The Springfield herald., 1912-10-18

them. The police walked rapidly TO;
a few moments and then a sharp whis-
tie was heard. The stranger cried out
for all hands to get under cover. as
the thieves were coming toward them.
Everybody Jumped into the shadow:
In a few moments when the constables
hunted for the stranger he could not
be found. All the simple-minded rural
police could hear was the clatter Of 4
team of horses going up the road.
fully half q mile away. They got q
team as soon as they could, but the
thieves had obtained such start that
1t proved to be useless to follow them.
Not one Of them had recognized. in
the smooth-faced young man who had
duped them, the woman sewing ma.
chine agent.
Il got a good description of all the
thieves. While had general idea
who was in the gang. was not certain
until / made little more investiga-
ton. I dropped the gang altogether
and did not try to find what had be.
come Of them. knew that 1t would
only be waste of effort after giving
them twelve-hour start. The only
one was interested in was the wom-
an. I made up my mind from her de-
scription that knew her. but had to
verify 1t. This task took me to a
farm owned by Samuel Hooper. about
ten miles out of Pittsburgh. The
woman / was after was his wife. It
was just as suspected. She was not
at home and Hooper had not heard
from her for a long time.
ut is necessary to make little ex.
PLANTATION at this point. Peg Foster.
a very clever thief was convicted Of
robbing hotels in Philadelphia several
years before. The papers had been full
OF her beauty and innocence. Hooper,
who was a very eccentric chap, read
all about It. After Peg had been sent
to jail he visited her, offered to marry
her and worked for her release II she
would promise to lead an honest life
She led Hooper along for several
months and then married him in jail
Hooper worked night and day for a
year, and finally induced the cover
nor to pardon his wife. Everybody
aided Hooper in his efforts. When ht
took Mrs. Hooper home he was prais
Gu Iol AiS puIdutHIOpy.
II met Hooper several times and
took such an interest In the case that
visited Peg Foster In the peniten-
tiary and also at her home after she
got out of jail. She seemed quite
happy as a farmers wife, but after six
months trial she went away with all
of Farmer Hoopers spare cash.
Il put up little scheme with Hoop
ers' consent. l had story published
In the Pittsburgh papers about Hoop
er's infatuation for Mrs. Hooper. It
made will in which he had left an
estate of 100000 to her upon condi-
tion that she appeared to claim 1t
within one year after his death. II
she did not appear the money was to
be used to build home for ex-con-
victs. The story was copied every
where. In two weeks 1t bore fruit in
the shape Of letter from Mrs. Hooper
to the farmer. begging to be forgiven
and promising to return and live with
him to the end Of his days II he would
let her. It was a beautiful letter. and
could not have been better worded II
1t had come from broken heart.
Il hxed up the answer for Hooper.
18th street. New York. I started at
once for New York and telegraphed
Hooper to mail the letter after I had
put plant upon the house. which had
long been suspected as a fence for
stolen diamonds and jewelry. The let
ter told OF Hooper's love for the WON.
an who had deceived him, and prom
ised her everything II she would re-
turn.
THE letter was delivered all right,
but 1t was not until the next day that
there were any developments. Then
my old friend, Peg Foster, turned up,
looking as sweet as rose. She went
away with the letter in her hand.
which showed that she was living In
some other locality.
~ shadowed her, with two assist.
ants, to Madison Square. She went to
house next door, to the one occupied
by Judge Reilly. There was no sign
of life in the place until after dark.
Then an expressman took several
trunks away. Peg came out few mo-
ments afterward. With her were two
notorious pugs, Jimmy oliver and Abe
Norris They didn't go very far. as
gave the signal to my partners and
we closed in on them. They were the
most astonished crooks I ever saw.
and we had the cuffs on them before
they got over their surprise. They
were identified by the constables at
Middletown. and were sent away for
n