The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-03-28
IL
THE KIDNAPPING OF BALOY,

a ITdkGifHG
nurseryman, and he drove from county
TO county calling upon the farmers with
the object of selling them trees and
FANCY shrubbery- He was big, athletic
fellow, of convivial disposition. with a
host of friends and boon companions
who had conferred upon him the nick
name of Badly Drinkwater-a sOubri-
quet which he did not resent, and by
which he was known everywhere he
sojourned.
AS a salesman Badly was decided
success, for he possessed an amount of
bulldog persisteney which usually at
tanned its goal. When he approached a
farmer with a proposition the chances
were all against the rustic being able
10 evade his wiles For Badly would
stick to and cajole his victim with art
full tongue and lengthy argument until
he had won his point. Few of the farm
ers were capable of resisting him. es-
pecia1ly because of the fact that he did
not insist on cash payments when dis
posing of his stock. For Badly was al
ways willing to accept q mans note
for the amount of a purchase, and, in
fact, seemed to prefer notes to ready
money in many instances. The said
preference on the jovial Mr.. Drink
waters par puzzled the rural custom
ers at first, but day arrived when the
reason of his peculiar taste in such
matters was revealed to them with
painful clearness.
Notes that came into Baldy's lands
in the course of his business he dis
counted at the banks, and there were a
large number of them, for, as has al
ready been stated, he was a good deal
of hustler in his way. Suddenly, with
out giving any of his numerous &C
auaintances notice of his intention,
Badly vanished from his usual haunts
and the countryside knew him no more
When several of the notes he had dis
counted at the banks were investigated
II was discovered that the missing man
was a forger, and had faxed the sig
natures to bogus orders and promises
TO pay. The farmers whose names
were made use of in this unConvention-
al manner were naturally indignant
when the forgeTies came to light and
it was just as well for Mr. Drinkwater
that he was safely out of their reach
They had no intention. however. OF al
lowing him to get off scot free if it were
possible to lay hold of him, and re-
port of his swindling operations was
accordingly given the authorities. The
case was promptly turned over to De-
tective John Wilson Murray, with in
structions to locate Drinkwater, arrest
and bring him back to justice.
Murray proceeded to bill the fugitive
all over the country, but this course re-
suited in nothing definite, and the first
useful bit of information obtained by
the detective came from another source
1t was TO the effect that Drinkwater
had bTOther-in-laW in Illinois with
whom he might have sought refuge
The clue was of sufficient importance
TO Induce Murray to prepare extradition
papers and start for Chicago. Baldy's
brother-in-law lived near the village of
st. AIMS, about $50 miles from the
Windy City. When the detective
reached the city he called upon the
United States commissioner. who as
signed German deputy, known as
Dutch Peter, to assist him.
The deputy was an odd character
speaking quaint English and given to
the quoting of innumerab BILE Teutonic
proverbs, but, as the subsequent pro
ceedings went to prove, was also
thoroughly brave and reliable man.
They arrived at St. AIMS about
O'Clock in the evening, and Murray as
certained that Baldy's brother-in-Iav.
who was a county constable, lived some
twenty miles out in the country. and
was well known there. Having hired a
team, the detective and his companion
started to drive from the little village.
The road was in splendid condition. en-
abiing the horses to make fast time
and at 10 o'clock at night the wagon
halted before the crossroads saloon of
little country corners town Murray
hitched his team and entered the sa-
loon, followed by the deputy. There
were six men in the place, besides the
bartender; all seven were drinking to-
gether, and all were half drunk. The
moment Dutch Peter espied them he
whispered to his companion:
Dat ISIS Big Policy, und tie little fell
low he yust got out of tie penitentiary."
The deputy's remark warned Murray.
as 1t was intended to do, that he had
tough gang to deal with, and he cast a
rapid glance over the occupants of the
ROOM He had never seen Drinkwater.
but possessed a fairly good description
OF him, and the first man he spied an
sWered 10 II in every particular. being
tail, burly and with facial marks cor
responding to those mentioned in the
police records. But as they all turned.
when the detective ordered a drink.
Murray saw to his intense surprise that
the second man was almost duplicate
OF the first. 1t was the most astonish-
Ing likeness between people that he had
ever come across during his career as
an officer. He felt positive that one of
the pair was the object of his quest.
but which one he could not tell. The
men We're playing pool, and resumed
their game as the bartender went be-
hind the counter to serve the new ar
rivals There was mirror at the back
Of the bar, and Murray could see the
players reflected in il as he stood facing
the glass Dutch Peter demanded some
whisky, and as he did so a ruse for
finding out which of the customers was
his quarry occurred to Murray.
What's yours?" asked the bartender.
TH-drink-water," said Murray. in
loud, distinct tone, adding rapidly:
"Witls whisky on the side"
As he spoke he watched the six men
through the mirror. and saw one of the
pair of doubles glance up, shift uneasi-
ly. eye the newcomer an instant, and
turn again to the game. Slight as the
action was. it satisfied Murray that he
had discovered which was Badly Drink
water. He finished his drink and stood
leaning on the bar for a moment. study |
ng the situation. How to secure his |
man, without a fight, and perhaps a /
shooting melee, was the problem he |
had TO solve, and it did not look like a /
very easy one. Dutch Peter. also fully
awake to the seriousness of the task /
before them, glanced anxiously at his /
companion. At last a faint smile slirn- /
nered on Murrays face. and followed /
~ the deputy he went outside, united /