The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1913-05-06
NNOP9 fIshI
MY FIRST CASE
Getting" the Man Who Hung a Jur,

~ @OV expense money and started INC
up the Hudson river on my first man.
hunt, / had never done ANYTHING in
my life that might have been suspect
ed or even remotely resembling detec.
tive work. | probably knew as little
about the business as anybody in the
country, and l had never had any
yearning or intention to become a de-
tectiVe. But / was SO years old out
or work. almost broke-in New York;
had family to support and. most
important OF all. | happened to have
met the celebrated detective who is
the head OF the agency by which I
came TO be employed, the largest rep
utable private detective agency i'm the
country. That was why | became.
and am, private detective.
One morning | found myself at 42d
street and Broadway, looking at the
newspaper bulletins and wondering
how long my money would last and
where in the world | should turn for
Job. One of the bulletins read:
Detective Burns Nabs More Bril-
bers"
That bulletin did the trick.
He may remember me-" | thought
and he may know OF job to At me"
went straight down town TO the
office of the agency of which the big
man is the head and asked If he was
in.
What do you want of him." asked
the Office manager.
was desperate. said: 81 know
him, and | want Job"
He looked me over, went into an
inner office for a while. and reap-
peared, bearing an application blank.
The office, and everything I'm il. was
just as IL would be in an up-to-date
business office. The business of the
place might as well have been selling
insurance as hunting criminals. The
application blank had all the conven-
uonal questions Of such paper, and
In addition these:
Were you ever connected with
any police force, or any detective
agency? Are you acquainted with
any police officials, or any one en-
ployed by detective agencies?
Were you ever employed by any
railroad?
do you know anything about the
newspaper business?
Have you a large number OF ac-
quaintances, and can you keep your
occupation from your friends and ac.
quaintances ?"
Fill that out" said the office man.
ager. He had not even asked me If |
wanted to become n detective. and
but for the last questions on the blank
| would not have known that he was
considering me as an applicant for
such position.
I've never done any detective work
in my life" | said.
Good" he said If you had. we
wouldn't have you. Fill out the
blank"
When it was filed out he took it
and disappeared again. He was back
in three minutes.
All right" he said. sitting down at
his desk and picking up some papers
There's a man up in Peeksyiue "a
small town on the Hudson river near
New York;, who hung the jury in a
damage suit. Want you to go up and
get him Here's the dope"
He began to read from the papers
In his hand. The gist OF 1t was that
one Kellner, New York contractor
had done 100000 worth Of work on
the water supply system of the town
or Peeksville. When the time came
Tor him to render his bill he had been
approached by one OF the towns DO.
litical powers. Bruley by name. and
commissioner Of public works, who
Kunugn = h.
out bill for $4,000, IL would be al
lowed in full without protest or ques-
ton, and that $1,000 OF the $50 600
overcharge would go to him as a re.
ward for placing certain officials in
the way Of lingering $25. 900 of the
peoples money
kellner had refused. When he rem
dered his rightful bill for 500 600 the
powers In the city hall calmly cut il
TO $4,000 claiming that portions OF
the work were poorly done; that parts
or the contract had been awarded
Illegally, but I'm reality merely get.
Ing even with Kellner for refusing to
assist them to some easy graft.
Kellner promptly sued He had a
case 80 strong. and public opinion
was 80 strongly aroused over the ex.
posed scandal. that recovery OF his
$4,000 seemed foregOne conclusion.
But the wouldbe grafters had manag.
ed to place the niger I'm the woodpile
In the shape OF one OF their clan on
the jury. Eleven OF the jurymen on
the first ballot had voted for g full
judgment for Kellner. The twelfth
man had voted mo- on that ballot
and on the second. and the third. and
on every ballot for the next twenty.
four hours. He had hung the Jury.
and the case was mis.trlal. The
mans name was Harry Donin. a real
estate agent
That's tho man you've got to GET"
said the Office manager "He did the
trick, and he's been spending money
ever since We've got TO have O FUN
confession from him that we can use
as evidence and IT'S got to be ln writ.
Ing and sworn TO-, or told GOO the hear
ing OF at least two people. who gave
him the bride when. and what for
And we've got TO get 80 fra hurry. too.
because the new trial ls coming on
in less than a month Have you got
any money!
/ didn't have enough to be worth
mentioning lie drew q pink pad TO
him WrDfs ont au ordor ON tho Doob