The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-07-10
CAPTURE OF EDWARD COFFEY.
Detective Tells How Chance Meeting
in Barber Shop Led to Arrest.

never knew a more desperate and
puzzling criminal than Edward Cof-
fey.
He was lawbreaker because he
was moved by impulses that he could
not control, or at least he apparently
made no effort to respond to the ef-
forts that were made by his friends
to make an honest man of him. |
had known him as boy, and in later
years / made earnest efforts to direct
him towards a Iaw-abiding career.
But all in vain.
Coffey's parents were most respec-
table and his home influences were OF
kind that should have stimulated
him to honesty; but long before he
had finished his grammar school
course, he had committed so many
offenses that the police reluctantly
marked him as lad bent on life
of crime.
Eddie Coffey became notorious
even in Pittsburg, where there was
no lack of reckless and hardened
criminals On one occasion when he
was brought before a local magistrate,
the judge remarked that he never
had met lad who showed such OBJ
stinate opposition to the kindly ef-
forts to reform him.
IF you do not change your ways, "
said the magistrate, you are bound
to end your life on the gallows and
that very soon.'
This warning was indeed prophet
ic, and very nearly came true.
Coffey had taste for neatness,
even elegance. He was noted for the
fine clothes he wore. Eddie was a
bookworm, too; his knowlege of lit
erature was unusual. But he could
not seem to combine his criminal in
stincts with the prudence and cum
ming which often act as safeguard
for the person who makes liveli-
hood by violating the law.
1t was not long before Coffey show
ed his reckless daring in a way that
astonished the city where he was so
well known.
In company with crook known as
''Three-F Fingered jack" Eddie dash
ed into Workingmen's Bank in Allie
gheny City, just across the river
from his home, and seized huge
roll of bills from the counter in front
of the astonished cashier. The lat
ter snatched a revolver and pursued
the desperadoes, firing at Coffey as
he ran. Coffey halted in his fight
and shot at the intrepid cashier, but
did not hit him. The robbers ran
along Chestnut and Ohio streets and
jumped into skiff that they had
provided for getaway.
Being powerful oarsmen they made
their escape despite the hail of bull
lets. But Immediately a red-hot pur-
suit began. The robbery was the
most daring ever committed in Pitts
burg, and Coffey and his pal made
away with thousands of dollars. The
entire police force and all the private
detective agencies practically drop
ped everything to take up the chase.
A score of people, as they rushed
to escape the fusilade, recognized
one of the fugitives. ..
"Why, that was Eddie Coffey!"
they gasped. They were astonished
that the lad should commit such a
desperate crime where everybody was
bound to know him.
AS I had known Coffey for so many
years, I was assigned at once to the
case. "Get him, no matter how long
you go without sleep, no matter how
far you follow. But get him."
1t is an axiom as old as life itself
AS old as the art of catching GRIM
inals-that the first thing to do to
find hidden man is to discover the
woman with whom he is in love.
That was my first care. I was for
tunate enough to locate the home of
a girl who was known to have fascin-
ated Coffey. Unseen by her, close
watch was kept on her every move
ment. An espionage was set up of so
secret but thorough kind that every
message that she received, every let
ter that came through the mail, first
passed through the hands of detec-
tive.
At last came a clue, faint and in
definite, but it was clue. A letter
was received by the girl that bore a