The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-07-25
CAREER OF DETECTIVE REED
READS LIKE A DIME NOVEL
Life of the Man Who Trapped Sam J. Nichols
Filled With Thrilling Adventures. He Has
Uncovered Graft in All Sections.


degree. shrewd, cunning, quiet witt
a manner which convinces one OF his
sincerity, and a personality which
is magnetic and engaging, E. S
Reed, the detective who while posing
as Henry N. Porter, Chicago attor
ney, claims to have entrapped Sam ]
Nichols, Spartanburg lawyer, into
negotiations which may involve Gov
Blease, of South Carolina, in the
charge of selling pardons, is one Of
the most successful and remarkable
sleuths of the present day.
Mr.. Reed, who is the right bower
of William J. Burns, is spending q
few days in Atlanta, the guest of At
torney Thomas B. Fielder, in whose
employ he was when he secured the
evidence against Nichols and Blease
1t was Detective Reed who exposed
the Atlantic City grafters, 80 OF
whom have been convicted by the
grand jury, and it was he who traced
Harvey Logan, the famous Montana
train robber, to South America. A
history of him and his work would
read like a real dime novel.
Began When Sixteen.
It was back in 1889, when Mr.
Reed, then boy of 16 years, pulled
off his first big detective stunt. He
had been assisting his father, who
was also detective, in running down
some of the criminals who infested
the Black Hills country in South
Dakota following the Sioux Indian
uprising.
One day a Judge by the name OF
Wood, who had learned of young
Reeds familiarity with the trails and
passes of the then wild and undevel-
oped territory, came to him and Of
fered him a large sum to locate a
little girl who had been abducted
and who was believed to have been
carried into the Black Hills.
Judge Wood told Reed that the
child's name was Mary Chase; that
her grandfather, an unscrupulous
Chicago millionaire, had hired dar-
ing cowboy to kidnap her and hide
her away. It was explained to Reed
that the child's mother, the daughter
of the millionaire, had been her
fathers private secretary and in this
capacity had become familiar with
many of his crooked deals. She de-
veloped religious tendencies and her
conscience prodding her, she threat
ened to confess her fathers rascality.
Becoming alarmed, the father sought
to force her into a marriage with a
man whom he had selected, believing
the marriage would close her lips.
The ceremony was arranged and
when the prospective groom appear
ed the girl spat in his face and de-
clared to the officiating minister that
she would not marry the man
Neither threats nor persuasion would
cause her to relent and her father
made her prisoner in her own
home. One day she sought to elope
with a former sweetheart and, IN
jumping out of window, broke he1
leg. She was kept to her bed fol
months, but finally escaped, married
the sweetheart and disappeared into
South Dakota A little girl was born
to the woman, and when the child
was three years old it was kidnap-
ped. After considerable search ii
was located and returned to the
mother, only to be kidnapped agair
when it was six years old.
Finds the Child.
It was the second case that ReeC
was engaged to run down. He laie
in a supply of clothing and food
purchased a carriage and two mus
tangs and traced the child to ranch
house in the Black Hills country
where he found she was in the care
of an old woman and guarded by
half dozen cowboys.
Reed awaited his opportunity ant
one day, while the cowboys were
absent at roundup, he came upo1
the old woman and girl at spring
He seized the child, bore her ava!
in his arms to his carriage and drov'
night and day until he got her tt
Yankton, where he took a train TO-
a city in Michigan, where he turnet
her over to an uncle. On the wllt
ride from the Black Hills, Reed wa
followed by one of the cowboys, wht
overlook him. Breaking the glas
out of the rear curtain of the car
riage, the detective took deliberat'
aim with a Winchester and shot tn
horse from under his pursuer. HI
says the rescued girl is now married
Lo, - 20 ,,oj1u nf how ou,p