Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1914-08-19


was to prepare himself to face the
day, should it ever come, when man
from Mulberry street would confront
him and charge him with being James
Montgomery.
He told himself that he would never
be taken back to it alive. His good,
capable, well ordered brain had
mapped out careful course. Should
the bloodhounds of the law come
upon him in this place he had built for
final refuge he would make his fight
to pass them.
During his visits to Greenville he
cashed checks paid him for royalties
on his inventions until he secured
$4,000 in certificates of denominations
he could use anywhere.
Each morning he passed through the
door to the attic stairs and locked 1t
behind him. For an hour he worked
with the weights and bars, changing
his measurements slowly, but surely.
The fraction of an inch in the length
Of arm or leg would discredit the Ber-
tillon record made Of him and filed in
the bureau of Identification at police
headquarters In New York. he gave
many an hour of agony to achieve this,
and his face was chalky white when
he left the attic and locked its door
behind him each day.
With the anxiety and the hard work
in his laboratory touch Of gray came
to his hair and beard. He looked a
man of forty-fve. save when he
smiled. but the purity and goodness of
his nature shone forth in his coun-
tenance.
More money came to him as the for
eign rights Of his inventions were dis
posed of. and be- cast about him for an
opportunity to put it in use for others.
He employed as many Of the sturdy
mountaineers as he could in road work.
paying them good wages. He patched
their cabins, provided medicines for
their sick, and blankets and stout
clothes for the women and the chill
dren.
The scattered families Of these poor
people looked up to him with mingled
wonder and gratitude. When time rid
them Of their childlike timidity they
came to know him and to love him.
There is no statute of limitations
for an escaped convict. He is always
legitimate quarry.
Nearly ten years had passed since
James Montgomery was brought be-
fore the desk of Inspector Ranscombe
at police headquarters in Mulberry
street. There had been changes at
headquarters in that time. The ad-
ministration Of the city was in other
hands. The police department had
gone through the throes of more than
one shakeup. and there had been sew
eral police commissioners.
Ranscombe had been relieved of bis
important post as the chief Of the
cfty's little army, Of plain clothes men,
but be had played the game Of depart
| ment politics we'll and had won bis
way back to the central Office.
On his return he found Detective
Lieutenant Mike Kearney. stoIid, emo
ttonless, waiting for an assignment to
case, as usual. The inspector knew
his value and had him promoted to
the grade of captain. He assigned
Kearney to take charge of the homi-
eide squad. The men under Kearney
were the pick Of the 700 and more de-
| foofivoa nf tho dono ~
| Kearney started out in his new post
with slate clean, save for one in.
scription-the number 60,1OS. He felt
that he was being cheated every day
that the escaped convict enjoyed life
outside Of Sing Sings walls.
Had Montgomery been a thief, q
forger or a bigamtst he could have
turned the matter over to his inspector
as case still pending. But he had
been convicted of murder. and bis
case properly belonged in the homicide
| bureau
Gradually Kearney got the affairs of
the bureau working to suit him. and he
could pause and give some study to
VAC ~"OAI5ouSAy "dtLcA. us uAuU
turned from the evil corners Of the
metropolis to the walled city up the
Hudson. Time had changed the prison
STATS throughout the state. There was
new superintendent Of prisons and q
new warden at Sing Sing.
! Kearney called up the new warden
and asked for an appointment the next
time he came to the city. The wardea
was even then about to start for town
and he would drop in at headquarters.
Within two hours the guardian O.
Sing Sings population was seated be
side Kearney's desk.
! II gotta case" explained the detec
tive. that I'm anxious to clean up
Ten years ago l sent young felle
named Montgomery to Sing Sing TO
murder In the second. He was pu
away for life. Five years ago. befor'
you got on the job. he escaped.
crook named Hawkins, his cell mate
helped him to get out. want Haw