Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-04
Multitude Gathers at
Midday Meeting
Place
Thousand Dollars Reward Eagerly
Sought by Professional and AM
ateur Detectives, Who
Block Broadway
BY THE MYSTERIOUS MIR. RAFFLEs
George Harris Donohue.


Now that we are all together, let's
talk it over.
1t took me less than five minutes yes
terday to discover that in Los Angeles
l am up against the keenest bunch of
amateur and professional sleuths 1
have ever encountered.
THIS IS NO JOLLY" I AM CIV
my YOU STRAIGHT COLD FACTS
ON THIS LINE, AND AS A RESULT
OF MY OBSERVATIONS 1 HAVE IN
STRUCTED MY BUSINESS REPRE-
SENTATIVE, w. K. CARRUTHERS,
TO OPEN NEGOTIATIONS WITH a
NEWSPAPER IN ANOTHER CITY,
AS SEE PLAINLY THE EARMARkS
OF AN EARLY CAPTURE FOR ME-
IN LOS ANGELES.
For me to hold out against such odds
as 1 was compelled to go UP against
during the noon hour yesterday for
any extended time would, in my
opinion, be practically impossible.
In other places where have pre-
sented this experiment it has always
been up to me to instruct the crowd
from day to day, as to the best pos
sible method of catching me, but in
Los Angeles will be saved all that
trouble as the sleuths here are work.
ing with a degree of system, at the
very start, which in other cities has
not been apparent until nearly the
close of the chase.
Finds Game Different
have been accustomed to the rowdy,
rough house element in every place
where l have operated, and that is what
l expected to go up against here yes
terday, but much to my surprise
found my plans all turned topsy turvy
by the undemonstrative gathering of
POSSIBLY 5000 amateur detectives who
assembled at the intersection Of Fourth
street and Broadway.
AS a matter of fact this Is really the
first time l have ever been called upon
to exercise. any particular cunning or
skill in the matter of defying detection.
AS it stands here now 1 find that it will
be more than up to me to make good"
nv boast that / can maintain an in
cognito in almost any sort of gather
ing-although, on the level, I wish the
game was all through and I could talk
1t over like any other ordinary citizen.
It must not be gathered from this
little yelp of mine that I am in any
way getting cold feet" on this PROPOSE
ton. On the contrary, the more severe
you make this test the better I will
like it. l am built of the stuff which
lust consumes excitement, and as 1 am
on my mettle hei you can all count on
it that while the, game does last that
1 will at least Civ, a pretty good ac-
count of myself.
PoprIace Wide Awake
1t is now one individual against the
whole population of Los Angeles, and
Just as a matter of reputation, if moth
ing else l intend leading you all the
chase of your collective lives before
being compelled to admit defeat.
However, you all want to remember
this one thing The moment l am iden-
titled and properly saluted-that mo-
ment | will admit my identity, and the
chase for the mysterious Mr. Raft1es
will be an end
/ will continue to attempt to befog
your intellects through a rapid and
almost continuous change of costume,
and it will be up to the really clever
man, woman or child to bring this
will be at an end.
The seuths, both professional and
amateur, were just as keen on my trail
yesterday-the eighth day out-as were
the professional and amateur sleuths of
New York and Chicago after had
been working among them for periods
of twenty days.
That speaks pretty we'll for the in
dividual cleverness OF the citizens of
Los Angeles, although l will tell you
right here that you will all have to go
some. from now on, II you intend raking
i'm that $1,000, as 1 still have few more
links in my speed belt which l have not
let out yet.
Becomes More Reckless
l win even work among you from now
on more reeklessly than have at
tempted and accomplished since the
date of my official disappearance. do
not mean by any means to go into re-
tirement as you will speedily discover
IL you follow my movements through
the Los Angeles Herald from now on
until the gong sounds on my capture
In other words, l intend handing II
back TO you just as strong as you are
trying to hand 1t out TO me at the
present time. / certainly would hate
to 80 back east with the story over