The Ordway new era., 1922-04-14
True
Detective Stories
MATTER OF MINUTES


TT WAS evident that the robbery
of the Rock Island Express had
been effected in less than = quar-
ter Of an hour. The express car had
been hItched on immediately behind
the engine. and one Of the fremen
recalled having seen Kellogg. the mes
senger, checking up his accounts about
fifteen minutes before the train pulled
into Norris, III. The next time he
glanced up a shade had been pulled
across the window Of the express car.
and the first he knew Of the robbery
was after the train stopped al Morris,
and Pitney. the brakeman. shouted
out thar Kellogg had been killed and
that thousands OF dollars was missing
from the safe.
Jameson, who was in charge OF the
baggage car, directly behind the ex.
press car. provided what appeared tc
be the only clue 10 the crime. by STRAIT
ing that shortly after the train left
Joliet man in q red mask had en-
tered his car, held him up at The
point of a revolver, and had then
PaooSo IL tIAC III bCsObdS icoN-
ing Jameson in charge OF another
masked man who had disappeared a.
the train slowed down at Morris
u was scared stiff" admitted the
bssga geman. "and didn't dare bulge
The express authorities at Morris
promptly Sidetracked the express car
and wired tie details Of the case to
A I'll x.-l.. ..i.-s "A
only a few hours later. Meanwhile
however the contents OF the safe hac
been checked up. and it was dis
covered that more than $4,000 va.
missing. Kellogg. the messenger. waS
dead. bur before dying. ne hal eyi
deEtly given good account OF himself
before he did anything else, Pinker
ton walked back over The track or
which The train had come into Morris
Less thsn half a nile out he dis
covered red mask, lying close 10 The
trsck, and he also noted most sig
nidcaEt fact-slthough there was more
than foot Of snow upon the ground
there were no footprints within
qnarter-mile Of the mask
Returning TO Morris, the detective
commenced his examination of the e1
press car, but failed to md anything
Of value.
Close inspection OF the body Of the
dead messenger however, brought re
light another point which Pinkerton
felt certain ought to prove valuable
Under Kellogg's finger nails was a
considerable quantity Of what at first
appeared to be wet paper or pulp Of
some kind. but which the detective
recognized as ihe outer layers OF
human skin. torn OFF during the
struggle when the messengers fingers
were fighting to secure hold upon
his ssssilant,
Upon returning to Chicago. Pinker
ton ar once requested the officials of
the road TO have all the men employed
on the train come TO his Office, one
by one. TO be interviewed. Jameson, he
directed. was to be the last man sent
When Pitney. the brakeman, en-
tered, Pinkerton did not overlook the
fact that he was dressed in new
outfit which was distinctly above his
sphere In life. From the points Of
his glossy shoes to the top Of his new
derby. the brakeman had evidently
treated himself 10 u brand-new ward
robe in honor OF his Interview with
the famous detective. In spite Of the
fact that he had very little to tell
I'll was he who had discovered the
robbery. but he had seen nothing Of
tha DI1n in the red mask. though
Jameson's excited recital Of the hold
mp had caused him Immediately to
investigate the express car.
"Tliat was just as We were pulling
into Norris" concluded the brakeman
sand ! gave yell the minute | saw
whaI they had done TO Kellogg"
That's what l wanted to talk to
you about said Pinkerton. "Sit
down, won't you? And take off your
cont. It's warm in here :. Your