Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1909-01-22


keeps" this time, taken back to Lon
don, tried, sentenced and imprisoned.
After he had served his time he
started on tour of the continent, ac-
companied by mysterious blonde
woman who passed as his wife. He
played cards, engaged in the pastime
OF bunco steering and = varied these
performances 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 thou
sand dollars and come out with a
profit of ten thousand. The man ac-
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 ball. however, and soon
after again sought the historic at
mosphere of London.
His latest exploit is really deserv-
ing of a chapter in itself. but because
into a few paragraphs. Superintend-
ent 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 bell at
| Scotland Yard rang, and the voice of
an excited individual, who proved to
be a clerk in banking house near
Leadenhall street, informed the au-
thorities that thief had entered the
institution that morning and robbed
one of it's depositors of G200. There
! was much excitement; a 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
Thank you," he replied gratefully
and stopped down to pick up the odd
note. The act only consumed two or
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 original
package of money had gone, and with
it the stranger He gave the alarm and
| rushed out of the bank, but when he
reached the street the crowd was sc
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 tc
the bank, but, not satisfied with this
he resolved to go there in person as
soon as he had finished the work In
his private Office at Scotland Yard
That only consumed few minutes
and at its completion Mr.. Froes
pulled down the top of his roll-desl
and hurried towards Leadenhal
street. At Oldgate, where Cornhil
and Leadenhall street converge, ht
4 saw tall, well-dressed man, hurryinl
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, Franl
Lacy and Frank Tracy. Instinctivel!
the superintendent associated the fel
low with the theft of the bank II
Leadenhall street. He walked up ant
took Tracy by the arm.
my dear friend" he said, 81 woult
like you to go down to the Office will
me and have talk over old times"
Tracy made no resistance-indeed
this was characteristic of the man
The moment an officer of the Law
touched him he surrendered withou
struggle. The two men proceeded t
Scotland Yard and Tracy, whel
searched, was found to possess tn
9200 which had been stolen from tn
depositor In the bank that morning
He was tried for that offense, convict
ed and served his time.
The versatile rogue is at libert
once again, and for the time being
honoring the United States with hi
presence, This brief sketch is no
! offered as a story OF his life. 1t 1
onyl what 1t purports to be-a fral
ment from the life of a versatll
, rogue.
Copyright, 1908. by w. g. Chapman