magic and real detectives-第6部分

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envelope　of　the　kind　in　the　lot；　but　it　told　the　whole　story　to　the

eye　that　could　penetrate　its　meaning。　　As　the　thimble　passed　along

the　edge；　it　left　the　mark　of　the　rim；　then　a　smooth；　narrow　band；

followed　by　pointed　elevations　closely　resembling　continuous　lines；

thus：







。。。。。。。。

。。。。。。。。



On　the　opposite　side　of　the　same　seal　the　wax　flattened　out　so　as

to　cover　a　good　deal　of　surface；　and；　to　give　it　the　desired

appearance；　the　manipulator　resorted　to　the　thimble　again；　but　this

time　USED　A　DIFFERENT　ONE；　the　indentations　on　the　surface　being

perceptibly　finer　and　more　shallow。



The　violation　of　that　single　seal　betrayed　the　thief；　for　the

detective　at　once　inferred　that　the　job　was　done　in　a　store　where

the　operator　had　access　to　a　variety　of　thimbles。　　Only　one　was

required；　and　no　person　but　a　merchant　would　be　likely　to　have　more

than　one　within　convenient　reach。　　In　a　store；　however；　it　would　be

natural　to　take　down　a　boxful；　and　place　it　on　the　counter；　to　be

selected　from　at　random。　　One　is　picked　up；　used；　and　thrown　back。

The　operator　now　finds　another　spot　that　requires　attention；　and

without　waiting　to　hunt　for　the　thimble　that　has　already　served　as

a　seal；for　the　wax　is　cooling　and　no　time　must　be　lost；grasps

the　first　that　comes　to　hand；　too　absorbed　in　the　main　issue　to

give　a　thought　to　what　would　pass　as　an　insignificant　subsidiary

trifle。　　No　rascal　is　sharp　enough　to　guard　every　point；a　general

fact　that　illustrates　over　and　over　again；　in　the　experience　of

man；　the　seminal　truth　that　in　a　mercenary　and　physical　as　well　as

in　a　high　and　spiritual；　sense　there　is　neither　wisdom　nor　profit

outside　of　the　limits　of　absolute　integrity　and　unflinching

uprightness。



The　detective　laid　aside　the　papers　with　a　light　heart；　knowing

that　at　last　he　was　complete　master　of　the　situation。　　Below　Camden

on　the　infested　route　the　post…office　was　kept　in　a　store　at　two

points　only；　and　in　one　of　those　no　thimbles　were　sold。　　The　clew

pointed　unerringly　to　Raven's　Nest　as　the　spot　where　alone　the

requisite　conditions　to　account　for　the　imprint　on　the　violated

seal　were　to　be　found。　　Thither　the　officer　accordingly　went；　and

the　moment　his　eye　rested　on　Michael　Mahoney；　Jr。；　he　recognized

the　heaven…branded　features　of　a　thief。



Returning　to　Sioux　City；　he　telegraphed　to　another　agent；　who　had　a

large　number　of　the　cases　growing　out　of　the　robberies；　to　come　on

at　once。　　The　two　men　took　stations；　one　on　each　side　of　Raven's

Nest；　and　in　thirty　hours　they　arrested　the　youthful　criminal；　who

in　the　interval　stole　four　decoy　letters；　and　paid　a　portion　of　the

contents　to　one　of　the　officers　who　was　testing　him。



Mr。　Furay　collected　from　the　thief　and　his　relatives　the　full

amount　stolen　from　the　mails　during　the　entire　continuance　of　the

depredations；　restoring　the　money　to　the　rightful　owners　dollar　for

dollar。　　Young　Mahoney　made　a　written　confession；　supplemented　by

three　or　four　codicils　relating　to　items　which；　to　use　his　own

language；　〃at　first　did　not　to　me　occur。〃　　He　was　tried　the

following　February；　and　sentenced　to　the　penitentiary　for　the　term

of　three　years。



Within　fifteen　days　from　the　time　when　the　doors　of　the　prison　were

