The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-07-18
A DISCOUNTED
DETECTIVE
BY TOM BRowNELL
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911

hTy uetcCllNe SLOTleS 10 eu(eI Tue pIO-
fession, | went to an Office and asked
for employment. 1t happened that a
man was wanted to go among a gang
of footpnds and burglars disguised as
one of their kind with view to learn
Ing certain facts concerning them 1t
was SO dangerous job that no regu-
lar detective would undertake II.
These men know their own sort and
would easily recognize spy. 1. being
filled with the romance of detective
work without having had any expe-
rience, tumbled to an offer of the job
at once.
as tough, reeled into saloon
where my men were supposed to be.
l found them there and invited them
to drink. treated several times and
thought | was getting In with them
when suddenly there was a hammer
ing at the door, and the barkeeper
cried: Police. Ctr The lights went
out. and we were all left in the dark.
scattering like so many rats. The
doors were broken down. and the po-
! lice rushed In. When the lights were
turned on II was found that the bar
keeper and | were the only captives.
How the rest got away don't know.
was taken to station, and on the
way | made myself known TO the cop
who walked beside me. He gave a
broad grin and said that was the most
beautiful device of all that were prac-
ticed I'm the criminal profession. |
told him he would learn more about
that In time. slept in filthy cell
for the rest of the night and the next
day sent word to the detective agency
that would like to have them come
and get me out. They sent one of the
employees. who had never seen me.
or course the police officers were not
going TO discharge me on any such
evidence. or, rather. want of II, and
told the man TO 20 back and tell the
one who had hired me to come and
vouch for me.
He didn't come till late in the after
noon. and when he did he didn't recog-
niZe me. | told him I was the man
he had sent to the snloon for ihforma.
ton. but he looked nt me contemptuous.
~ and said that the man ne had sent
had likely met with foul play and
was trying to get out of Il bad scrape
by perSonating him. He hadn't seen
me made up, and my disguise was so
perfect that he believed me to be
verltable villain He went away with
out being convinced as to my Identity.
aud | was obliged to spenc another
night In "A cell.
week passed, and Iwas still pris-
oner Then one day was indicted as
one OF the men in the saloon when the
police made the raid who had made
away with the detective that the agen,
cy had sent out In other words.
was charged with being my own muir
derer Upon inquiry | learned that the
man who hnd thus been seut out on a
mission had disappeared, and 1t was
supposed he had been dispatched by
the gang
Here was pretty how dcdo. call
ed again for the man VINO had sent
me out, but he refused to come to see
me, and ! couldn't so TO see him. /
doubted 4 1t would do any good II
he came. He had never seen me but
once. ana then but Tor moment
How could ue be expected to recognize
me in my rough Garb, especially as in
the saoon scuiile had been very bad
ly mnued2
sent for II lawyer and told him my
story. He appeared 20 believe me,
but said there would he no use in put
ting such II story before Jury. II
was 40 pnlpably false that 1t would
prejudice my case. He said he would
try TO get up defense thnl would
seem more probable. | asked him II
there was anything more probable
than that man could not have muir
dered himself and be alive He re-
piled that | would have TO prove my
identity. which was impossible. He
would try To think OF some method OF
defense that would be easier TO prove
than the truth. I'VE lawyers don't
care anything" he said. for the
truth. What we want is something
we can prove. An alibi affords the
best chance"
When came TO be tried for being
implicated in my own murder there
was no proof against me except that
| was known TO have gone 10 the sa
loon from which | had disappeared
and was one of the gang OF rascals
which was raided. This was consider
ed primn facie evidence that |. proba'
bly, with others, had killed myself II
was evident that | would get n long
lerm Oh general principles.
My lawyers method was very in,
kenious. Having entered my claim TO
be another person than myself. John
Borland, be brought John Borland's
mother into court to swear that her
son on the nlght of the supposed muir,
der was at home aud In he'd, Another
witness, who lived In the same house.
swore TO the same thing Then my
lawyer called upon the policeman who
had arrested me to swear that had
been found In aud taken from the sa-
loon, The lawyer 30 badgered the po-
liceman that he was not sure OF me.
Thus an alibi was established.