Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-12-01

RE at black midinight-in
W the brown-stone front
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
of society it was often necessary to
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 n Thomas Brownie, the
son Of a man Of wealth, occupying a
fine residence on an ~aristocratic
street in New York City.
Young Brownie was possessed of q
handsome, refined face, slight figure,
polished address and the self poise OF
a mar thoroughly trained in the best
circles. Reared under the tuition Of a
good and tender mother and supplied
with every luxury by a kind and in
dulgent father, it 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 l 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 1t was
discovered that he was handling
counterfeit money in a 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 a difficult man to capture, but
Notwithstanding his remarkable skill
and adroitness he met his match al
last.
1t was while at the height of his
criminal glory and while he was daily
Btrutting Broadway with the air of 6
man of unimpeachable character and
inexhaustible wealth that evidence
sufficient for his conviction had beer
gathered and brought to my Office.
at once directed his arrest and plan:
were laid for his capture.
At about the same time he suddeEl!
disappeared from his usual haunt!
and the officers we're unable to dis
cover his hiding place.
JIBbannuor thn 0FEnarc SOUGHT him II
a place where his presence had beef
reported they were always just a littl,
too late. The man they were seeking
had changed his location.
When next heard of he would be il
some other part Of the city. In tn
course of time he was spoken G
among the detectives as a will-o'tht
WISH, as he was forever fitting about
Two secret service officers were d.
tailed to keep a careful watch upo
his fathers aristocratic mansion. Fc
weeks, night and day, this was keT
up without success. The man "
were in quest of never put in an a.
pearance there. The only person
seen to go out and in were an elderl
gentleman and a young woman of fir
appearance presumably his daughte
There were also two servants, neith'
bearing the slightest resemblance
young Brownie.
One Of the detectives employed
watching the house was a prepc
.sessing young Italian. l will nan
him Louis Merito. He was well ed
Gated and of fine address. Watchf
and Of a nervous, ganguine temper
ment, he was nearly always sure
being the lucky n when sent wi
others to make a capture.
Late one pleasant afternoon sever
days after the young italian h
taken a position nea the Brown
mansion, an elegantly attired you
lady was seen coming down the fro
steps Of the house, carrying a trav
ing bag. She entered a carriage
waiting and 1t rolled away at a mt
crate pace. Merito followed on fc
and was able to keep the carriage
view. When the young lady cross
the gang plank Of the steamer PRO
hence," then plying between M
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