The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1936-09-03
North Carolina's Enemy Number
One Slowly Dying in
Leavenworth
ONCE A GREAT DETECTIVE
(THE LITERARY DIGEsT)

STORY QuSI-pltLen nOSplta1 bulldlng
bulged the beefy frame of CASTOR B.
Means. Americas one-time No. /.
sleuth nervously clenched the iron
bed-frame while sweat dropped over
his thick neck and heavy jaw.
In corner of the ward, physicians
debated on whether to operate on
him. They knew that an operation
might mean death.
Last week, CASTOR Means toppled
over spittoon he was cleaning and
fell to the floor with cramp Three
years of confinement had weakened
and undermined the once burly, go
pound giant. Rushed to the hospital,
he was diagnosed as having severe
kidney and bladder ailment.
If he RECEIVERS from his present ill
ness, he will still have twelve more
years to think over his stupendous
law violations. High-lights of his
astounding career include the
charge: breach of promise, espionage,
forgery, murder, opening of bonded
warehouses of the Government to
bootleggers, ninety-nine other VIOLA
tions of the National Prohibition Act,
use of the mails to defraud, bribery
to protect criminals, rifling the Of
fees of United States Senators, lar
ceny, ENLIGHTENMENT and conspiracy.
And yet, unlike nearly every
criminal of his type and caliber,
CASTOR Means's record remained
spotless during the first half Of his
life. Then, at the age of thirty three,
young CASTOR was diligently devel-
oping his fantastic talents as con-
fidential man and investigator for
j, w. Cannon, cotton-mill king, in
whose North Carolina neighborhood
the highly gifted detective had been
born and reared.
His erudition first was applied
when he took an insurance company
over the hurdles for $4,000 in 1914.
The same year, the giant >swagger-
ed into the Burns Detective Agency.
Within another year, he was rated
as the greatest operative in that or
ganization.
One morning, twelve months later,
Means confided in William J. Burns
that Captain Won Papen, then Ger
man Military Attache in Washington
Cater German Chancellor), had Of
fered him 100000 to work for the
Kaiser in tying up American NUM-
ton plants working for the Allies.
He asked Burns to cooperate.
Burns declined the proposition, !
whereupon Means left to become a
spy. Overnight, his earrings scared to
$1,000 a week and many thousands
more for special assignments.
In an old isolated tomb in the
New York Trinity Churchyard, in
the dead of night, Means would find
his orders cached in a crevice, to-
gether with bundles of $1,000 bills,
Means testified.
Meanwhile, his acquaintance with
a rich Chicago widow, Mrs. Maude
King, was beginning to net hand
some profits. He became her
trusted financial adviser" forged a
few signatures, and got $4,000 for
the young millionairess by causing
her to break up trust fund, estab-
Iished for her mother and two broth
ers.
sim going to make you worth
100000 year," he announced to
he handsome widow one evening
while they were playing dice. This
oastime, incidentally netted him
roughly 100000 of her money within
1 few months.
A second will' which he produc-
ID would turn over to. Mrs. King the
entire $6,000,000 estate of which only
Il 100000 had been awarded to her.
His commission he fixed at $950,00O,
payable when the courts declared
he will valid.
But Mrs. King wanted to marry
again, and this did not fit into hand
some Gaston's plans. One night in
August, 1917, he arranged moon
light target-shooting party, together
With two friends. Near Blackwelder
Springs, N. C, the party left the au-
;omobile.
Means suddenly became thirsty,
insisted on drinking from forest
spring. Mrs. King remained with him
While the other two members OF the
party walked ahead.
Means placed his pistol in the fork
If q tree. Mrs. King was standing