The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-05-26

WHO ISL - lOA "a NNb "AAAi HN'N
many women believe he was, storm
ing the front page and mingling his
bigamous career with more impor-
tant news.
Or is there important news?
Much that we know about the
principals of health and hygiene
originated in the study Of disease.
Why is it not logical to suppose
that we can get better insight into
the principles that govern human
conduct by studying crime?
Three questions present them
selves with regard to this monstrous
Beau Brummel.
First. how come it that a man
Df such attainments as he seems to
possess should choose such a career?
Second, why should so many wom-
en- Of good fortune and apparent
good sense fall for his wiles?
Third, and most important Of all,
what peculiar wit on his part, or
weakness on theirs, enable him to
elude the police of a dozen cities so
long and so successfully?
i. i
His name is Herman Kruger, to
let him tell it; he is a graduate Of
the University Of Vienna and has a
wife and daughter on the operatic
stage.
But the mystery of his being does
not lie in names, though he has
supported enough of them, nor yet
in the startling possibility that he
may have contracted one honest
marriage.
What makes him an anomaly or
freak if you prefer, and worth head
lining in a thousand newspapers, is
the fact that he could go into a
town, get on intimate terms with
some well-to-do woman, make her
his wife, persuade her to give him
her jewels and slip away in less
time than it takes ordinary folks to
learn the names Of the principal
streets.
Washington, New York, Buffalo,
Chicago. st. Louis, st. Paul, San
Francisco, it was one to him, just
another venture in love just another
confidence game in the bridal cham
Der, and Just another fade out
with the loot while the bewitched
and Tilted bride spent more or less
time watchfully waiting before she
came to her senses.
There have been fifty such hur
ried courtships, honeymoons and de-
partures, they say.
Each and every woman involved
passed better men on the street eV-
cry day, but never with so much as
a smile or nod.
No sooner did this false nobleman
or scientist or doctor hove in sight,
however, then they lost their re-
serve, giving him not only their
love. but their confidence, and with
it their cash.
Does the problem hinge or fen1i-
nine charm, or in mastery of the
male?
j. i.
Kruger, Whiteman, Beaverbrook,
DR. Boone, or whatever you please
to call him, was finally identified and
located by an amateur detective,
who nirted with his latest conquest,
a blonde, found out where he was
and notified the police.
He was arrested in a barbershop
after he had been nicely shaved and
manicured. as was his delight.
lie waits in q Philadelphia cell
with more cities claiming him than
ever claimed the immortal Homer.
No matter what the law does with
him. he viii take a foremost place in
our hall of criminal fame.
Like Chapman, Fernkes and Rich
ard Reese Whittemore, he got his
million, though in cleverer and
less violent way.
II l. l.
We catch our criminals eventual
ly, but we catch them late. The
reason, perhaps, is not so hard to
find.
The underworld still breeds it's
Ranles, but the upper world has
ceased to breed its Sherlock Holmes.
Crime still hourishes by the lone
hand, the bold individual, the master
mind, the dominated group, but law
enforcement has run to seed with
organization system and bookish
rules. The police can catch a crook
if he plays the game according to
what they have learned by rote, but
if he shows originality, which the
dangerous criminal always does,
they are lost until the whole force
has had time to educate itself.
We never needed the great de-
tective, the free lance, the man
hunter with sporting blood as much
as we need him right now.
Frank Norfleet, a Texas ranch
man, without any training or eX
perience, peeled off his coat, after he
had been swindled by a gang of
bunco.steerers and not only landed
the whole five in Jail but sixty more
by way Of good measure. Twenty
such men would stop the more
serious phase of this crime wave.
Gu00TC AT pR0MII EP