St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1909-05-22

u 0.:: His business was that Of
MN a travelling nurseryman
SA%GSE and he drove from county
aS5S4 to county calling upon the
farmers with the object Of
~ selling them trees and
49, - fancy shrubbery. He was
Dig, athletic fellow, of convivial dis
position, with host of friends and
Ooon companions who had conferred
upon him the nickname of Boldly
DrlnkWater-a sobriquet which he did
not resent, and by which he was
known everywhere he sojourned.
AS salesman Badly was a decided
success, for he possessed an amount
OF bulldog persistency which usually
attained its goal. When he approached
q farmer with proposition the
chances were all against the rustic
being able to evade his wiles. For
Badly would stick to and cajole his
victim with artfuI tongue and lengthy
argument until he had won his point.
rev OF the farmers were capable of
resisting him, especially because of
the fact that he did not insist on cash
payments when disposing of his stock.
For Badly was always willing to- ac-
cept mans note for the amount of
purchase, and in fact seemed to
prefer notes to ready money in many
instances. The said preference on
the jovial Mr.. Drinkwaters part puz-
zied the rural customers at first, but
a day arrived when the reason of his
peculiar taste in such matters was re-
Vealed to them with painful clear
ness.
Notes that came into Baldys hands
In the course of his business he dis
counted at the banks, and there were
large number of them, for, as has
already been stated, he was a good
deal of hustler in his way. Sudden
ly, without giving any of his numerous
acquaintance notice of his intention,
Badly vanished from his usual haunts
and the countryside knew him no
more. When several of the notes he
had discounted at the banks were in
vestigated 1t was discovered that the
missing man was a forger, and had
TAXED the signatures to bogus orders
and promises to pay. The farmers
whose names were made use of in this
unconventional manner were naturally
indignant phen the forgeries came to
light, and it YVES just as well for Mr..
DrlnkWater that he was safely out
of their reach. They had no inten-
1ton, however, Of allowing him to get
on scot free if it were possible to lay
hold OF him, and a report of his swim
ding operations was accordingly given
the authorities. The case was prompt
ly turned over to Detective John VIII
son Murray, with Instructions to locate
Drinkwater, arrest, and bring him
back to justice.
Murray proceeded to bill the fugi-
tive all over the country, but this
course resulted 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 a brother-in-law |
In Illinois with whom he might have |
sought refuge. The clew was of sufi- |
cient Importance to induce Murray to |
prepare extradition papers and start |
for Chicago. Baldy's brother-in-law
dved near the village of st. AIMS,
about $50 miles from the Windy City.
When the detective reached the city
ne called upon the United States com
missioner, who assigned German
deputy, known as Dutch Peter to as
Sist him.
The deputy was an odd character,
speaking quaint English and given to
he quoting of innumerable Teutonic
but, as the subsequent pro-
went to prove, was also
thoroughly brave and reliable man.
rhey arrived at st. AIMS about six
''cIock in the evening, and Murray
lscertained that Baldy's brother-in-
aw, who was a county constable.
ived some 20 miles out in the country,
md was well known there. Having
Tired team, the detective and his
started to drive from the
title village. The road was in SPLEEN
lid condition, enabling the horses to
make fast time, and at ten o'clock at
light the wagon halted before the
crossroads saloon of little country
orners town. Murray hitched his
cam and entered the saloon, followed
" the deputy There were six men
n the place besides the bartender;
II seven were drinking together, and
II were half drunk The moment
butch Peter espied them he whispered
o his companion:
dat iss Big Policy, und tie little
elbow he yust got out of tie peniten-
larry"
The deputy's remark warned Muir
ay as it was intended to do, that he
ad a tough gang to deal with, and
e cast a rapid glance over the occu-
ants of the room. He had never seen
but possessed a fairly
God description of him, and the first
ian he spied answered to it in every
being tall, burly and with
acial marks corresponding to those
lentioned in the police records. But
) they all turned, when the detective
rdered drink, Murray saw to his
,tense surprise that the second man