The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-17

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tives spent their tins in likely resorts.
picking up acquaintance with frequent
erss and, whenever possible, turning
the talk adroltly upon the man they
were looking for It Is a mistake to
suppose that IN work ike this detec-
ttves disguise themselves. False boards
and mustaches, goggles and lightning
changes OF clothing are never heard OF
except in the pages OF badly informed
story-Writers- In his experience Of
over rs years, Mr.. Murray never wore
such a Disguise nor knew of any reput-
able detective who did In this expedi-
ton the detectives simply assumed the
characters and general style Of the per-
sons they were thrown with, passing
for men of sporting tastes from the
east; and having satisfied the people
they met that they meant no harm,
they had no difficulty in obtaining such
news OF Mccoy and the others as there
was Unfortunately, this was not
much.
After going from one city to another
on various cleWs, hearing of one mem
Der Of the gang here and another there,
and in each instance losing their man,
the detectives finally brought up in
New Orleans. They had spent i've or
six weeks Of time and a large amount
OF money, only to find themselves alb
solutely without clew as to the where
abouts of the men they were pursuing.
Ihey were much discouraged when a
telegram from Mr.. Pinkerton told them
that Butch" Mccoy was back in
Galesburg, where they had first sought
him. Proceeding thither with all dis
patch, they traced Mccoy into a saloon,
and there three of them-John Smith,
representing the Rock Island railroad;
John McGinn. for the Pinkerton
agency, and Frank Murray. working
for Mr.. Stone-With drawn revolvers,
captured him, in spite of a desperate
dash he made to escape.
McCoy's capture was the occasion of
much felicitation among the people in
terested in the matter. Mr.. St. John
and Mr.. Stone We're confident that now
the whole mystery of the express rob
berry would be solved and the murderer
convicted. But Mccoy showed on trial
that he had left New Orleans to come
north only the night before the murder
and had spent the whole of that night
on the Illinois Central railroad. It also
appeared that McCOy'S associate, Con
nors, was in jail at the time of the rob-
berry, and that the man Jeff was
dead. Thus the whole Plunkett story
was exploded.
Some time before this the man who
had ridden on the free pass, and given
the detectives SO much trouble, had
been accidentally found by Jack Null
Inns, a brakeman on Conductor Dan
forth's train He proved to be an adj
vertising solicitor, employed by no
other than Mr. Melville z. stone, who
would have given a thousand dollars
to know what his agent knew; for
the advertising man had seen the con-
ductor bring out the valise containing
the all-important fragment of the
draft But he had not realized the
value of the news in his possession,
and Mr.. Pinkerton took good care to
keep him from that knowledge. One
hint of the truth to the newspaper
people, and the whole story would
have been blazOned forth in its col
unns, and the murderer would have
taken warning. Not until he had seen
the man safely on a train out from
Chicago did Mr.. Pinkerton breathe
easily: and it was not until months
later that Mr.. Stone learned how near
he came to getting a splendid scoop"
on the whole city and country.
The Identification of the pass-holder
removed the last possibility that the
valise had been taken into the train
by any OF Conductor Danforth's pas
sengers. And yet the valise was
there! How came it there? In the
course of their examination two Of
the passengers had testified to having
seen Schwartz enter the toilet room
during the run. Brakeman Jack Null
Inns stated that he had been IN the
same room twice that night that the
second time he had noticed the valise
but that it was not there when he went
III LEst- OAnGI witnesses III the car
were positive that the person who en-
tered the room last before the time
when Mullins saw the valise was
Schwartz Thus the chain of proof was
Tightening, and Mr.. Pinkerton sent for
Schwartz.
After talking with the brakeman in
a semi confidential way for some time,
the detective began to question him
about Watt his fellow-trainnan.
Schwartz said he was a good fellow,
and, in general spoke highly of him.
Mr. Pinkerton seemed to hesitate a
little. and then said.
Can trust you, Schwartz"
yes, sir
f'WeH. the fact is I am a little sus-
picious of Watt. You see, his story
about that hand overhead does not ex-
actly hang together. I don't want to
do him any wrong, but he must be
looked after. Now, my idea is to have
you go about with him as much as
you can. see If he meets any strangers
or spends much money. and let me
know whatever happens? VIII you do
it?"
Schwartz readily consented, on the
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