closed　upon　the　son；　the　villainous　old　father；　acting　perhaps　on

the　theory　that　no　two　shots　ever　strike　in　exactly　the　same　place；

began　also　to　rob　the　mails。　　In　due　time　Mr。　Furay　again　appeared

on　the　scene　and　took　the　old　reprobate　away　a　prisoner。　　When　the

trial　came　on；　a　material　witness　for　the　prosecution　happened　to

be　absent；　the　lack　of　whose　testimony　proved　fatal　to　the　case；

for　after　hanging　a　day　and　a　night；　the　jury　brought　in　a　verdict

of　acquittal。







AN　ERRING　SHEPHERD





The　ingenuity　and　perseverance　of　the　fraternity　of　swindlers　is

only　equaled　by　the　gullibility　and　patience　of　their　dupes。

During　the　flush　times　that　followed　the　war；　immense　fortunes　were

suddenly　acquired　by　a　class　of　cheats　who　operated　on　the

credulity　of　the　public　through　gift　enterprises；　lotteries；　and

other　kindred　schemes。　　Most　of　the　large　concerns　established

their　headquarters　in　New　York　City；　flooding　the　entire　country；

particularly　the　South　and　West；　with　lithographic　circulars；

written　apparently　with　the　pen　for　the　exclusive　benefit　of　the

recipient；　and　showing　how　fortunes　could　be　securely　made　by

remitting　specified　sums　to　the　houses　in　question。　　Some　of　the

bogus　firms　simply　pocketed　the　cash　of　correspondents　without

pretending　to　render　any　equivalent　whatever；　while　others；　no　more

honest；　but　a　little　more　politic；　sent　forth　worthless　jewelry　and

other　stuff　by　the　bushel。



One　of　the　most　villainous　and　at　the　same　time　successful　devices

was　built　up　on　the　offer　of　counterfeit　currency　at　a　heavy

discount。　　In　substance；　the　circulars；　emanating　from　different

parties；　and　from　the　same　parties　under　different　names；　were　all

alike。　　They　usually　began　with　an　insidious　compliment　to　the

person　addressed；　to　the　effect　that　from　trustworthy　sources　the

writer　had　heard　of　him　as　a　man　of　more　than　ordinary　capacity　and

shrewdness；　and；　emboldened　by　the　high　estimate　placed　upon　his

abilities　by　persons　well　qualified　to　judge；　had　selected　him　as

the　very　individual　to　aid　in　securing　a　fortune　for　both　with

〃absolute　safety。〃　　The　circular　usually　goes　on　to　state　that　the

writer　is　a　first…class　engraver；indeed　〃one　of　the　most　expert

in　the　United　States；〃while　his　partner　is　a　first…class　printer。

Hence　the　firm　possess　unrivaled　facilities　for　imitating　the

national　currency。　　The　recipient　is　particuarly　cautioned　to

beware　of　a　class　of　miscreants　who　infest　the　city　of　New　York　and

advertise　throughout　the　country　the　goods　that　he　manufactures；

but　send　nothing　except　rubbish。　　The　〃original　Doctor　Jacobs〃

excoriates　unmercifully　the　whole　tribe　of　swindlers　whose

rascalities　debauch　and　bring　odium　upon　the　trade。　　He　exhorts　the

gentleman　of　great　reputed　〃shrewdness　and　sagacity〃　to　observe　the

utmost　caution　in　conducting　operations；　and　gives　him　explicit

directions　how　to　forward　the　purchase…money。



Several　years　ago　a　preacher　of　the　gospel；　stationed　not　far　from

the　northern　frontier　of　the　republic；　received　by　mail　one　of　the

seductive　missives　of　Ragem　&　Co。；　of　New　York　City。　　The　douceur

opened　with　the　usual　complimentary　references　to　the　peculiar

personal　fitness　of　the　clergyman　for　the　proposed　enterprise；　and

went　on　to　state　that；　in　exchange　for　genuine　greenbacks；　Ragem　&

