The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-01-25

believed he had recognized
Rose Lanes deiverer, answered the
questions of the girl and the lieuten-
ant governor by stating: "The man is
as bad as the burglar he threw out OF
the car window-even worse. He's in
this prison at this moment, i firmly
believe. according to the description
we've just heard
"Oh. impossiblev' exclaimed Miss
Lane, her face coloring. "He was q
gentleman, thorough gentleman. and
too young to be hardened criminal
Her face became Swallowed with con-
Germ.
The warden was vastly amused at
this remark, which the young girl rem
dered with the finality Of unquestioned
authority.
'Too young" he laughed "Age
doesn't cut any figure in crime the
way you mean. It's some of these
young fellows that will take n chance
at anything. You see, they're ambi-
tious. They're anxious to rise in their
| business"
The warden paused and glanced from
the girl to the observing lieutenant
governor, then to the two members of
the Gate of Hope. He commented on
the fact that his visitors had dis
agreed with him on various points and
informed them that he had determined
to offer them a few object lessons,
lessons with living models. "I'll show
you" he said, that these crooks we've
got here will ply their trade at all
times, whether they profit or not; that,
in short, criminality is a mania with
them and that there's no use in try
ing to better them" His first exhibit,
brought in by the secretary, was the
celebrated forger "Blinkey" Davis. At
the wardens request Lieutenant Gov
ernor Fay drew q check for So and
handed it to Blinley. To oblige the
warden Blinkey, aided by knife and
pen and ink, in FIVE minutes had
raised" it to the amount of $4,000.
The lieutenant governor pronounced 1t
perfect. IL know where l could pass
1t, too" laughed Blinkey as he was led
away.
81 had him on the books once, and
he couldn't resist raising the prison
checks" chuckled Handler. II could
bring in fellows like that all day"
He picked up an object from his desk.
do you see this lock? A German
inventor waiting outside has spent
fourteen years in perfecting that He
claims it cannot be opened without
the key. The prison board has accept
ed it for use here If the claims made
for IL are true. We have n man here
paralyzed on one side, a sneak thief.
have sent for him. He may not open
1t, but he will try. for he cannot re-
sist the criminal mania that controls
him. Smith," TO his secretary, get
the Dutchman; also the gentleman
known MS Dick the Rat"
When the decrepit form of "Dick the
Rat" was brought in. together with
the patient inventor Blickendolfen-
bach, he was given the lock. three
minutes and a hairpin. Ten seconds
before his allotted time expired he
threw the lock, opened, on the ward
ems desk, and with his repusive,
seamy face contorted into what he
considered was n smile he inclined his
head to one side. From his throat
came inarticulate squeals of glee-ex-
actly the squeals of q rat.
Only the watchfulness of Smith
saved the "Rat" from the violent,
despairing onslaught Of the German.
who screamed: "I'll kill him! He ruin
mel Und init hairpin, mein Gottw
You're not the first man to be ruin
ed by hairpin," laughed the warden.
Don't tell your wife,"
Smith sent the inventor to the rail
road station in charge of n guard and
consigned the grinning Blinkey to the
cell that had long been his home. On
returning to the office the secretary
said: 1--WE brought Valentine along
too. thought you might want him to
open the safe"
A disturbed expression came into
the prison masters face. He glanced
quickly at Fay and his niece, then
talked I'm an undertone with his aid.
He was interrupted by Mrs Webster
The two you have shown us do not
entirely prove your argument, Mr.
Warden" she said doubtingly. "They
are the very lowest types in the pris-
on. You argue a general premise from
two individual cases. We do not
maintain that such apparent criminals
as we have seen should be liberated,
but'-she turned to Fay-"there are
gentlemen here. governor. men of
quite a difereat type than these,
whom one never sees"
Warden" said the lieutenant gov
ernor II fear the ladies have more
interest In the more romantic types of
crimlnals-poets. for Instance"
Mrs. Moore rose Indignantly IL
shall make note of that frivolous
speech I'm my report she snapped.
Handler thought OF Valentine who