Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-06-27
gtisestla geaains.
CAPTURE OF EDWARD coFFEY


II SetcSeNo tohs No" S"aHSo "ees"e
in Barber Shop Led to Arrest.
| I never knew a more desperate and
puzzling criminal than Edward Coffey
He was a lawbreaker because he was
moved by impulses that he could not
control, or at least he apparently made
no effort to respond to the efforts that
were made by his friends to make ar
honest man Of him. had known him
as a boy, and in later years I made
earnest efforts to direct him towards @
law-abiding career. But ell in vain.
Coffey's parents were most respec-
table and his home influences were OF
a 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 n
lad bent on a 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 obstinate opposition
to the kindly efforts 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 prophetic
and very nearly came true.
Coffey had a taste for neatness, even
elegance. He was noted for the fine
clothes he wore Eddie was book
worm, too; his knowledge Of literature
was unusual. But he could not seem
| to combine his criminal instincts with
the prudence and cunning which often
act as a safeguard for the person who
makes a livelihood by violating the
1 law.
1t was not long before Coffey showed
his reckless daring in way that as
tonished the city where he was so we'll
known.
In company with crook known as
Three Fingered Jack" Eddie dashed
into Workingmen's Bank In Allegheny
City, just across the river from his
home, and siezed a huge roll Of bills
from the counter in front Of the aston
ished cashier. The latter snatched a
revolver and pursued the desperadoes,
firing at Coffey as he ran. Coffey halt
ed in his flight and shot at the intrepid
cashier, but did not hit him. The rob-
bers ran along Chestnut and Ohio
streets and jumped into a skiff that
they had provided for a getaway.
Being powerful oarsmen they made
their escape despite the hail Of bullets.
But Immediately a red-hot pursuit be-
gan. The robbery was the most dar-
| ing ever committed in Pittsburg, and
4 Coffey and his pal made away with
thousands Of dollars. The entire police
force and all the private detective
agencies practically dropped 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 desper-
ate crime where everybody was bound
to know him.
AS I had known Coffey for so many
years, was assigned at once to the
case. "You must get Coffey," said my
chief. Get him, no matter how lone
you go without sleep, no matter how
far you follow. But get him."
It is an axiom as old as life itself
as old as the art Of catching criminals
that the first thing to do to find a
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 fascinat-
ed Coffey. Unseen by her, a close
watch was kept no her every move
ment. An espionage was set up Of sc
secret but thorough a kind that every
message that she received, every let
ter that came through the mail, first
passed through the hands Of a detec-
tive.
At last came a clue, faint and in
definite, but 1t was a clue. A letter
was received by the girl that bore a
| Chicago postmark There was no time
to find out the contents Of 1t. did not
dare to arouse the suspicious Of the
young woman. 1t was enough to know
that Coffey was in Chicago, because
that letter was addressed in the hand
writing of the much-wanted fugitive.
So off 1 rushed to the western city,
1 made up my mind to make search
Of Chicago in secret. l knew we'll that
| II notified the police there, such hue
and cry would be raised that Coffey's
friends would help him to make of
again.
| I realized that 1t wasn't the easiest
task to take Coffey single-handed. He
had told his pals before embarking on
his desperate adventure that he would
not be taken alive. He invariably car
ried a gun and knew how to use it. His
previous record showed that he was
afraid Of neither man nor God!
Fortunately, was unknown to the
underworld in those days. I was able
to visit all the haunts Of the crooks
without being recognized as a sleuth
But a week went by and / could find
no trace Of my quarry. I was begin
ming to feel nervous, and blamed my
self for not taking a chance and find
ing out the contents Of that letter. Blu,
l was soon reassured. A letter came
from my chief bearing the good news
that the young woman who was still
under watch had received another
communication from Coffey, and thai
also was postmarked Chicago.
Still l was baffled. Two weeks
elapsed, and 1t began to look as II
would have to return to Pitsburg emp
ty handed There was no trace Of Cof-
fey.
Then happened one Of the most un.
usual and thrilling experiences of my
life.