Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1911-10-20

D1d ne DO anything stranger
eyes. He sat on log there near
the railroad tracks tearing up piece
of paper. He tore 1t into very little
bits
"Oh," said the detective, strange
hope surging up in his heart, Il
don't think grown man would do
that"
"You don't? Then I'll show you,"
and leading the way, the little one
pointed out log where the stranger
had seated himself.
The little bits of paper were there.
The detective did not hesitate to get
down on his hands and knees and
pick up the very last fragment. That
evening, with his assistant, he took
the train for Pittsburg. He went to
his hotel at once, and the two men
spent the whole night In putting the
pieces of paper together. No en-
thusiast, working on jig-saw puzzle,
ever put more heart in his work than
Furlong did in trying to make some
thing out of those disconnected frag-
ments. 1t was almost daylight when
something finally came out of nothing.
He gave a shout Of Joy. His work
was completed and the finished
product proved to be a blank check
on a bank in Carlisle, Penn.
That was starting point. 1t meant
that the stranger had either lived or
was known in Carlisle. In the mean
time, F'urlong made second discov-
cry. It was a small telegraph instru-
ment that had been picked up near
the tracks at Templeton. He hurried
to Carlisle at once, and as soon as he
alighted from the train, engaged in
conversation with the telegraph OPP
orator at the station. He told the
man he was looking for person who
was interested in telegraphy, and
then he gave him a description of the
stranger the little boy had seen sit
ting on the log at Templeton.
why" said the operator, ''you
must mean Will McCalla."
''That sounds like the name" ven
tured Furlong. docs he live here?"
eyes, he used to live over in that
house yonder with his brother George.
He has gone down to Texas, though,
where he is doing well now as
telegraph operator and express
agent"
"'I'm mighty glad to hear that" said
F'urlong, because I've got telegraph
instrument I'd like to give him as a
gift"
''Well, that's quite coincidence.
I know he would like to have it right
well. Not long ago he asked me to
give him the address of a good manu-
facturer where he could get an in
strument at reasonable price, and l
gave him the name of a good house
in Pittsburg."
This proved to be the same address
that was on the instrument Fur1ong
had picked up at Templeton. In a
week from that time the detective
had completed his case. It proved
to be one of the most audacious
crimes that had ever been perpetrated
within his knowledge. It started at
a lonely place on the Allegheny rail-
road somewhere between Kittaning
and Cowanshannock. Enormous rocks
lowered on both sides of the railroad
at this point, and it was no uncom-
mon thing for these monster boulders
to fall from the 1iountain side and
completely block railroad traffic. For
this reason watchmen were constant
ly stationed along that part Of the
route in order to give warning of
danger to approaching trains. Nc
Gala had gone there and, addressing
one of these watchmen, said that he
was an inspector sent by the tele-
graph company to examine the wires
He exhibited badge as evidence Of
his authority. In this manner he was
enabled to work in peace and safety.
He climbed telegraph pole and de-
liberately cutting the wire he wanted,
dropped the end OF 1t to the ground
and then connected it with his pocket
instrument.
He now had control of the line and
proceeded to go about his work in a
business-like manner. First, he
wired to Brady's Point and asked the
name of the messenT7r who was to
arrive with the safe and valuables
on what was known as the cup train"
To this he signed" the name of SUI
perintendent George Bingham of
Pittsburg. The reply soon came stat
ing that John Bingham, the brother
of the superintendent, would be the
messenger in charge. McCalla then
sent a second telegram instructing
Messenger Bingham to hand over the
keys to the safe to the new mes
senger, who would report to him at
Templeton and whose naJne was ]. G.
Brooks. AS already mentioned, Bing
ham was to turn over the cash and
valuables to Brooks and take re-
ceipt for them Messenger Bingham
acknowledged the instructions to his
brother, but the clever McCalla inter
cepted the message and 1t never
reached its destination.
At the appointed time the rogue,
In the guise OF Brooks, the new mes
senger, met Bingham, secured the