Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1916-11-03

4
mistake"
Berliner turned to his caller.
Young Mr.. Detective" he said, ur-
banely, your work is bit amateur
ish. May l present you with your
hat? / trust there will be no occasion
for our acquaintance to develop fur
| ther."
The case against Berliner did not
come to a crisis Immediately. 1t was
two months later that the customs
agents reported that he was gone and
that they had evidence that he had
long resorted to undertaking the inn
ports of his clients. By getting an
article through the customhouse at
less than its value, he would defraud
the government of just the difference
between the amount paid and the
amount that should have been paid.
But this money was not saved for his
customer That individual was
charged the full amount due and the
broker pocketed the difference. There
was evidence that the government had
lost 100000 through these opera
tions.
Because Gard had seen the customs
broker he was assigned to the capture
of the fugitive. He set about the task
methodically.
The special agent diligently searched
out every one of Berliner's intimates.
There was wife and brother to begin
with. 1t is the A, B, of fugitive
catching that every man will commu-
nicate with some one of his relatives
or intimates. 1t is not human nature
to break off every tie. Against the
possibility of this fugitive writing
Gard established a close watch over
the mail of each of the fugitive's rela-
tives and close friends. The postman
who delivered mail to each was given
samples of Berliner's handwriting,
was instructed to report the arrival of
any letter that might be suspected of
coming from him, to have tracings
made of it's envelope. to note its post
mark, before it was delivered.
But a month passed and no suspi-
cious letter arrived.
In the meantime every possibility of
getting directly on the trail was ex-
hausted. Even in a great city like
New York it is difficult for anybody
to take a train without having fixed
the attention Of somebody else. An ex-
pressman must be called to get a
trunk to the station. A taxicab may
be used. Servants are aware of a de-
parture. Tickets must be bought.
Conductors on trains must take up
those tickets.
1t is a tedious task to interview in
Vulnerable expressmen and ask each
If he had had summons from a GER
tain apartment. The taxicab records
of calls are equally confusing, but
that individual may be questioned.
Every ticket seller in city may be
seen in day or two, the photograph
Of the man wanted may be shown and
recollection of him developed. If
the fugitive is of striking appearance,
as was Berliner, the chances Of his be-
ing remembered are increased. If the
trail is once crossed the going is
easier.
Yet all these and many other devices
failed in this case, and chance first
pointed the way. The goddess of CO.
incidence made her appearance in a
modest motion picture theater where
Gard and a friend we're killing bit
of time. Among the reels shown was
one which portrayed a visit OF the
president to New York. 1t began with
the arrival at the station, among
throngs of people.
by the Lord Harry" suddenly ex-
claimed the special agent. would
you pipe that gray-haired gent in the
foreground. 1 have been looking for
him for a month"
1t was Berliner. He had chosen
the moment when the station was
most crowded to make his getaway.
Oblivious to the presence Of the mo-
ton picture operator, he had stopped
for a moment to say good-by to an
other man, his brother. as Gard
thought. The two had spoken a few
words and parted.
Il wonder" soliloquized Gard.
what those two men said to each
other"
Then he thought of Jane Gates, the
Lily Maid, the deaf copyist at head
quarters, the cameo-faced girl, best
loved of the special agents.
The Lily Maid might read the lips
of those unconscious motion picture
actors" he thought. "They are right
out in front"
So it happened that the deaf typist
got halfholiday and she and Gard
spent it at the picture show, where
her lack of the sense OF hearing in no
way detracted from her enjoyment.
The scene at the station came oD-
Gard pointed out the two men in the
foreground, who, fortunately, were
| facing the machine. The deaf girl