Show HOW REFORMED KING OF CROOKS TRICKS WORST GANG IN EUROPE f f y i by GEORGE BARTON father of detectives eugene francois becomes member of the most desperate paris band known to crime annals seemingly immune from police interference and he lands entire outfit in fearful danger of death sleuth masquerades as denizen of the under worlds joins cracksman cracksmen Cracks men and leads them on for months he Is believed dead by M henry prefect of police at paris france eugene francois who has been called the I 1 ather of detectives was born at arras july 23 1775 the son of a baker lie became in turn an acrobat with a traveling circus a soldier in the french army a vagabond a grgec and a con vict he was sent to the galleys or ight yean but escaped and joined a band highwaymen iia turned state a evidence on some of his companions and in 1812 was made chief of the secret po lice of paris exemplifying the phrase set a thief to catch a thief he was remarkably successful but finally lost his place in ass lie opened private detec live agency and also tour vol umes of his memoirs he died in poverty in HENRY the prefect ot the paris police sat at his desk in his private office his Q face a picture ot perplexity he picked up a paper that lay before him and read it care fully for the third time it nas an official report of a desperate robbery that had occurred in the heart of the french capital the night before moreover it was one of many similar reports thera had been an epidemic of robberies and the police seemed powerless to stop them M henry summoned M ber famed as a cross examiner of criminals and M parisot Parl sot the gov arnor of prisons and the three men talked long and earnestly but without coming to any conclusion presently a look of gratification overspread the countenance of M henry he turned to his colleagues gentlemen I 1 have it what Is lt they called in chorus be seated he responded and wait they did as they were bid and the prefect touched a button A messenger responded tell to come here at once ald M henry in a few minutes the door opened and a strong well built man with square shoulders shambled into the room he had gray hair a nose blue eyes a smooth face and a per letual smile he glanced about him in a furtive way and realized that he was la the presence of the triumvirate of talent that ruled the underworld of paris he squared himself as a man would who was preparing to be on the defensive dut the first words of the prefect reassured him we need your assistance the mn m n bowed low M abary I 1 am at your service ab sol the prefect handed him the report take that and read jt carefully it Is one of many the criminals are having a carnival I 1 want you to capture this gang gan g my regular police have tailed they bring me only ex auses I 1 wish you to bring roe the prisoners smiled that everlasting smile and bowed again it shall be as you wish M henry he left the room with three ba teries of sharp eyes leveled at him M bertaux shrugged his shoulders A quack doctor sent to burglars M parisot spread out his hands in disgust A showman s clown a petty thief on the detec the force M henry smiled blandly gentlemen ou are not alone in your disapproval do you see these papers pointing to a high pile on the side of his dask these are all and complaints against the cm ploy men t of are honest men some from thieves but he ahall have his chance his past Is behind him his future in his own bands I 1 shall judge him solely by re cults II 11 spent all morning in going over the reports that had been placed in his hands after that he returned to bis lodgings and throwing himself on the bed lay awake all night de JACKED J a plan of campaign when day light arrived it was completely blocked out in his mind not a detail was over looked the first step was to discard his own personality and take up that of another it would have to be a ahlet the honor of being impersonated ell to one germaen Ger maln alias the captain he was a fugitive galley slave bad known him in the days well in the daya before he became a detective germaen had dark brown hair that of was light be was thin was stout his complexion was sallow that of was clear bilut the re source tul detective overcame all of these obstacles days were employed in perfecting the likeness first be attained a seven days growth of beard then he dyed his hair and beard black by the generous use of white walnut liquor he attained a most unhealthy complexion tho original was a snuff fiend garnished his upper lip with a mixture of coffee grounds and gum arable he made blisters on bis feet by rubbing in a composition with which he was fa mallar he mado the marks of the fetters on his ankles and dressing himself in a suitable garb was ready tor his enterprise after that be became a regular tre guenter of the thieves dens of paris among so many little chloves there was one big ahlet his name was con stant lne a former fencing master who having run the gamut of dissipation had now reached the closing stages of crime in his spent life his corn looked upon him as a man ot enterprise bold in execution and on all occasions possessing the most un blushing effrontery the attention of the police had been directed to him more than once but they had never been able to secure the least scintilla of evidence against the man