Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-29

pouches used by the company, but with
a different seal and.tag. The purpose was
plain; the substitution had been made in
order to give the thieves ample time to
get away with their rich booty L urtner
investigation convinced Pinkertton that
the right pouch had been delivered to the
clerk at the Susquehanna ticket o.nce.
This being the case, either Chamberlain,
the night clerk, one of the employees, or
some other person, unknown, was guilty
Chamberlain was subjected to a rigid
cross-eXamination, and at its conclusion
Mr.. PinkeFton expressed the belief that
he was entirely innocent of any completely
in the theft. a careful watch kept on all
of the employees of the company. brought
no developments.
At this stage of the game the detective
broadened the line of his inquiry so as
to include every man, woman anu hild
in the town of Susquehanna. LONE in
stinctive feeling-probably the result of
his long years of eXperience-made him
believe that the crime had originated in
the little town in Pennsylvan.-. Aver
learning as much as possible about
the personal history of the inhabit-
ants, he began the process of elimi-
nation, dropping out the names, of all
those to whom he was morally convinced
no SUSPICION could be attached. Then he
ascertained the names of all persons who
had left town within the preceding twelve
months, and as a result of this learned
that George H. Proctor the foreman of
the boiler shops of the --rie R:-.road
Company, had gone to Buffalo about a
month after 1.-THE robbery. This was rich
lead and the detective followed it up with
great eagerness. He located Proctor in
Buffalo without any difficulty and learned
that the man was engaged in specializing
in oil, and that he had made consdera-.e
profit from that occupation. He as Shad-
owed night and day and his habits closely
watched and an accurate examination
made into his financial condition. 1t was
learned that since his arrival in Buffalo
he had deposited 900 in three of the
banks of that city. A return to Susque-
hanna developed the fact that while Proc
tor lived in the town he had no money
beyond his salary. Furthermore, it was,
learned that on various occasions he had
been in communication with people in
Canada whose regulations were not all
that they should have been. During this
time Proctor, off and on, visited Ills home
and his people in Susquehanna.
Pinkerton now felt that the time had
come for some positive move in the case.
Accordingly he settled uown in Susque-
hanna and patiently awaited Proctor's
next visit to his family. The man came
in the course of a few weeks. and Pinller-
ton, who had assumed an alias, casually
found an opportunity of having himself
presented to Proctor. He invited hun out
for stroll and finally suggested that
they go to his room at the hotel and
smoke cigar. Once there, the detective
turned to Proctor and said sharply:
Its no use, Proctor, the game is up!'
What do you mean?' s.asped the as
tonished man.
II mean that my name is Robert Pin
kerton, and that 1 have all the facts in
the safe robbery.
You have.' exclaimed the other.
II have was the response, Ind the
sooner we close it out the better
After this Proctor threw off all re-
serve and admitted his guilt. He said,
however, that he had been the. tool of
two men named Martin and Collins, who
were now in Canada. They had given
him $11 900 as his share of ,he booty,
which he had placed in glass jar and
buried it in the yard of his house, leav-
ing it there until his removal to Buffalo.
Pinkerton believed this story and ar
ranged to permit Proctor to go at liberty,
determining to hold him as a witness for
the prosecution and also as decoy to
bring Collins and Martin from Canada,
where they had gone to be beyond the
reach of the American law. Proctor was
allowed to remain at his home in Susque-
hanna, pledginG himself to Keep Pinker-
tons agency constantly informed of his
movements. One morning, however, he
broke his parole without warning.