The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1910-12-01

crywhcrc and at every .
hour is this usidious enemy OF social .
order widcawake and ON the alert
II takes an acute mind and level |
head 20 contend against and bring the |
ingenious criminal 10 the bar OF JUS |
ticr. During our civil war counter |
felring blossomci into fine art. 1t |
became almost omniprosunt in every 4
channel OF trade and the government
detectives were impotcnt to totally
eradicate the evil, expose the plots
and defeat the operations OF these
criminals. wtn some timo after peace
had been restored
To meet and destroy these vampires
Of society # 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 tho secret
service division during my official
career was one Thomas Brownie, the
son Of man of wealth. occupying a
fine residence on an nrlstocratic
street In New York City.
Young Brownie was possessed of
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 q
good and tender mother and supplied
with every luxury by a kind and In.
dulgcnt father, It seems quito unac'
Countable that he should choose TO
enter the society Of criminals. On &C
count Of his experiences IN dodging
the officers Of the law he gained the
confidence Of many Of the leading
couutcrfcters and fOrgcrs OF the COun.
try. When | first learned Of him he
was leading the life Of man Of IN
oNhnustblo means His extravaganza
in dress and living was In keeping
with the man OF milllOnH, Through
various sources Of information IT was
discovered that he was handling
counterfeit money In n wholesale way
and that he was connected with what
was then known as tho Miner gang
of "Coniackers."
lie had for some time been Cute
enough 10 deal in the bogus stun in a
manner to battle the skill Of the gov
ernmont officers. On more than one
occasion when the officers thought him
10 be almost In their grasp, he would
manage to eludo them and disappear
from their sight The time camo
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 n difficult man to capture, but
Notwithstanding his remarkable skill
and adroitness he met his match at
last.
II was while at the height of his
criminal glory and while he was daily
strutting broadway with the air Of a
man OF unlmpeachable character and
incxhaustble 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
and the officers were unable to dis
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 MS will.o'the
wisp, as he was forever fitting about.
Two secret service officers were de
tailed to keep a careful watch upor
his fathers arlstocratlc mansion. Fol
weeks, night and day, this was KEEP
up without success. The man WI
were In quest of never put in an ap
pearanco there. The only persons
;seen to go out and in we're an elderly
gentleman and young woman of fine
appearance, presumably his daughter
There were also two servants, neither
bearing tho slightest resemblance t
young Brownie.
One Of the detectives employed II
watching the house was prepos
sessing young Italian. l will name
him Louis Merlto He was well edu
Gated and of fine address. Watchfu
and of q nervous. sanguine tempera
ment, he was nearly always sure Of
being the lucky ono when sent with
Others to mako n capture.
Late one pleasant afternoon several
days after the young Italian had
taken position near the Brownie
mansion, an elegantly attired young
lady was seen coming down the front
steps of the house, carrying travel
ting bag She entered carriage In
waiting and 1t rolled away at mod
crate pace. Merito followed on foot
AMI 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