Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1918-08-02

OOSSA VI 9uSA u UUSAuSSo WONAO nave
asked. He was received tolerantly
by the old heads of the customs crowd.
Many agents had been to the docks
ahead of him and most Of these had
been experts. If they began to get
dangerous, political influence was used
in having them pulled of the job or
money was used in having them fail
to report any wrongdoing. But this
youngster who did not know the sim
plest things about the customs service
he was hardly worthy of notice.
But during that week Gard had not
expected to become a customs expert.
His plan for getting results was
founded on a different idea. He had
been hunting for man who suited
the purpose of his plan, and had found
him. This man was an Irishman by
the name of O'Toole, who was one of
the weighers at a certain dock in
Brooklyn. He had in the back of his
head all the facts that the special
agent lacked. If he could be induced
to cooperate, the case might be
worked out
O'Toole was man OF fifty, and had
been weigher for eleven years.
Gard had learned many things about
him. He had no family, his great en-.
thusiasm was baseball, and his weak
ness was a certainty of going to the
mat with John Barleycorn every third
Saturday night. He was lonesome
How long have you been on this
Investigation" O'Toole asked Gard
before the conversation had gone
far.
"Just this week." said the special
agent.
"Have you found anything?' asked
the weigher.
mot yet," said the special agent.
well, if you want your job to
last, DON'T" said the 1rishman.
They discussed the general points
in the business of weighing cargoes
and the work of the force having
it in charge. But the special agent
had gathered the idea that O'Toole
was not in sympathy with conditions,
that he was not a member of the in
ner circle. Yet an intelligent man
serving as weigher for eleven years
would know secrets that would be of
interest to the government, and
O'Toole was embittered. He should
be cultivated.
The days Of the following week the
special agent spent about the docks
dressed as rough laboring man. The
nights he spent in nearby saloons
with the acquaintance he had made
during the day, The idea in this was
to determine what information the
laborers were able to pick up and
whether they could be used as inform.
ers. Many of these were Irishmen, as
smart as the best of them, and pretty
we'll aware of what was going on.
From the gossip of these men it was
also possible to get many flash on
the character of the men higher up.
O'Toole they pronounced honest.
"They won't give him chance to
get on the inside,' said one, because
they are afraid he might talk when he
is drunk
"He wouldn't take dirty money, any
way" insisted another. "He is an
honest man."
The third week the special agent
was devoting to the ball park, sitting
in the bleachers three seats back Of
O'Toole. He had determined that the
Irishman should tell him the story of
the customs frauds from the inside.
He knew that, to get on basis OF
sufficient good feeling to bring this
about, he must approach O'Toole on
the most favorable basis possible. Too
much care could not be taken in laying
the foundation for his final proposal
to the weigher. The mans love for
baseball first presented itself. The
fan with him. Thus should he come
to know him better and under most
favorable circumstances.
On two occasions the special agent
bowed to tho weigher in leaving the
bleachers. He had thus got himself
identified in that individuals mind
as fellow fan. It was the end of the
second week, however, before the con-
ditions developed that made just the
opening that Gard wanted. The situa-
ton worked itself out on Saturday aft
ernoon. The game had gone three
innings when a furry Of. rain threat
ehed to- bring it to a close. Then
there was. 4 downpour. The people in
the bleaehsrs scurried for shelter.
There seemed little chance for. the
game being resumed, and most Of the
bleacherites fled out under their UNI
brellas.
Some twenty enthusiastic fans Held
to their seats on the chance that the
game would go on. Among these were
O'Toole and the special agent. Both
were drenched to the skin. Finally
the umpire announced that the game
was called, and the stragglers turned
homeward. As O'Toole started to 60
he was greeted by Special Agent Gard.
by jove," said the young man, II
believe you are a more enthusiastic