knowing this moved cau he knew that a might mean his own life for he was in the midst of desperate characters who thought nothing of murder he put on a sad face bemoaned bis own fate and bewailed the act that he had no means of recouping his fallen for tunes he became friendly with one of the intimates of constantine lne and that worthy being piled with liquor gave the detective full particulars of the habits of tho big thief they passed the night together and before morning knew all about the haunts of constantine lne on the following day he again met bis voluble informant in the dance hall on the faubourg Fau bourg st germaen he was quite excited would you like to meet constan alne he asked most assuredly replied the detective now Is your time if you wish to speak to constantine lne he Is here only waited long enough for the newcomer to be seated when he went up to him carelessly and said would you kindly oblige me with a little tobacco from your box the famous thief looked the detect ive over from head to foot before re plying after an embarrassing inter val constantine lne passed his tobacco box to then be said abruptly you have been in the army the detective could have fallen to the floor had all of bis carefully contrived disguise counted for noth ing did constantine lne know who he was in any event it would serve his interest to answer the question truth fully so with pretended nonchalance he said why yes how did you know f simply because no man can con ceal it once in the army you carry the badge of it with you through life in your walk in your shoulders in your talk in our manners laughed uproariously as it he considered athla a good joke and in the confusion invited his new found friend to take a drink he accepted and in the course of their conversation the detective was delighted to find that the other had not penetrated his als guise I 1 like you finally cried constan tine and I 1 want you to take dinner with borne friends of mine that night dined with a party of charming cracksman cracksmen cracks men every one of them noted in his profession con stant lne was the chief joubert bis able lieutenant and the others faith tul followers the wine flowed freely and the best of feeling prevailed one of the company said facetiously that he had just come into a fortune and was celebrating the event As a mat ter of fact he had cracked a crib the night before and was spending part tt his gotten wealth con stant lne turning to said hows your nerve tine are you in tor an adventure surely with whom with the locksmiths lock smiths daughter keeping up the spirit of the thing bowed gravely acknowledging the introduction and inquired when he would have the pleasure of going out with the lady it might be to night he said grum blang it it were not for that in fernal the detective pricked up his ears at the mention of his own name he preserved the gravity of his coulten ance however as he remarked carelessly oh I 1 don t mind him it I 1 can keep clear of the informers they tell me paris swarms with the parasites that s true said constantine lne but it you can keep from guessing at your business you are safe enough with me As tor these informers I 1 dont tear them I 1 can smell those beggars as easily as a crow scents powder well said I 1 cannot boast of so much penetration yet I 1 think too that from the frequent description I 1 have beard of this his fea tures are so well engraved in my decol lection that I 1 should pretty soon lecog alze him it I 1 came unexpectedly in bis way god bless you cried constantine lne it Is easy to perceive you are a stran ger to the vagabond just imagine now that he la never to be seen twice in the same dress that be Is in the morning perhaps just such another looking person as you well the nelt hour so altered that hla own brother could not recognize him and by the evening I 1 defy any man to remember ever having seen him before only yesterday I 1 met him disguised in a manner that would have deceived any eye but mine but he must be a deep hand if he gets over me I 1 know these sneaks at the first glance and it my friends were as knowing as myself his business would have been done long ago nonsense cried every body says the same thing of him and yet you see thera Is no getting rid of him constantine lne was on his feet at once with an oath he cried out to prove that I 1 can act as well as talk it you will lend me a helping hand this very evening we will waylay him at his door and warrant we 11 settle the job so as to keep him from giving any of ug further uneasiness immediately agreed and was placed in the unique position ot going out with a party of thieves to waylay himself they actually went to the home of the detective but as may ie imagined he did not appear and after three hours of waiting they gave up the vigil in disgust many days had passed and still was without the specific evl dence which would enable him to put his hand on the shoulder of constan tine and say thou art the man of one thing he was morally certain it was that the erstwhile fencing master was at the head of a band of resourceful and unscrupulous thieves aw night after a jollification at the dance hall the crisis came friend said constantine lne with a leer do ou feel like an adventure tonight to night with whom asked with my lady love the