Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1909-11-11
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER II, 1909
$50, 900 SPENT IN $40 MAN HUNT.

$4,000 SPENT IN $40 MAN HUNT.
Nearly 200 men-there were GOO
for several weeks--are still in the
neighborhood of Lewistown, Pa. seek
ing the lone bandit who in Septem-
Der held up Pennsylvania Railroad
express train and got off with $40 in
Lincoln pennies. Already the search
has cost the Pennsylvania railroad
and the Adams Express Company
more than $4,000 to pay, feed and
otherwise provide for the comfort OF
the force in this field, the cost of the
man hunt at one time reaching the
grand total of 5000 a day. One days
carriage and automobile hire was oft
en- $500.
Everything is being done in the
most approved manner. First, there
are the commanders. These consist
of the best detectives in the East
Among them are H. M. Bearce, SUI
perintendent of Pinkertons; Smythe,
Mcbride, Hagy, special agents for the
Adams Express Co.,; Petry, his as.
sistant; Gen. Manager Huff of the
Express Company and J. A. Murphy
the superintendent. Capt. &C. Port
commands the railroad detective di-
vision Of the army. A headquarters
has been established in Room 81 of
the Coleman House, at Lewistown,
and there grave councils of war are
continually in progress. Captain Port
opened his headquarters in the old
Lewistown division superintendent
room in the depot at Lewistown June
ton, while Superintendent c. A.
Preston and other officials of the mid
die division keep in touch with the
front over the telephone.
In the field force are Pinkerton de-
tectives from Lewistown and men
from the district of the holdup; these
receive about IS day and expenses.
In addition, men from the surround
ing country were hired for a period
of three weeks. Besides these, for
four days of the second week 800 adj
ditional men were taken to the scene
in special trains to help out. These
men, some of them employees of the
railroad company, receive 5000 a
month for their services. With these
men were all the police of the rail
road, and every engineer, foreman or
section hand who could speak Eng
fish. The only qualification was that
they be able to shoot straight. Most
of them, indeed, saw active service in
various wars and on the frontier fight
ing Indians. For three weeks the
force averaged 600 men, daily engag-
ed.
During four days of the second week
of the hunt it was decided to have a
great drive through the Licking Creek
Licking Creek valley, hoping to drive
the bandit out of the bushes and then
catch him. In this 600 men were
employed in great circle, but the
bandit was not found. Superinten-
dent Bearce decided to drive along
through the mountains and see how
the expedition was coming along He
found numerous cows, and came to
the conclusion that herd of ele-
plants with bells on their necks could
have escaped. He finally found his
army sitting under the trees playing
poker and swapping yarns.
Every lunatic in the region was
captured sooner or later, sometimes
after long chase. These men inva-
riably insisted they were the men
wanted, and much valuable time was
wasted sending them back to their
respective asylums.
Liars without number took delight
in bringing false clues, and were
greatly entertained at the sight of the
army dashing off on false scent.
AS the chase seemed to be getting
warm, temporary telephone Office
was opened in the Narrows and blood
hounds were imported from Ohio at
great expense. After chasing every
farmer in the valley to cover the dogs
gave up in disgust, lay down and went
to sleep.
The Pinkerton men say local man
in their employ was the supposed
bandit fugitive who held up Robert
Little in Dough Trough hollow on the
evening of Friday, September Sd.
They say this man did it to keep up