had brib-
ed the keepers who were taking him
to Dannemora prison number of
years ago, he escaped and made his
$ way to Paris, where not long after,
he shot and killed his pal, Kid Wad-
dell, and the French authorities put
him away for life. Every once in a
while story pops UP to the effect
that O'Brien's wife, who lives in New
York, IL about to buy South Ameri-
can man.o-war and undertake an ex-
petition to the French penal settle
ment to release her husband by lev
cling the prison walls, but those are
New York Sunday newspaper stories.
A good many years ago Brockway
and o'Brien were on friendly terms,
although. as their lines were dit.
ferent, they never worked together.
Then O'Brien pulled off some sort of a
mean trick on Brockway, the details
of which are only known to a few
close mouthed veteran crooks, and
Brockway determined to get even.
"O'Brien was making his annual
gold-brick-selling tour through the
State of Pennsylvania few months
after he had gained the enmity of
Brockway, when, in little town not
many miles from Pittsburg, he was
approached by an extremely simple
looking old farmer who asked OBrien
question as to the time Of departure
of the next train for Pittsburg. The
appearance of the prosperous-lookin
old farmer Immediately caused the
gold-brick man to chirk up.
Got business in Pittsburg eh,
pop? said o'Bien, with the anna
bility for which he was noted.
Well, reckon / haye-some, re-
piled the old farmer Got few
bonds that I'm calculating to sell in
Pittsburg.'
"Gilt-edged stuff. I'll warrantg
said O'Brien.
/" Well, they couldn't be much gilt
er-edged, reckon, was the old farm
er's smiling reply. Pennsylvania
railroad first mortgage bonds, and /
guess they're as good as the kind the
Government issues, amt they?'
This interested Mr.. Thomas o.
Brlenfa great deal.
How much have you got tied up
In those bonds, sir?' he asked the
understanding farmer. I inquire
Because maybe I'll buy them myself
and save you the trip to Pittsburg.
I'm looking for an investment of that
sort with a bit of money that have
not any pressing need for just now
oh. I've only got ten thousand
dollars worth replied the farmer.
and reckon won't have any bother
getting rid of them in Pittsburg.'
"7hen O'Brien got busy in his sci
entific way. He had something he
wanted to show the old farmer, he
said, and he invited him up to his
hotel room. and there, after leading
up to 1t with the customary ingenious
story, O'Brien showed him the gold
brick,