Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1917-06-07
Woman :
Detective S Story
BY SADIE oLCOTT

I am a woman detective. I was once
sent to decoy a desperate who was
making collections ostensibly for the
church. He was Aaron Burt-he pass
ed under other names-and at the time
was working in the town of Edgerton.
1 went there, learned that he was at
a certain hotel and he was pointed
out to me in the reading room.
1 entered the room and, going up to
him, said:
1.-THE Rev. Mr.. Burt, I believe"
II am," he said, rising and looking at
me suspiciously.
great success in raising money for
churches, and I would like to knowiif
you would be willing to help me pay
off a mortgage On our church at Avon
dale" > '
Ayondale was a town not far from
Edgerton, and l had heard that one or
its churches was under mortgage, which
the congregation desired to pay of.
But 1 intended this only as a means Of
DuAAh IL. acquaintance
I described to him the situation at
Avondale, stating that the people there
We're we'll to do, but needed some per-
suasive speaker to wake them up.
added that he would be paid for his
labor, proposing that he receive the
contribution himself and deduct one
third Of it for himself. This I knew
would please him, for there would be
no difficulty in his deducting his third
or, rather, Of appropriating the whole,
contribution. He manifested q VIII
lingness to undertake the work, but
protested against receiving so mucll
compensation as a third of the amount
collected. On no account would hp
consent to deduct more than 10 per
cent. He was ready to go to Avon
dale as soon as l said the word. I told
him that 1 would see the pastor and
the deacon and as soon as l could get
their consent would let him know.
I pretended to go to Avondale, but
really returned to the sheriff, who had
employed me, to arrange with him as
to when and where he should send the
force intended to make the arrest. It
was agreed between us that he was to
send one picked man to Edgerton, who
was to pass himself as a commercial
traveller. This mans name was Larn-
ed, and | was made acquainted with
him, and we conferred together. 1 told
him to bring the largest sample trunk
he could find.
Returning to Edgerton, l told Mr..
Burt that everything had been arrang-
ed at Avondale, but the evening select.
ed for his appeal for funds had been
fixed for the following Sunday, four
days hence. He was not pleased. at
this, preferring that the work should
be done at once. The truth is he did
not care to remain i'll the same locali-
ty for so long a period. l determined,
however, to hold him if possible till
could spring my trap.
aid myself out to please him.
Spending Il good deal of time with
ulm. | knew that he was not inter
ested in matters of religion and did
no talk on religious subjects. l pre-
TERED to choose other topics, in which,
he would be more at home, my inten-
ton being when l had gained his con-
hdence to give him to understand that
knew his true character, that / was
one OF the same kind as himself and
desired to assist him in plundering that
might share the plumber. So
When l thought the time ripe I re.
Vealed the character l wished him to"
take me for by confessing that l Ell.
pected q share in the collection l was
70 bring about. l saw him start, but
he did not take the hint openly, and il.
was some time before he consented to.
drop the parson and talk like the vii
lain he was. Then l told him that to
gether we might reap a rich harvest
He caught at the idea and grew en4hu.
siastic Eel it.
Having won his confidence, 1 kept
holding up the rich hauls we would
make, l joining congregations and az
ranging for addresses, to be followed
by collections. He would disappear,
leaving me to repent having put con-
fdence in a rascal.
When all was ready for my scheme
I.arned appeared at the hotel, and a
sample trunk of enormous size was
carried to his room. 1t was empty,
but only J.arned II l knew that. ]
told Mr.. Burt that l was bent on tax
ing money from the commercial tray
eler and that l was already engaged
in learning where be kept it. The
next day l informed my pal that
Larned had gone out and left $500 be-
tween the mattresses Of his bed, sug-
costing that Burt go into his room and
get it while l watched. The door was
supposed to be locked, and l borrowed
a skeleton key from Burt with which
to unlock it, though Larned had pur-
posely left it unlocked.
I took a position in the hall and afte,
pretending to have watched for some
time called Burt and told him the coast
was clear, and he went into the room
for the money. He had scarcely done