The daily tribune., 1907-11-27
The Detective Genius.
[Original.l


the veteran detective, that 30
make success there Is one element n
usually leave out. It's luck.
opinion is that it's nine-tenths OF tn
game. Napoleon, the great war gen
ius recognized this and had every con
Adepce in his star Of destiny. Thai
star went down eventually and ieit
him in the dark like other people. Ihs
next best thing to luck consider IN
tuition, or the feeling that something
n so without knowing 1t to be 30.
/ made big reputation in my day
nv only aids being these two-luck
and feeling. The case that did mo
most good and made my superiors
think / was a great detective were
brought about almost exclusively DJ
luck. I was in government service
then and was sent out west to look
up the perpetrators Of some $1,000
counterfeit bills. st. Louis was the
point the money was supposed TO en-
anate from, and there i went Ihs
was the only pointer I had, and my
work was very much like looking for
q needle in haystack.
A good way to get rid Of these coun-
terfeits of large denominations Is IN
gambling houses where large stakes
are played for There's ts>o much ex-
element for people to scrutinize any.
thing closely After spending several
days without even getting a suspicion
Of a clew to work on I went one even
ing into gambling den. I didn't go
| hon
then thought Of the facilities such
claces afforded for distributing the
"uueer." went because-I don't
know what 1 went for. The place had
been recently opened, and the owner,
respectable looking man, was dealing
faro. I watched the game for some
time, went out to the theater and came
back about half past II. Fact is l
was hungry and I'd heard that fine
supper was set out after II. After
supper / lit cigar and went to the
faro table. The game, which when
had left it early in the evening was
small, had grown very large. no.
ticed several piles before different
players to indicate that the bank was
having a run Of bad luck.
| I've always been n bit Of gambler
myself had no money to play with,
for / was at the time drawing small
salary and really had no funds with
me except for ordinary expenses. The
truth is that from the time l had en-
tered the gambling place had burned
to take hand at the game. l had
torn myself away to the theater, and I
| W nnf mnCh
due to the fascination the game had
for me as the supper. At any rate, the
longer l looked on the more reslstless
became my desire to try my luck.
had several of the $1,000 counterfeit
bills in my pocket and was tempted to
make a start in the game with one OF
thsm, but, besides the dishonor Of play
ing counterfeit money, suppose should
be detected using 1t. l could never ex-
plain the matter. 1t was unexplain-
able. Then the idea came into my
head that might claim l was work.
ing In the line Of my business, though
that would be pretty thin Anyway,
finally couldn't withstand the tempta-
ton any longer and, pulling out one OF
the bills, slapped 1t on the big square
to win.
The dealer started. 1t was natural
that he should start. Thousand dollar
bills weren't plentiful. though I had
caught sight of two or three during the
evening changing hands. One winner
l had seen paid one by the bank. Stll,
coppering with one was unusual. The
dealer looked at me with the most
curious expression | ever saw on q
mans face. Then he asked as calmly
a. sucking dove:
"How much standsT'
"Five hundred" I said.
The cards were dealt, and the BIG
square won. l was handed five $40
bills, four Of which I showed in ny
pocket with the counterfeit, putting
the other on the game. soon lost al
I had won and, realizing the risk had
run, left the house.
On the street man spoke to me.
"Let up he said. There's been de-
tectives sent out from Washington;
probably in town now"
1t didn't take me six months to dis
cover that I'd strr.S something pretty
big. though I hadn't the remotsVt idea
Of an explanation.
"All right" ! said. Whats the next
mover
Don't know yet. Who put you ouT'
"You keep your end to yourself. and
I'll keep mine"
What were you up to. anyway.
shown the billf-
remembered the curious look Of
the dealer when I'd made my bet ana
ray Of light began to break In on
me. The faro bank must b distribut-
Ing point. Persons supplied with the
bills would come in. bet them and
they would be paid out to wirpers
who. II they discovered the counter
felt, would be chhry Of making a
charge that would be = confession that