Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-03-27

I'm this article Detective Burns makes
clear his pet contention that there are no
mysteries In the world OF crime. he holos
that every criminal leaves a track that
he who looks for it intelligently may see
and follow. And the reader. when he mas
accompanied Detective Burns to the enc
or his story, will doubtless agree Win mn,
that every criminal leaves a track. ana
h in the proper use Of the phrase, there
are no mysteries
It seems to be a popular belief that a
successful detective mus possess some
mysterious power rot given 10 the or
binary mar My contention has al
ways been that. Ne DO not possess any
such rnSs;erieus power. and that it is
not needed So7 solving any ot the prob
lens tha, come 10 she de.ective of in
vestisssior. la order u succeed. the
detective has a-ss IL exercise the same
Common sense and ~assGs-aent that a
business ssaar' a~vgasaS 10 his affairs.
AS = r~aas.s- a .acs. there are no
mysteries. fVoTy c%risniuai leaves a
TRACK Sometimes I. :aAes unusual eft
foFr IL s.Hc0yc- ;'ssS t-ack. but there
are alvayS Mays * finiins it and fol-
lowing 4; Wa 70 TIC proper solution OF
the c-1rae-
Ne matter '7ow cleverly a crime has
been Planned the criminal always
+SsNSS - go lAt-l N&a4-N ltstNi ~ AiS Nc
lection. | AaVA demonstrated this in
every important Investigation l have
ever made.
Fol- example. most people believe that
1t Is extremely difficult to locate the
writer OF n anonymous letter. AS a
matter OF fact. il is usually a very sim
pie process.
For instance. some years ago. dur
Ing the Boer war. Lord Pauncefote.
then English ambassador to this coun-
try. received in his mail. n day, an
anonymous communication written,
evidently by q very intelligent person
who knew all the facts that had led up
TO the war. The letter concluded with
the statement that if Lord Paunce-
fote did not stop the war within six
months the writer would go to Wash
ington and kill him.
The ambassador Immediately took the
letter to the secretary OF state, Hon.
John Hay. Secretary Hay endeavored
to calm his lordship as best he could. |
and said reassuringly. The matter will
be referred at once to the secret SER
vice division for in~vestigation."
&c investigate WHAT" demanded
his lordship.
why. to find out who the writer is,
OF course"
Lord Pauncefote lncreduIous.
"Ridiculous!" sputtered his lordship.
'Ffnd him? Why. he has not signed
his name. He hasn't even put
down where he is. Any one of 1000
people might have written it. How is
any one to know"
I'm unable. of course" replied the
secretary. Ito state just what action
the secret service will take. Blu they
are very resourceful," he added. i'm
pressively. and they may be able. in
some mysterious way, to locate the
writer"
The distressed British ambassador
shook his head doubtfully. but the mat
ter was referred to the secret service
division. Chief Wilkie wired to me at
New York. where 1 happened to be, to
come to Washington on the first train.
When l arrived the matter was turned
over to me for investigation. l left at
once for Detroit. Mich.-the anonymous
letter had been mailed in Detroit-and
two days later wired Chief Wilkie that
/ had the writer. and asked what I
should do with him.
The chief Immediately turned the
telegram over to Secretary Hay. who,
in turn. notified the British ambassa-
dor.
I'll never get over being sorry that I
couldn't see him when he heard the
news.
IT'S impossible!" he exclaimed.
No. said the secretary.
u HAL WHO WEOVc Iue leCIeT
The man who wrote the letter."
But in two days. This wonderful
piece Of work was accomplished in two
dayS!" And the ambassadors whole
interest seemed to be. not in the letter
writer and whether or not he intended
carry out his threat. but in how the
service had located him.
Tn sorry. but I'm not acquainted
With the methods they use." said the
secretary.
But would you be able to find out
Tor me. Mr.. Secretary for I'm really
interested in how the
q was located. 1t is a wonderful
work Of Scotland Yard!"
So the secretary had the mysterious
unraveled as I'll unravel it for
you.
Studying Disguised Handwriting.
To one who is accustomed to tracing
the authorship of ANONYMOUS letters, it
10 a familiar fact that when a person
undertakes to- write an anonymous let
ter he starts out with the intention of
Disgusting his Handwriting. but that as
he proceeds with his composition he
nnconscious'y returns to his normal
manner of writing. He may catch HIM
self at this. and esume his disguised
hand; but he is sure to incorporate
some of his peculiar characteristics in
the letter. through which it is possible
% identify him. It was SO in this case.
We were able to determine. from an
joining of the words, which
y peculiar to telegraph operators, that
the writer was probably an operator.
When / reached Detroit. I called upon
one Of the telegraph companies; and
at this point 1t may be noted how ne
cessary It IL to appear confident in or
der to succeed In securing the informa-
ton one II after. When I presented a
portion OF the letter to the chief oper-
Of the telegraph company, instead
Of asking him whether or not he could
tell who h writer was from an ex-
animation OF the handwriting, I made
h0ld atafAmAnf that tho urritor of