Co。　would　furnish　in　the　proportion　of　fifty　to　one　imitations　so

absolutely　perfect　that　the　most　experienced　bank　officers　could

not　distinguish　the　difference。　　Rev。　Zachariah　Sapp；for　such　was

the　euphonious　name　of　the　preacher；after　an　attentive　perusal　of

the　flattering　proposal；　deposited　the　document　in　his　coat…pocket

for　convenience　of　reference。　　Having　pondered　the　subject　for　a

day　or　two；　he　decided　to　write　to　Ragem　&　Co。　for　more　explicit

information。



Divining　with　the　peculiar　instinct　of　the　guild　the　character　of

the　fish　now　nibbling　at　the　naked　hook；　the　cheat　resolved　to　risk

a　little　bait；　and　accordingly　sent　by　return　mail　a　genuine　one…

dollar　note；　with　a　written　invitation　both　for　a　reply　and　a

personal　conference。



Never　before　did　the　Rev。　Zachariah　Sapp　subject　a　piece　of　paper

to　such　scrutiny。　　Both　with　the　naked　eye　and　with　a　microscope；

a　relic　of　collegiate　days；he　studied　the　engravings　and　filigree

work。　　Detail　by　detail　he　compared　the　supposed　imitation　with

bills　of　known　genuineness　without　being　able　to　discover　the

slightest　point　of　variation　between　them。　　Paper；　printing；　and

engraving　seemed　to　be　absolutely　perfect。　　While　the　study　was

progressing；　the　imagination　of　the　clergyman　soared　through　the

empyrean　of　dazzling　expectations。　　Why　continue　to　toil　hard　for　a

small　pittance　when　the　golden　apples　were　hanging　within　easy

reach？　　Why　drag　out　an　existence　in　penury　when　wealth　and　its

joys　were　thrust　upon　him？



Zachariah；　however；　was　prudent　and　thriftyindeed　rather　more

thrifty　in　the　estimation　of　parishioners　than　befitted　one　who

held　by　right　of　faith　a　title…deed　to　mansions　in　the　skies。

Almost　as　soon　would　he　risk　his　future　inheritance　as　peril　on　a

doubtful　venture　the　few　hundred　dollars　snugly　saved　up　for　a　wet

day　by　prudence　and　economy。



Not　willing　to　rely　entirely　on　his　own　judgment；　he　rather

reluctantly　decided　to　call　on　a　banker　in　an　adjacent　town；　with

whom　he　enjoyed　a　slight　acquaintance。　　In　thinking　the　matter　over

he　was　greatly　perplexed　to　determine　how　to　introduce　the　subject。

Of　course　it　would　not　answer　to　allow　the　cashier　to　fathom　his

secret　purpose；　and　yet　he　was　oppressed　with　a　vague　consciousness

that　only　a　translucent　film　hid　his　thought　from　the　world。　　Once

or　twice；　in　driving　over　on　the　unfamiliar　errand；　weak　and

irresolute　he　half　resolved　to　turn　back；　but　greed　finally

prevailed；　and　he　kept　on　to　the　village。



With　a　strong　but　unsatisfactory　effort　to　appear　at　ease；　he

sauntered　into　the　bank。　　After　the　usual　interchange　of　greetings；

he　nervously　remarked；　〃Brother　Hyde；　as　I　was　coming　this　way　to…

day　to　call　on　Brother　Tompkins；　I　have　taken　the　liberty　to　drop

in　to　ask　you　a　question　on　a　matter　in　your　line。〃



〃Very　well；〃　replied　the　banker；　〃I　shall　be　happy　to　serve　you。〃



〃I　had　a　transaction　a　few　days　ago；〃　resumed　the　clergyman；　〃with

a　peddler；an　entire　stranger　to　me；who；　in　making　change；　gave

me　a　number　of　bills　which　I　have　reason　to　suspect　are

counterfeits。　　I　desire　your　opinion。〃



〃Please　let　me　see　them；〃　said　Mr。　Hyde。



He　took　the　one…dollar　note　from　the　hand　of　the　unfaithful　pastor；

and　after　scanning　it　a　moment；　inquired；　〃What　is　the　matter　with

it？〃