River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-12-01

and lowly tenement-ev-
erywhere and at every
hour is this insidious enemy OF social
order wideawake and on the alert.
1t takes an acute mind and level
head to contend against and bring the
ingenious criminal to the bar Of JUS
tice. During our civil war counter
feiting blossomed into a fine art 1t
became almost omnipresent In every
channel Of trade and the government
detectives were impotent to totally
eradicate the evil, expose the plots
and defeat the operations Of these
criminals, until some time after peace
had been restored
To meet and destroy these vampires
resort to measures of seeming wrong,
that good results might be obtained.
One of the most ingenious criminals
that fell into the hands of the secret
service division during my official
career was one Thomas Brownie, the
son of a man Of wealth, occupying
fine residence on an aristocratic
Street III new 1OTh ClIy.
Young Brownie was possessed of a
handsome, refined face, slight figure,
polished address and the self poise of
q man thoroughly trained in the best
circles. Reared under the tuition of
good and tender mother and supplied
with every luxury by kind and in
dulgent father, 1t seems quite unac-
countable that he should choose to
enter the society of criminals. On &C.
count of his experiences in lodging
the officers of the law he gained the
confidence of many of the leading
counterfeiters and forgers of the coun-
try. When / first learned of him he
was leading the life of a man of in
exhaustible means. His extravaganza
in dress and living was in keeping
with the man Of millions. Through
various sources of information it was
discovered that he was handling
counterfeit money in wholesale way
and that he was connected with what
was then known as the Miner gang
OF "Coniackers."
He had for some time been cute
enough to deal in the bogus stuff in a
manner to battle the skill of the gov
eminent officers. On more than one
occasion when the officers thought him
to be almost in their grasp, he would
manage to elude them and disappear
from their sight. The time came
when neither the subtle ingenuity Of
his plans nor the wealth and respecta-
bility of his family served to shield
him from the hands of the officers.
He was difficult man to capture, but
Notwithstanding his remarkable skill
and adroitness he met his match at
last.
; 1t was while at the height of his
criminal glory and while he was daily
strutting Broadway with the air Of a
man of unimpeachable character and
inexhaustible wealth that evidence
sufficient for his conviction had been
gathered and brought to my Office.
at once directed his arrest and plans
were laid for his capture.
At about the same time he suddenly
disappeared from his usual haunts
cover his hiding place.
Whenever the officers sought him in
a place where his presence had been
reported they were always just little
too late. The man they were seeking
had changed his location.
When next heard of he would be in
some other part of the city. In the
course of time he was spoken Of
among the detectives as a will-othe-
wisp, as he was forever fitting about.
Two secret service officers were de-
tailed to keep a careful watch upon
his fathers aristocratic mansion. For
weeks. night and day, this was kept
up without success. The man we
were in quest of never put in an ap-
pearance there. The only persons
seen to go out and in were an elderly
gentleman and young woman of fine
appearance, presumably his daughter.
There were also two servants, neither
bearing the slightest resemblance to
young Brownie.
One of the detectives employed in
watching the house was a prepos-
sessing young Italian. / will name
him Louis Merito. He was well edu-
Gated and of fine address. Watchful
and of a nervous, sanguine tempera-
ment, he was nearly always sure of
being the lucky one when sent with
others to make a capture.
Late one pleasant afternoon several
days after the young Italian had
taken a position near the Brownie
mansion, an elegantly attired young
lady was seen coming down the front
steps of the house, carrying a travel
ing bag. She entered a carriage in
waiting and it rolled away at mod
crate pace. Merito followed on foot
and was able to keep the carriage In
view. When the young lady crossed
the gang plank of the steamer "Provi-
dence." then plying between New