The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-02-13


keeps" this time, taken back to Lon
don, tried, sentenced and imprisoned.
After he had served his time he
started on a tour of the continent, &C.
companied by a mysterious blonde
woman who passed as his wife. H'
played cards, engaged in the pastimc
of bunco steering and varied these
occasionally by assum'
ing the part of the wronged husband.
He had scheme by which the bank
could be broken, and offered to show
the man how he could take q thou
sand dollars and come out with
profit of ten thousand. The man &C.
cepted this glowing offer, but instead
of going to the house that was desig-
mated he notified the District police
and the versatile rogue was once
more arrested-this time under the
name of Frank Tracy. He was re-
leased on bail, however, and soon
after again sought the historic at
mosphere of London.
His latest exploit is really deserv-
ing of chapter in itself. but because
of lack of space must be condensed
into a few paragraphs. Superintend'
emit Froest, who was always on the
lookout for queer characters, learned
that Tracy-as he now called himself
was in London "a hours after he had
set his feet on English soil. He in
structed his subordinates to Be on the
lookout for Tracy, but otherwise did
not give much thought to the man.
One morning the telephone hell 1t
Scotland Yard rang. and the voice Of
an excited individual, who proved to
be clerk In a banking house mean
Leadenhall street. informed the au
thorities that a thief had entered thd
institution that morning and robbed
one of its depositcrs of f200. There
was much excitement; crowd had
gathered in the corridors, and in the
confusion the thief had escaped with
the money.
Pardon me-" said the stranger.
"but you have dropped one of your
notes"
The depositor glanced at the floor
on the other side of the desk and. sure
enough, there was bank note.
Thank you" he replied gratefully,
and stopped down to pick up the odd
note. The act only consumed two OF
three seconds. but when the depositoI
Strengthened up and was about to add
the missing note to his pile he found
to his amazement, that the origina
package of money had gone. and will
it the stranger He gave the alarm and
rushed out of the bank, but when ht
reached the street the crowd was 81
great that it was impossible to find
his man.
When Superintendent Froest re
ceived news of the theft, he immedi
ately dispatched one of his men :,
the bank, but, not satisfied with this
he resolved to go there in person a.
soon as he had finished the work II
his private Office at Scotland Yard
That only consumed few minutes
and at it's completion Mr.. Froes
pulled down the top Of his roll-desl
and hurried towards Leadenhal
street. At Oldgate, where Cornhil
and Leadenhall street converge. h
| saw tall, well-dressed man. hurryin
along amidst the crowd. 1t did no
take him many seconds to Recognize
the man as his old friend. the versa
tile rogue, who had lived successivel
under the titles of Frank Macy, Fran
Lacy and Frank Tracy. Instinctivel
the superintendent associated the fe
low with the theft of the bank 4
Leadenhall street. He walked up an
took Tracy by the arm
| my dear friend" he said, Il woul
like you to go down to the Office wit
me and have a talk over old times"
| Tracy made no resistance-indeet
this was characteristic Of the maj
The moment an officer of the la
touched him he surrendered withor
struggle. The two men proceeded I
Scotland Yard and Tracy, whe
searched, was found to possess tn
a200 which had been stolen from tn
depositor in the bank that morning
He was tried for that offense, convic
ed and served his time.
The versatile rogue is at libert
once again, and for the time being
honoring the United States with h
presence. This brief sketch Is M
offered as story Of his life. 1t
onyl what It purports to be--a fra
ment from the life Of versati
rogue.