The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-01-24

III
career as detective conceived the idea that the
best way to catch criminal is to think at least
twice his It's there time TO shoot and
shoot KILL but this occasion does not arise nearly
so frequently might imagine. good many
otherwise competent detectives have died with their
boots on because they depended much on force
And for the same reason still greater number have
failed to catch the they after.
The story am about to tell is perhaps Is good an
illustration as I can give from my experiences Of
the good results that sometimes be obtained from
planning. In the latter part of 1872 particularly
dangerous counterfeit $50 treasury wasput into
circulation Complaints came to Washington from
all over the country. Everything that looked like
clew investigated but without satisfactory result
In May, 1873 the chief of the service ordered
to 60 Atlanta, Ca He said he had nothing
tangible to turn over to for investigation, but
good many of the counterfeit notes had recently APP
peared in the south, and he wanted to go down
and see what l could find
I made up my mind l would hang around the
sorts frequented by crooks and learn what / could
hear I was dressed shabbily and had difficulty
in mingling with those with whom came in contact
without attracting attention. And gradually let it
become known that | was burglar
1 had loafed around perhaps a week without
hearing anything of importance when the newspapers
printed an account of a sensational attempt
two men near Natchez, Miss The men were out III
. boat when deputy United States marshals
took them One OF the men jumped overheard and
escaped The other. who gave the name of Seymour,
though his right name was James Hanford was cap
tured and lodged in the jail Holly Springs, Miss
Hanford suspected of passing OF the coun-
terfeit notes But when he arrested he had not
dollar of spurious money upon him, and only S. or
50 of genuine currency He protested his innocence,
declaring that he respectable farmer of Penora,
Iowa, where he owned farm.
/ Penora investigate his statements l
found that they all true except the one refer
ring to his respectability He owned farm, but he
also dealt in counterfeit money. His neighbors did
not know that he engaged in anything except
agriculture. but [ learned that he bought counterfeit
money from Jim Pitts. the man who jumped over
board when Hanford was arrested
When I returned to Holly Springs | laid this in
formation before District Attorney G. Wiley Wells
who later became minister TO China. ! asked Mr..
Wells TO cooperate with in the execution of
plan had devised to catch the string OF down
through (which the counterfeit passed from the
makers TO Hanford
Mr. Wells" said I, Il believe the information
have obtained about Hanford Will be sufficient if he
be confronted with it wiring confession from
him. If SO. would like to be arrested for counter
fetng, PUT IN jail with him. and then both of US
be permitted to break out together Immunity can
be promised him If he viii do what want him to do"
What do you want to be sent to prison and then
break Jail for:~ asked Mr. Wells
so that all OF the counterfeiters in the country
viii read about il" ] replied They all know Han
ford and if they read that he has broken Jail with
another counterfeter they will be ready to sell ME
counterfeit money if Hanford introduces me to them
When get loose | want him take to his
friends
AL right" said Mr.. Wells, Il will have Hanford
brought to my Office and we will what we
can get of him"
I went up the back stairs as Hanford was taken up
the front way, and inside the district attor-
neys Office Mr. Wells and l both went at him. Only
little while required to break down his denals,
and with the penitentary staring him in the face he
quite willing to buy his liberty by doing what
wanted him to do.
Hanford, having been fully instructed what to do
when I joined him in prison, taken back to Jail,
while left to contrive means to bring about my
arrest in conspicuous 4 as possible
in order to have the matter appear to be genuine
told Mr.. Wells thought ought be picked up for
trying to pass bad bill in of the local stores
He agreed with and the store of Sam Frank was
selected Mr.. Wells, who served with loyal Ken
lucky regiment during the civil war said that Frank
the only in the town to whom he would
dare ntrust the secret OF my plans. Those were the
reconstructio days of carpetbag government in the
SOUTH and men from the north not looked upon
with favor
am iAs Nioiho " 'OS"diS VI
He told them he did not like the looks of me,
that more than likely a counterfeiter, and under
circumstances TO take any money from me that did
not look all right few days later the district
attorney provided with a genuine $50 note,
which wet and rubbed together until it looked like
a piece OF flannel Then | sauntered into
Franks store and asked for paper collar A clerk
handed me what asked for and | gave him the
rumped $50 note which, by the way, was not only
good but marked with the initials of both the district
attorney and myself
I shall never forget how the clerk looked at me-
1t if he saying to himself Here's the
who is passing all of this counterfeit money and
now he is trying to do me-" All he said however
,.nt;i 90