Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-03-03
AStute
Mr.. hilliDS
By c. b. LEWIS


james Philips was nStute. lie Hau
been told 80 10y his employer. 10y his
fellow clerks IN the bank and by two
or three detectives with whom he had
come in contact In fact. lie had rooms
In the same house with detective. and
they were on such Intimate terms that
the Slcuth let him in on some Of his
cases aud ON several occasions had said
to him.
phillips, you would have made a
great detective You have the natural
astutcncSs of a Nidocq."
There We're times when the bank
clerk really thought of resiguing his
position ana taking NJ detective work
rs "A profession lie had almost made
up his mind in earnest when "a brilliant
thought came Ia him
He was u young man of twenty six.
earning Il salary Of $50 per week. Tn.
ill further promotion should come he
could not hope for any increase. The
place he aspircd To was years away,
and there was uo way of adding to his
income ana getting married and living
as h. wanted 20 live
The brilliant thought that flashed
upon him one evening was To turn his
astutenrSS into criminal channels and
reap the profits lie did not intend
murder nor highway robbery nor bur
glary. but simply ~ beat the public in
man, ANA rs he was we'll acquainted
with the ways OF banks il was natural
that lie should decide on forgery as his
line.
The astutr Mr. Phillips did not rush
into the new business in a day or Il
was ready % move lie first called up
all the cases Of forgery that he had
heard of IN connection with banks and
went over them one 10y one in the most
methodical manner Some had succeed
ed. and he satisfied himself ns to why
others had sent men to prison Then
he borrowed the detectives scrapbook
and purchased the published rcmins
cenceS of two or tire" others and read
every line connected with forgery His
deductions when be- had finished We're
that nineteen ont of every twenty men
arrested for the crime We're burglars
They had been careless: they had left
loopholes: they had neglected the most
ordinary precautions In some cases
they had lacked nerve a thing h. knew
he possessed Ia wonderful degree. In
others they had taken alarm when there
was not the slightest caus" for IT,
Forgery he decided after studying ev
cry phase Of II for year was the very
safest game IN the catalogue.
When Mr. Phillips had fully and firm
~ made NJ his mind 10 enter into bust
ness" he iotted down the following
points In his favor: He had always
borne a good regulations he was con
nccted with responsible house; he
could initiate any mans chrography:
he knew scores Of men who banked at
institutions outside his own: he wa. an
adept NJ Disgusting face and voice: he
was "A comrade OF detective who
would keep him informed of what was
going on. and his friendship with the
officer would serve TO lull all suspicion
- 49, ifffAAAt NtaAAtAt- ~ 7N' VS.
II Is said that there are plenty Of
men who would beat Il bank out OF a
thousand dollars and vet 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
bank or other corporation does not
feel that he has broken the law as IL
he had robbed "a private house. Mr.
Phillips intended 10 pay all his atten.
ton TO banks and none Of II 10 private
individuals Had any one suggested
that he beat a corner grocer ont Of $50
by some gum game he would have
been highly indignant
The detective hid tola the bank clerk
that more criminals came to grief
through confederates than In any other
way There IS honor among thieves
only up 10 certain point They stand
ready 10 sell each other out az any
hour when ii seems that they can per
sOnally benefit by II.
Mr.. Phillips natural astuteness
warned him 10 60 II alone aud trust
10 no man. and therefore when he got
ready 10 put his programme In motion
no 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 n Ger
tain place patronizcd by other bank
clerks He purposely raised row with
the proprietor that he might have some
excuse for going elsewhere. He would
need to he disguised aud he had to rent
room In convenient location To
make the changes There must be a
safe place for his money and he found
II by renting a second room half a mile
from the other. To both landlords and
to account for his brief stops no claim
cd TO be a detective.
Mr.. Phillips was In no hurry. and he
did not propose 10 leave any loose ends.
He went over his plans time after time
and finally satisfied himsel: that they
were without IA flaw He had provided
for every contingency likely 10 arise
and Il only remained 10 rake TN the
plumber. After going over his list OF