Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1922-01-21
True
Detective Stories
ALLAN PINKERTON'S
RECORD CASE


-HERE was no response to the
impatient knocking on the heavy
doors of the Adams Express com
pany's building pear the end Of the
Columbus (o) lUnion station. one
night In the mfddle Of winter. There
stood the train. with the usual hustle
and clamor preparatory to departure,
but the express clerk and his assist
ant had not made their appearance.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
This time John Grossman, the ex-
press messenger. knocked harder than
ever, for II was beginning to dawn
upon him that something must be
wrong. A moment later he tried the
knob OF the door. To his amazement
II turned easily and he stepped for
ward into utter darkness, stumbling
over boxes and packages until he
reached the gas jet In the center OF
the room. Papers and parcels lay
I'm wild confusion all over the
floor, the door of the safe stood open
and the clerk and his assistant were
lying I'm one corner. In a sort or stupor.
II was evident that the two men
had been chloroformed-the sickenlng
odor OF the drug still pervaded the
room-and that the company had been
robbed. In spite of the fact that hun
dreds OF people had been just outside
the building all during the evening.
These circumstances, coupled with the
fact that $4,000 was missing from the
safe, were all that Allan Pinkerton
had to work upon when he reached
Columbus the following morning.
The details of the robbery were OBJ
tanned directly from John Barker, the
express clerk.
According to Barker. he and his as
sistant were stretched out on two cots.
as usual about ten o'clock In the eve
ming. taking nap before going on
duty on the train which was due to
leave Columbus shortly after mid
night
II was awakened by what appeared
To be mufiied pounding or pushing
at the door" Barker continued.
"Was the door locked?' inquired
Pinkerton.
at was-and bolted. / didn't pay
any attention to the matter because,
while we did have $4,000 In the safe
-S32. 900 of IL In revenue stamps
we had often guarded a good deal
more. and I thought the noise had
been made by some one who had
stumbled against the door In the dark
ness. Then, before got really awake,
I heard the bolt give. and the next
thing | knew some one had pinioned
my arms. and | caught Whit OF
something which I recognized as chic
reform. / struggled. but II was no
use. When I came TO. Grossman. the
messenger. was bending over me. ana
the whole place looked like cyclone
had struck II. The $4,000 In cash
was gone. but they had overlooked
or deliberately left the $4,000 In
stamps"
Pinkerton made no comment AT the
time. but continued his examination
taken place 4 careful scrutiny or
the door revealed two Interesting
facts: The holt had been bent. as II
Il had been In place when the door
was forced. hut II was bent far more
than was necessary to secure an en-
trance TO the room. and there were no
scratches or other signs OF violence
on the outside OF the door.
All the evidence appeared 10 point
20 the fact that the job had been
handled from the inside, and Pinker-
ton Immediately ordered the arrest or
Barker and his assistant. The two
men protested their Innocence.
vpon looking into Barker's ante
cedents. Pinkerton found thar the ex-
press clerk had a brother living In
Chicago. man who was reputed to be
quite wealthy and whom Barker stat
ed would willingly go on his bail II
permItted to do so. But the Chicago
branch Of the Pinkerton agency re-
ported that the other Barker was not
only not wealthy. but was prominent
In the life Of the underworld.
"where was this man ON the night
OF the Columbus robbery" Allan Pink
erton inquired by wire.
unable to obtain definite informa-
tion," came back the reply; but he
was not In Chicago"
"Trall him closely. and arrest him
the instant he attempts to leave the
CITY" were the telegraphic directions
which followed
Early the following morning, less
than 36 hours after the crime In Co
lumbus. Henry Barker was arrested
en- route 10 Canada. and Sl4.OO0 was
found in the lining OF his valise. Later
after having been given taste OF the
famous Plnkerton "silence cure" he
revealed the hiding place Of the other
$4,000 and the details OF the whole
affair. which he had claimed his broth
or had planned. The scheme was
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