The Expressman and the Detective

nter, and in the North the roads were blockaded with snow, while in the South there was constant rain. The rivers w

presented his letter. He received from him the particulars of the

ow" as we call it-the movements of Maroney, find out w

the Exchange Hotel, where Maroney boarded, was kept by Mr. Floyd, former proprietor of the Briggs House,

upon with contempt. I however did not flinch from the undertaking, but wrote to Porter to do all he could, and at the same time wrote to the General Superintendent, suggesting the propriety of sending another man,

aracters in a town of the size of Montgomery, an

, inwardly, as Porter found, it was far from reputable. Up stairs were private rooms, in which gentlemen met to have a quiet game of poker; while down stairs could be found the greenhorn, just "roped in," and being swindled, at three card

with the "bloods" of the town, make himself acquainted with any ladies Maroney or

he telegraphed to me to send the second man, and also r

best person to select for a "shadow". Porter

intain. It will not do to follow a person on the opposite side of the street, or close behind him, and when he stops to speak to a friend stop also; or if a person goes into a saloon, or store, pop in after him, stand st

Roch, who could follow a person for any

re appearance and rather sallow or tanned complexion. His nose was long, thin and peaked, eyes clear but heavy looking, and hair dark. He was slightly bald,

known to any one there, and would point out to him Maroney and his wife, and the messenger, Chase, who boarded at the Exchange; also Patterson, the saloon keeper, and all suspected parties. He was not to make him

and if any of them left town to follow them and immediately inform me by telegraph w

man dress. This I readily procured from my extensive wardrobe, which

grant boots, he presented himself to me with his long German pipe in his mouth, and I must say I was much pleased with his

determination to win the esteem of the company by ferreting out the thie

neral Superintendent. I had never met the gentlemen of th

ofession or business, and he made an appointment to meet me at the Astor House in the afternoon. At the Astor House h

d already received from Porter's reports. They reviewed the life of Maroney, as already related, up to th

ly, now living in Philadelphia or its environs. She was reported to have run away from home with a roué, whose acquaintance she had formed, but who soon deserted her. Afterwa

he brought her with him, took a suite of rooms

erintendent did not wish to meet her, and, when i

ot guilty of the ten thousand dollar robbery; but when my letter reached him, w

ely on his return the fast mare "Yankee Mary" made her appearance in Montgomery and that Maroney backed her heavily. It

ent had been able to discover while South, and they wer

ey had evidently planned and carried out the robbery with such consummate ability that he had not left the slightest clu

in a secret. All history proves that no one can hug a secret to his breast and live. Ev

minal acts. They always find it necessary to select some one in

nstanced the case of Eugene Aram, who took up his abode on the bleak and solitary moor, and, removed from the society of his fellow-men, tried to maintain his secret by devoting himself to astronomical o

monstrate the truth of my theory by proving that he would eventually seek some

ry and become familiar with the town. I was unknown there and should remain so, only taking a letter to their legal advisers, Watts, Judd & Jackson, whom I supp

of great executive ability and untiring energy, and felt that my dut

dence in me, and that they thought I would be enabled to unearth the guilty parties ere long. They further autho

journey I amused myself reading Martin Chuzzlewit, which I took good care to throw away on the road, as its cuts at slavery made it unpopular in the South. At the various stations planters got aboard, sometimes conveying their slaves from point to point, sometimes travelling with their families to neighboring cities. I did not con

r nothing. Maroney kept everything to himself. He and his wife went out occasionally. He frequented Patterson's, sometimes go

ng outside of his boarding-house with his pipe in his mouth, and he apparently did nothing but puff, puff, puff all day long. There was a saloon in town where lager was sold and he could, occasi

atch over her. I therefore informed the Vice-President that I would send down another detective especially

the contrary, I preferred she should do so, as I would much

were excellent men, clear-headed and accommodating. They gla