Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1922-02-11
True
Detective Stories
. MATTER OF MINUTES

II
of the Rock Island Express had
been effected In less than u quar-
ter of an hour. The express ear had
been hitched ON Immediately behind
the engine and one of the iircmcn
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 shade had been pulled
across the window Of the express car.
and the first he knew Of the robbery
was after the train stopped ~ Morris.
and Pitney. the brakeman. shouted
out that Kellogg had been killed and
that thousands OF dollars was missing
from the safe.
jameson. who was in charge of the
baggage ear directly behind the eX-
press car provided what appeared Ia
be- the only clue To the crime. by stat
Ing that shortly after the train left
Joliet. man in a red mask had en-
tered his ear. held him up ne the
point of revolver. and had then
passed through To the car beyond leav-
ing jameson in charge of another
masked man who had disappeared aS
the train slowed down nj Morris
Il was scared stiff" admitted the
bag"a gcman. "nnd didn't dare hudge.
The express authorities at Morris
and wired the details of the ease to
William A. Pinkerton. who arrived
only a few hours later. Meanwhile.
however. the contents of the safe had
been checked up and il was dis
covered that more than $40 600 was
missing Kellogg. the messenger was
dead. hut before dying. he ha evil
IDENTITY given good account of hirrSe'f
Before he did anything else. Pinker-
ton walked back over the track IN
which the train had come into Morris
Less than half n mile ont he dis
covered red mask. lying close Ia the
track. and he also noted u most sir
niflcant fnct-although there was more
than foot nf snow upon the ground.
there were no footprints within u
quar;er-mile of the mask
Returning To Morris. the detective
commenced his examination of the .x-
press car. hut failed TO find anything
of value
Close inspection Of the body Of The
dead messenger. however brought 10
Eight another point which Plnkcrton
felt certain ought to prove valuable
Under Kellogg's finger nails was -
considerable quantity Of what M first
appeared 10 he wet paper or pulp of
some kind. but which the detective
recognized ms the outer layers Of
human skin. torn OF during the
struggle when the messengers fingers
were fighting 10 secure a hold upon
his asSailant,
Upon returning 10 Chicago. PInkc"-
ton M once requested the officials az
the road to have MI tn" men enrl"""h
on the train come Ia his Office. one
by one. To be interviewed. Jameson. he
directed. was Ia he the last man sen.
When Pitney. the brakeman. 81.
tered. Pinkerton did not overlook the
outfit which was distinctly above his
sphere In life. From the points 81
his glossy shoes Ia the top Of his new
derby. the brakeman had evidently
treated himself To brand-new ward
robe In honor If his Interview with
the famous detective. in spite of the
fact that he had very little Ia tell
II was he who had discovered the
robbery. but he had seen nothing of
tie man in the red mask. though
Jameson's excited recital of the hold
M had caused him Immediately 10
Investigate the express car.
"'rhat was just aS we were pulling
into Morris" concluded the brakeman,
''and gave Il yell the minute saw
wha- they had done to Kellogg"
THAT'S what wanted 10 talk to
you about" said Pinkerton. ''Sit
down. won't you: And take off ynur
coat. ii'S warm In here Yonr
gloves too lie added. noting that Pit
ncy kept his hands covered.
After a moments hesitation the
brakeman peeled OF his new gloves.
and Pinkerton had difficulty in conceal
ing n start Of satisfaction. The hacks
of the mars harris were scanned and
scored with n network Of scratches,
"Been playing with the cat!" in
auired PInkcrton casually
"No. no." Piiney replied. Il got those
handling busted trunk few nights
ago" and then he launched into -
description of his experiences on the
night Of the robbery. When he had
finished. Plnkerton thanked him and
bowed him out OF the Office hut the
mufiled buzz Of . hell In the auteroom
Informed the men stationed there tha'
PiiEey was ia be followed night and
day.
$50 far as was concerned" Pinker-
ton said later 1.-The case ended right
there. The hacks Of nltney's hands,
COUPLED with the absence Of foot prints
IN the vicinity Of the red mask
which proved that the job had been
| handled by someone on the ira n