Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1930-03-29
n Self>Made Negro Crininologist Whose
Uncanny Insight Into Battling Mysteries
Aided i'm Solving Many Daring Grimes
The Marvellous Accomplishments of a Man Who
Never Broke His Word and Acquired a Fortune
By Always Being Unbelievably Honest
By Gregory German

When Charley Martin
died in the little town of
Maryville, Mo, recently,
they held his funeral at the
leading white church, and
his best friend, the president
of the Farmers Trust Com
pany Bank, ordered a most
elaborate and expensive
monument to his memory.
White and colored attend
ed in large numbers; and for
a long time they grieved
over the passing of the best
loved of all distinctly origi-
nal characters.
When Charley Martin wore a
dress suit, he showed to considerable
advantage; consequently when he
attended a social function. he was
immaculate in attire, and always
admirably dressed. He was as much
at home in a drawing room as he
was in the counting room at the
bank where he was employed, and
he was always invited to things"
In fact, Charley often said he was
SO busy that he wouldn't have time
to 60 to his own wedding even if he
had made up his mind to marry
which he never did.
The police force in this college
town of five thousand inhabitants
were especially obligated to Charley
Martin for his assistance in a most
extraordinary way, inaSmuch as he
was Self-made criminologiSt. He
had the ability that many detectives
lack, that is, to see straight to the
main point in complicated myS-
terry. He furthered his aim in this
direction and accomplished more
than any one else in the way OF
solving battling mysteries. OF course,
this was only his hobby, as he was
an employee of the largest bank in
town where he drew large salary.
Everybody called Charley Martin
by his first name. He preferred this.
He was polite and kind to children,
and all the stray dogs in town ran
to him early in the morning when
he opened the door of the bank. If
they were hungry, he fed them, and
II they were homeless, he found a
home for them on some farm. Char
ley once spent half day seeking
place for a collie dog. that he had
found shivering in the cold under
the roof Of the bank porch. And be-
sides, there was his word. - ~
II Charley Martin told you he'd
do anything, you could count on it
being carried out exactly as he
promised. He expected others to do
the same for him, although it Is
true that he was many times dis
appointed. However, he did not lose
faith in humanity.
Forty-four years ago, Cal Pierce,
president of the bank, saw Charley
half clad, pushing a meat cart down
the street in the dead of winter. He
took an interest in him. Walking
out to where Charley had paused
to rest in the binding snow storm,
the fakes of which were obliterat-
ingly large, Pierce said:
Whats your name?"
Martin. Charley"
"How long have you been working
1.-Two months"
isn't that cart hard to push?"
Pierce Intercepted, ~ cycling the
young man up and down.. Don't
you have to be something of horse
to push that cart all day?"
Charley nodded energetically.
Eyes" he confessed, II do have
to be very much horse. But I have
a father and mother to look after.
/ can do anything for them"
Pierce studied the young man in
silence for moment.
How old are you?"
Charley told him he was ten.
Pretty young" Pierce said. Then
suddenly: How'd you like to have
9 'ob working in the bank, sweeping