The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-16
From the New York Telegraph.


 Fl New York too late to take part in the farewell ceremonies in the Fifth Avenue hotel. In the olden days the Fifth Avenue hotel was Chelsea Pete favorite hunting ground.
 Chelsea Pete was sent away in 1886. For p years Chelsea Pete made mats ana brushes in Sing Sing, and yesterday ne came back to New York to look the game over and figure out what there was he could do in these stirring days of automo- piles and skyscrapers.
 They've sure lifted this old town up into the air" remarked Chelsea Pete, as he glanced at the FIatiron building the other day.
 It was in the Fifth Avenue hotel back in 1879. that Chelsea Pete conned Gen. John A. Logan out of s50O It was clean work, however, and there was never any comeback Later he got mixed up with a bunch of burglars tools and was laid away for quite a long stretch.
 In his day Chelsea Pete was one of the best known icon men" in this country. He took his title from that section or Boston from which he came originally, and from Portland, Me-, to Los Angeles the smaller fry in the underworld looked up to Chelsea Pete as one to be highly regarded as a clean-cut professional.
 He was always swell dresser" was Chelsea Pete. The top hat and frock coat with a coy little boutonniere nestling in his lapel, formed Chelsea Pete's work ing costume He was a good talker also, and all he ever asked, according to those who knew him in those days was con- versational chance at his victim.
 The way in which he got a check out of Gen. John A. Logan in four minutes and a half is still talked of by the men in Chelsea Pete's set as a record bit Of work.
 Chelsea Pete learned that the general was in town, and he spent all of one fore noon in the Lenox library reading up on General Logan, the Civil War and the friendships of the idol of the Union army. In the afternoon he walked jauntily into the lobby of the Fifth Avenue hotel and gave the house detective the naughty eye.
 You gotta get away from here,' said the house detective. There's nothin doin' in your line around here" T came here to see General Logan, an old friend of mine," said Chelsea Pete, and he bullied his way rast the detectiVe and up to General Logan's room. There were tears of joy in his eyes when he was admitted. He clasped General Logan affectionately by the hand.
 "Of course you don't know me- of course not" cried Chelsea Pete. But you'll
 
 father rode at your side for years dur ing the Civil War and leaped from his horse to give it to you when your horse was shot under you.' In two minutes he had General Logan throbbing with tender sympathy for the son of an old comrade, for Chelsea Pete had been wise in selecting a name for the occasion, and there was no chance Of be- ing caught.
 The house detective was still on the job, however, and broke angrily into the room.
 General Logan, that man is one of the best-known crooks in this town," said the house detective, but he got no further"
 .It's just like that all the time, Gen eral" sobbed Chelsea Pete. You know
 
 1 been trying to get on here in New York; these copperheads have been bounding me just like this" | "Out of my room." roared General Lo- | gan at the bewildered house detective. | "Leave here at once and don't come back 1 here unless you are invited" At the end of just four and half min | utes after entering the room Chelsea Pete | left with General Logan's check for $500 l in his hand.
 Cash that for me-" he said airly to l the man at the desk while the house l detective ate the ends off his fingers in | sheer rage.
 | Chelsea Pete operated all over the l country, but eventually drifted into bur- | glary and oank work. lie tied up with band of reckless 'petermen." and was