The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-11-22

them. The police walked rapidly for,
few moments and then a sharp whis<
tie was heard. The stranger cried out,
for all hands to get under cover, asi
the thieves were coming toward them;
Everybody jumped into the shadow.
In few moments when the constablesl
hunted for the stranger he could not
be found. All the supplemented rural
police could hear was the clatter of al
team of horses going up the road
fully half a mile away. They got a,
team as soon as they could, but the
thieves had obtained such start that!
it 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 good description of all tho
thieves. While I had general idea
who was in the gang, was not certain,
| until I made little more investiga-
ton. I dropped the gang altogether
and did not try to find what had be-
come of them. I knew that it would
only be a waste of effort after giving,
them a twelve-hour start. The only
| one I was interested in was the wom-'
an. made up my mind from her de-
scription that I knew her, but had to.
verify It,. This task took me to a
farm owned by Samuel Hooper, about
ten miles out of Pittsburgh The
r Of
| was just as 1 suspected. She was not
at home and Hooper had not heard
from her for long time.
1T 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 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 if she
would promise to lead an honest life.
She led Hooper along for several
months and then married him in Jail.
Hopper worked night and day for a
year, and finally induced the COVER
nor to pardon his wife. Everybody
| aided Hooper in his efforts. When he
took Mrs. Hooper home he was prais-
ed for his philanthropy.
Il met Hooper several times and
took such an interest in the case that
l visited Peg Foster in the peniten-
tiary and also at her home after she
got out of Jail. She seemed quite
| happy as farmers wife, but after six
! months trial she went away with all
of Farmer Hooper's 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
stated that he was very sick and had
| made a will in which he had left an
estate of 100000 to her upon condi-
ton thsst she appeared to claim it
within one year after his death. If
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 it 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 if he would
| let her. It was beautiful letter, and
| could no: have been better worded if
it had come from broken heart.
Il fixed up the answer for Hooper.
1t was directed to an address in West
18th street, New York l started at
once for New York and telegraphed
Hooper to mail the letter after l 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 wom-
| an who }sad deceived him, and prom
| ised her everything if she would re-
| turn.
The letter was delivered all right,
but it 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.
oHduO"cu ueI, VIII TWO assist
ants, to Madison Square. She went to
a 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 / ever saw
and we had the cuffs on them before
they got over their surprise They
were identified by the constables al
Middletown, and were sent away for
! fifteen years each.''
$4,000 for a Ghost.
A market value fas beeR placed
upon healthy, regularly operating