Rocky Ford enterprise., 1909-01-15


He accepted the alligator bag without
complaint, and counted the bills, one
by one, AZ they were passed over to
him by Hank and his assistant. There
is no doubt that he detected the false
bottom Of the grip, but he gave no
Sins of 1t. He counted the money as
Haak passed 1t over to him and poked
1t into the limitless NAV Of the ALI.
gator handbag as seriously as II he
suspected nothing.
When he had been paid over the
5000, 900. all in 50-dollar bills. and had
poked them into the grip to be waited
down through the pipe to the room
below, he reached into his pocket for
his wallet. and after fumbling about .
bit pulled out the bottle of drugged
whisky and sat II upon the table.
Gents" he said. with gravity. lets
take a drink in honor of the occasion.
I never close trade of any size with
out taking drink. 1t makes 1t easier
to pay over money to have a little
stimulant inside" Hank and his pal
were SO greedy to get their hands on
Bogss' coin and get rid Of the farmer
that they readily consented, SO each
OF them took long pull at the flask
and passed It back to Boggs. who held
1t out at arms length. shook 1t to
make 1t bead. and gaZed as fondly
and lovingly at It As does love.lorn
young man at his sweetheart.
He didn't drink II at first. but began
to talk, rambling along about how he
| got his start in the world and how he
made his first dollar and the luck he
had and the like until the effects OF
the liquor began to work on the two
crooks. They were soon in frame OF
mind bordering on oblivion and Boggs
made a felnt Of drinking from the bot
tie and pressed them to have another
pull at 1t. They accepted without
much urging. This was the last straw.
! and before either Of them realized It
they crumpled up In their chairs and
tumbled out upon the floor. Bogss
was ready for the occasion and gagged
and handcuffed both.
He examined the grip and saw
where the money had gone. Then he
secured the keys to the room below
from the recumbent Joe. let himself in
and secured the basket of money
which he stuffed into the grip. after
attending to the hole in the bottom
SO that there was no danger Of 1t leak
ing.
He locked the sleepers in their
room and made his departure. not,
however. until he had learned from the
street lamp at the corner the location
OF the house. He caught the midnight
train for his country home.
The next morning the chief Of the
secret service at Washington received
a collect telegram informing him that
two green.go men with half.tons
plates OF bills Of three denominations
would be found in q room upon the
third floor of certain house In New
York city. This telegram was Tor
wardsd to me, a. I chanced to b In
the city at The time. and made an in
vestisation. I found Hank and Joe
still sleeping and captured the piatss
and enough packages Of green paper
with bills upon the top and bottom 10
send Hank and Joe up for long terms.
Boxes was never prosecuted. Before
we secured q confession from tho two
men he had buncoed 30 neatly. hs had
cashed out his properties in Louisiana
and left for parts unknown. There was
really no charge against him but the
stealing OF the money from the two
| criminals, and neither Of them cared
| to prosecute him on that score. They
seemed to realize. in = rough sort OF
equitable way. that they deserved what
they got, and think both OF them had
a higher regard for Boggs because OF
It. They gave me good description
Of Boggs and told me Of several little
peculiarities Of speech and manner
which he possessed. and I am sure
that met up with him down in Mexi.
CO some years later. He was Q highly
respected manufacturer and ranch
owner then, and reputed to be the
wealthiest man In the state OF Sonora.
I tried to draw him out or trap him
into saying something about the Incl.
dent with the men In New York. but
he was too smooth for that rSse to
work. He spoke of New York freely.
but never without laughing and I Am
sure that his mirth was induced BY
the memory Of the trick he turned
there on the gresn-goods men.
Copyright. 1908. by W. G. Chapman
copyright in Great Britaia)