The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-06-09
The Case of the
Man in Diguise

only TO very few will they appear
Veracious-the startling discoveries
made in this concluding story OF the
work of Mr.. Felix Boyd below the
dead-line.
At the time the tragic episodes oc-
CURED, the few to whom all of the
facts were known comprised only the
heads of several of the powerful
financial interests which Felix Boyd
long had faithfully and efficiently
served, men Included in his lon= list
OF secret clients, -financiers who con-
trolled millions upon millions of hard
cash, and who dictated the policy of
some of the greatest business enter
prlses of the nation.
There were at that time divers
Weighty reasons for suppressing the
startling facts from general publicity.
The integrity of a vast business en-
terprise might have been temporarily
shaken by disclosure Of ;ha whole
truth. There were men whose fnan-
cal ability and business judgment
would have been most seriously qGes-
uOned-men to whom a loss of Drest-
lge meant loss of power. There We're.
too, many confiding investors whose
peace Of mind had 10 be vigorously
considered, in whom A feeling of alarm
might have brought swift ruin both
upon themselves and those in whom
an abiding faith long Ead been placed.
Added to these considera tons, there
were men i'm whom the spirit of re-
venge would have leaDed up with
deadly determination a the first IN
tlmatiOn of the truth-knaveS who
would have been inspired with d bitter
ness and hatred that could have Leen
assuaged only with the death Of the
one man whose persistent and relent-
less work below the dead-line had Gull
minated in forever sweeping from that
great financial center of the western
world the notorious arch-criminal and
gang of his associates by whom it
had been persistently infested.
No doubt there are Tnany, however
who can recall some of the features of
this case and some of the events of
that periOd-men whose dark locks
have since become streaked with gray
There are bankers and brokers who
still retain vivid memories, fond or the
reverse, of the extraordinary bull mar
iset Of those eventful days. There are
old-time habitues of Wall and Broad
streets who still remember, now with
only a vague sense of awe aud horror
keen enough at the time, the sudden
terrible explosion, the quaking of the
very earth under their feet. the quiz
ering walls and splitting face of
broad stone building, the vomiting Of
smoke, and flames, and refuse and the
awe-inspiring scenes that immediately
followed.
The building mentioned has van
ished from the face of the earth. Upon
its site there now has risen a superb
granite edifice of many stories, incOr-
pOrating all that the art Of architect
and builder could produce structure
to which the admiring gaze of moving
il vii la al
an edifice that stands as worthy mon
ument to the rare ability and keen
foresight, the tireless energy, the in
flexible will and invincible courage of
a man who. while reserved to 4 degree
approaching Obscurity. endeared HIM
self to the many magnates Of that 10
cality by his inestimable service.
There was one man informed of all
of the facts soon after the events
transpired, however, and who ID this
day frequently rehearses them i'm mind
in the order of their occurrence. Quite
naturally. when one considers his init
mate relations with Mr. Felix BOYD,
that man was Jimmie Coleman of the
central office
off and on for upward of three
months Coleman had seen the fellow in
and about Wall and Broad streets, yet
tent with merely a passing glance and
willing enough to let him thrive, if he
could. in his very humble fashion. Not
even when, after some weeks, this sub
ject Of COleman's cuTsOry interest took
up an almost permanent stand nearly
opposite a low stone building. then
near a corner of Broad street, did the
central office man go out of his way
TO speak TO him.
The fellow obviously was a mendi-
cant pedler an aged Jew of the poor
est class. A rusty derby hat drawn
low over his grizzled locks and busny
brows; a pair of bleared and watery
eyes, at times turned with mute ap-
pear upon the passers-by to whom he
was fain TO vend his wares; a hooked
nose and thick. matted beard; a lank.
seedily clad figure, over the rounded
shoulders of which was hung with
leather strap a small square tray of
pencils. pens, rubber bands and va
rious other apDurtenances so an office
desk; this was the person, humble
even to insignificance, upon whom the
Indifferent glances of Jimmie Cole
man occasionally had rested for up
ward of three months.
Israel Gluck, that's the poor DEVILS
name" remarked a policeman to the
central office man one morning. as the
two CHANGED TO see him shuffling dis
mally to his weary stand nearly oppo-
site the building mentioned.
Israel Gluck, Ell" muttered Cole
man. staring with no great interest
after the pitiable figure. Can he get
living Raffety, peddling those trf-
fies on his tray?"
u reckon he must. Jimmie" nodded
the officer in blue and brass. Least
wise, the precinct captain ordered re
10 let him alone and save the state an
additional pauDer."
'Humph, then I'll not get in his
way" grunted Coleman. moving on
1t was little enough, this that passed
between the two. yet it helped evolve
the tremendous tragedy.
So for upward of another week this
melancholy vender of pencils and pens
stood unmolested in his customary
place. or shuffled mournfuly to and
fro over half block, as the spirit
moved him. and at night tottered
YEARLY away to a dark. misera BILE a.
tic in lower Water street
One morning about this time, Cole
man, as of late he had frequently
done only to meet with disappoint-
ment. dropped into the Pine street Of