The Harrison times., 1912-11-02

NN~NN NFNNAAeAa ANAH
THE stranger in very few words
explained that he was secret service
agent, He said no had been on tho
track OF the thieves who were in the
bank for q week. He outlined a plan
which would certainly lead to their
capture and also the capture Of two
other thieves, who had just robbed
tho postoflce, which the constables at
that time had not heard Of.
"Tho bogus secret service man and
the three constables watched tho
thieves break open the safe door with
a drag, saw them pack the money and
other yaluables into a sack, put out
the lights and leave. The stranger
kept the constables from making an
attack at that time by explaining that
he had three assistants waiting near
the spot where their wagon was wait.
ing by going there the force would
be large enough to bag the whole
gang without trouble.
when the thieves came out the
stranger did not follow them, but went
in another direction. He quieted the
suspicion Of the constables by telling
them the thieves were going the
wrong way just to see II any one
Wolld follow them. by mrrylng they
would reach the wagon before the
thieves and could lie in ambush for
them. Tho police walked rapidly for
a few moments and then sharp whls.
tie was heard. The stranger cried out
for all hands to get under cover, as
the thieves were coming toward them.
Everybody Jumped into tho shadow
In few moments when the constables
hunted for the stranger he could not
be found, All the simple-minded rural
police could hear was tho clatter Of a
team OF horses going up the road,
fully half mile away. They got a
team as soon as they could, but tho
thieves had obtained such start that
1t proved to bo useless to follow them,
Not one OF them had recognized, in
the smoothlacod young man who had
dupod thom, tho woman sewing ma.
chine agent,
81 got n good description Of all tho
thieves, While l had q general idea
who was in the gang, was not certain
until / made n little more invostlga-
ton, dropped the gang altogether
and did not try to find what had be.
come Of them. know that II would
only be q waste Of effort after giving
them a twoEe-hour start. The only
ono / was interested in was tho won.
an. ! made UP my mind from her de.
scrIpton that / knew her, but had to
verify It, This task took mo to q
farm owned by Samuel Hooper, about
ten mllc8 out Of Pittsburgh. The
woman | was after was his wife. It
was just as | suspected She was not
at homo and Hooper had not heard
from her for long time,
1T is necessary TO make o. little OK.
planaton at this point, Peg Foster
a very clever thief, was convicted Of
robbng hotels IN Philadelphia several
years before The papers had been full
Of her beauty ana innocence, Hooper,
who was n very eccentric chap read
all about It, After Peg had been sent
to JAN he visited her. offered TO marry
her and worked for her release II she
would promise TO lead an honest lie,
sho led Hooper along for several
months and then married him In JAIL
Hooper worked night and day for n
year, and finally induced tho cover.
nor 70 pardon his wife. Everybody
aided Hooper IN hls efforts. When ho
took Mrs, Hooper homo no was prais.
ed for his philanthropy.
81 met Hoopo' several times and
'ool' such on interest In tho case that