The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-16

was red-h0t Stun. a mOment later !
struck something better. While
searching for information from the
ferry hands I ran across a porter who
had found a valise in the lavatory and
had taken it to the lost and found de-
partment. 1t did not take me long to
get there and see that bag. 1t was a
medium-sized affair, and had been
found unlocked and empty. There was
no mark on 1t to indicate where 1t
had come from. i sent 1t to the bank
and in a few moments received word
that it was the bag which had been
used by the messengers.
THAT point being cleared up, /
next started the telegraph lines work
ing, and kept them hot until the train
dispatcher held up the Scranton train
at a station, and got the conductor on
the wire. He had noticed every n
on the train, simply as a matter Of
business, soon after leaving Jersey
City. He vas positive that no person
answering the descriptions Of either
of the men who had brought the bag
to the ferry house had been on board
his train. This settled beyond reason
able doubt that the thieves had not
left the city. at least by that route.
"The porter who had found the bag
had got a very good look at the two
men. He remembered them even more
accurately because he had ~associat-
ed them with the lost bag. His de-
scription tailed with that given by
the street vender, except that he gave
more complete details. In thinking It
over it suddenly struck me that I had
read a similar description somewhere.
I could not place 1t until the next day.
Then It came over me like a flash.
What I had seen was the alarm which
had been sent out at the request Of
the Erie county police giving the de-
scriptions of Sam Ellis and Phil Helm
rich, fugitiyes from justice.
1.-THE case then appeared perfectly
plain to me. Ellis and Heinrich, after
leaving Buffalo, had come to New
York instead Of going to Canada, as
had been generally believed. They
probably had adopted the red-pepper
scheme Of robbery In order to raise
money at once, since their scheme
had been frustrated to food Canada
with counterfeit money. The job was
not exactly in the line of either of
the men, but they were, I knew, fully
competent to undertake anything IN
any branch Of thievery.
Unfortunately the newspapers got
hold Of the story OF the finding Of the
bag and the description Of the men.
This was, Of course, sufficient warn
ing to the team Of WORTHLESS to. dive
deeper into their hole, and made my
work so much harder. How was I to
get to Ellis and Heinrich? I did not
know. They were a cunning lot, and
I knew I had a stiff game.
IT knew all the haunts Of both men,
and after putting on some togs to suit
the occasion I spent my days and
nights cumming around booking tips.
It was slow work, but 1t was Jail that
could be done. l got In with a lot of
people and heard all the gossip that
was going on among crooks, but 1t
was over q month before I heard any
thing Of Importance. I had to go
very quietly In order not to excite
suspicion. I did not dare to ask lead
ing questions Of anybody OF I might
have got a tip sooner
Zone evening, while I was having
some oysters in Billy the Bites Ia
Wooster street. Jack Griffin came in.
A few moments later in came his old
friend, Reddy the Blacksmith. They
were both friends Of Ellis and Helm
rich. To my utter amazement Griffin
began telling in my presence about
the arrest of both Ellis and Heinrich
in Pittsburgh for fighting and clean.
ing out a joint. Griffin was with
them, but had got away safely. Both
men were sent to the county prison
for thirty days under fictitious names.
I ate my oysters without any show of
hurry, but / need not tell you that l
did not lose any time when I reached
the street.
IT notified headquarters and took
the first train for Pittsburgh. / got
there Just in time to learn that the
two men had been discharged upon
bail after appealing their case. I
knew that they were going to skip
the town, and just for a flyer I hur-
ried to their lawyers Office. Luck
was with me, and I met Ellis and
Heinrich coming out with a satchel.
I followed them until I met a police.
man and then closed in with them. I
covered them with a gun while the
policeman put ON the handouts, and
then we locked them up. 1t took a
three months fight In court to land
them here, but finally they were tried
r. l----x -Aa-ro