locksmith s daughter join you with all my heart exclaimed the detective in undisguised sincerity the plot was revealed with great attention to details the cracksman cracksmen cracks men had been spotting the mansion of a wealthy banker on one of the boulevards of paris come boys cried constantine lne a drink all around and then we U get down to business on the plea of searching tor hla hat and coat contrived to separate himself from the others tor a few minutes lie wrote a hurried message on the back of an old envelope and finding a gendarme in the vicinity of the restaurant rest aurent dispatched him with the note to the nearest prefecture it was to the point it told of the place of rendezvous ren devous and added have halt a dozen men on the spot frighten the cracksman cracksmen cracks men but make no arrests until they have been driven to a place of refuge when returned to the table his unsuspecting confederates were preparing to leave in 20 minutes they reached their destination after that the chief advanced to the gate with his brass key the famous locksmiths lock smiths daughter to his sur prise it would not work he turn bled with it for nearly a minute and then gave it up as a bad job boys called the chief we ve got to jump the wall and get down to bust ness we can t fool around all night here sou to the detective give us a hand planted himself against the wall of the garden and holding out his two hands boosted the cracksman cracksmen cracks men over the wall one at a time constan tine was the last one up he held bis hand down to and assisted him to the top of the stone coping now germaen Ger maln baid constantine lne to the detective you get in the shad ow near the end of the wall and keep a sharp lookout if you see the police give a low whistle be on the alert because everything depends on you nodded his head yes he repeated significantly everything depends on me on the wall watched the operation intently what a unique position he felt like an umpire tor society at that moment the thieves on one side of the wall the officers of the law on the other and himself in the middle truly everything depended on him tick tick tick came the low sharp sound of the metallic inspru ment finally the shutter was forced after that a pane of glass rtuh cat and then nothing stood between tha burglars and their booty five minutes ten they worked there industriously everything wa done with businesslike precision four stout bags stood with yawning doutha f iw ready to receive the swag looked on the outside of the wall the streets were deserted not a soul was in sight had his note miscarried would the police fall hima it looked that way what a predicament for a sleuth to be the confederate of thieves it one 0 als many enemies should catch him in such a position he might have a hard time explaining to M henry present ly a measured tread was heard on the jmj hard sidewalk his heart bounded it was a squad of police he leaned over and whispered hist A captain of police approached it Is I 1 called the detect ive in a subdued voice 1 will alva the alarm but I 1 wish you to let them go their way two ot them are armed presently come to my old lodgings the captain saluted and with his men sought shelter at the same moment gave a low prolonged whistle instantly there was a commotion within were grabbed up and all scampered toward the wall its the police whispered come quickly and you may escape they unbolted the gate and hurried out joined them where are the policed 9 whispered constantine lne gone the other way said if were careful we can elude them they hurried along for a few blocks the detective turned to the chief cracksman its dangerous to go through tho streets with these bags fieres my old lodgings lets creep in here for 9 cin aou get in asked constan tine i sure replied I 1 have my r key and I 1 know the room s vacant silently they crept inside one at a time and closed the door behind them constantine slapped on the back you re a brick germaen I 1 told you hed distinguish himself boys what do you call this place asked joubert looking around him y I 1 call it the mousetrap said VI cocq docq with a leer the cricksman cricks men laughed loudly at this sally the swag was poured out on the table and the enterprising gentlemen were soon engaged in dividing their rich haul constantino and joubert the only ones who possessed weapons laid their pistols on a chair silly S picked them up and secreted them under a mattress in the midst of the exultation a loud knocking was heard at the door the thieves looked at one another with pale faces V cocq docq crawled under the bed junob served no sooner was he out of sight than the door was burst open and a swarm of inspectors and policemen entered the room in the twin J klang of an eye five pairs of handcut ta were shoved onto the wrists of the cracksman cracksmen cracks men and they were being marched to the nearest police station i III 5 it was new years day at the prefecture of police M henry follow ing a long established custom was holding his annual reception tha room was crowded and all of the officers of the police high and low were there to present their chief with the compliments of the seanoa M bertaux the cross examiner of criminals and M parisot Parl sot the governor ot prisons were in the line receiving |