Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-07-12
A DISCOUNTED
DETECTIVE
By TOM BRowNElL
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.


dry detective stories to enter the pro-
fession. ! went to an once and asked
for employment. It happened that a
man was wanted to 60 among q gang
Of footpads and burglars disguised AZ
one Of their kind with q view to learn
ing certain facts concerning them. It
was 20 dangerous Job that no regu-
lar detective would undertake 1t.
These men know their own sort and
would easily recognize a spy. I. being
filed with the romance Of detective
work without having had any expe-
rience, tumbled to an offer Of the job
ct once.
About II o'clock at night, disguised
~ tough. reeled into a saloon
where my men were supposed to be.
I found them there and invited them
to drink. treated several times and
thought was getting in with them
when suddenly there was 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 50 many rats. The
doors were broken down. and the po-
lice rushed in. When the lights were
turned on 1t 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 q
broad grin and said that was the most
beautiful device Of all that were prac-
ticed in 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.
OF course the police officers were not
going to discharge me on any such
evidence. or. rather. want Of 1t. and I
told the man to go 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-. l told him was the man
he had sent to the saloon for informa-
ton. but he looked at me contemptuous-
~ and said that the man he had sent
had likely met with foul play and !
was trying to get out of bad scrape
by personating him. He hadn't seen
me made up. and my disguise was so
perfect that be believed me to be a
veritable villain. He went away with
out being convinced as to my identity.
and l was obliged to spend another
night in a cell.
A week passed, and was 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 had thus been sent out on
mission had disappeared. and 1t was
supposed he had been dispatched by
| the gang.
Here was pretty how-de-do. call
ed again for the man who had sent
me out. but he refused to come to see
me. and / couldn't go to see him /
doubted If it would do any good If
| be came. He had never seen me but
! once. and then but for a moment.
How could he be expected to recognize
me in my rough garb. especially as in
| the saloon scuffle had been very bad
| ~ mauled?
sent for a lawyer and told him my
| story. He appeared to believe me.
| but said there would be no use In put
ting such a story before jury. 1t
was SO palpably false that it would
prejudice my case. He said he would
| try to get up a defense that would
seem more probable. / asked him II
there was anything more probable
| than that a man could not have muir
| dered himself and be alive. He re-
piled that l 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 to the sa-
loon from which ! had disappeared
and was one Of the gang of rascals
which was raided. This was consider
ed prima facie evidence that l. proba-
bly, with others. had killed myself. 1t
| was evident that would get long
term on general principles.
| My lawyers method was very In
genious. Having entered my claim to
be another person than myself. John
| Borland, he brought John Borland's
mother into court to swear that her
| son on the night of the supposed muir
| dor was at home and in bed Another