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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 10, 1911)
I 4 ill Repentance st of Hartz A TRUE STORY OF THE SECRET SERVICE By COL. H. C. WHITLEY ""SSSKfifSn. 13 T was Boraotlmo In the fall of 1850 that n Strang it camo trudging along tho turnpike Ho was short nml fat. His round red faco was covered with a stubby growth of blondo whiskers. Ho woro a brond lint bluo cloth cap and a long brown linen duster a llttlo out of sea son. A bundle tightly roll ed In black oilcloth was strapped to his back. Ho stopped in tho mlddlo of tho road. Looking about, his eyes rcstod upon a woather-boaten sign board upon which had onco been painted tho plcturo of a black bear resting upon Its haunches. For morn than a huudred years this sign board had been swinging to and fro as If beckoning and Inviting pasaorsby to outer tho llttlo inn that wns standing somo 15 or 20 feet back from tho road. It took Mr. Herman Wolsgar bor soveral minutes to decipher tho inscription beneath tho fadod plcturo. Whon ho had succeeded, as ho thought, ho muttered audibly, "Dion Ish do blaco. Dor black boar vas inn, und I shust roysolf vlll walk In mlt him." Bracing up n llttlo and stroking his chin ho stopped with a longthoncd ntrldo Into tho llttlo front room that sorvod as an offlco for tho Black Bear Tun. Hero ho found himself in tho prosonco of n pleasant-facod woman who smllod coquottlshly. Ho grcotcd her in his own tongue, In which sho ropllod, and tho conver sation was now carried on briskly in the Germain language It was a bux om widow on tho ono hand and n ras cally countorfoltor on tho othor. Ho was a long-tlmo roguo, but sho was honest and unsuspicious. With her tho world was good, with him it was dog eat dog and tho dovll tako tho hindmost. Tho widow Hartz was al together too unsophisticated to pene trate tho dark recesses of the hollow hearted man that had by chanco como suddenly into tho affairs of her life. She Judged him by her own heart and little droamod of tho misery bo soon to follow hor chanco acquaint ance with Herman, Woisgarbor, Her husband had died about two years before. At this tlmo hor heart was centered on her son; a young man nearly twenty years of age. John Hartz, thanks to tho training of his father, was honest and Industrious. The Dlack Dear Inn and tho little farm adjoining was a 'sacred Inheri tance from his paternal grandfather. The Inn was now somowhat out of date, but was still doing Us part to wards furnishing tho mother and son a living; and a llttlo to lay up for a rainy day. John's father bad taught him to stand Armly for tho right In 1 all things.1 Mr. WoUgarber's gray bluo oyos wero shining brightly benoath his overhanging brows art he stood ox plaining to tho widow Hartz regarding himself. Tho word tramp, now so aptly applied to tho tie-path tourist, had not been coined in that day and men of his ltko wero llttlo understood. He said he was just out on a ploasure tour and that ho traveled on foot ns a matter of choice. Ho was moving leisurely along that ho might bottor enjoy the lovely scenery and . pure mountain air. His words were well chosen and deeply impressive as he cautiously worked his way up to the point of ottering to remain for a time and assist In the work about tho Inn and farm. Ho had a smooth tongue. The turn-pike, winding its way along up and down the aldos, over and across tho Alloghony mountains was thon the popular highway for drovers nnd wagoners upon their way to and fro betwoon Eastern Pennsyl vania and Pittsburg. Tho people along this route wero principally Ger mans, 8omo of thorn could nolthor road nor speak English. Thoy liyod mainly on what thoy producod nnd had llttlo occasion to spend their money. Almost anything that lookod llko money would pass. In thoso days much of tho paper money In circulation was of the wild cat kind, Between tho counterfeit and gonulno issuo thoro was but llt tlo choice Ouo paBBod from hnud to hand almost as readily as tho othor. Horman Welsgarbor, as ho callod hlmsolf, hod for many years been dodg ing about from place to pluco ma klnB a living by shoving tho queer. Under pretonco of his Inability to un derstand tho English language he was able to decolvu tho 'omcors and os capo nrrost. It wob alwayB "Nlcht versteho" with him. "Ho shust didn't know nottlng 'bout baper monies." To tho widow Hartz ho nppoarod a man of honor. Sho measured his character by hor own and could sea no farthor. Six montbB had scurcoly passed from tho Urao she mot him until ho became her husband, When John Hartz camo In contact with his stop-father ho was honest, and had ho followed in tho footsteps of nls own father no would have ro malnod so, It did not take long to provo that be was ausceptlblo and easily drawn into ways that wero dark and fprblddlng Step by stop he was led along and craftily initiated. Into the mysterious doings of counterfeit era. Ono day a drover camo along tho plko with n long string of oxen and stoppod at tho Illack Dear Inn, and engaged a pasture for his cattle over night, Tho drover was now In thnt pnrt of tho oountry, and for safety ho handed his pockot book, containing soveral hundred dollars, to John Hartz for safo keeping, In the prcsenco of Wolsgarbcr. 8hortly afterwards when tho drovor was out attending to his cnttlo, Woisgarbor suggnstod tho Idea to John of changing tho good money In tho pockot book for nn equal nmount of counterfeit thnt ho had on hnud. John wns easily persuaded. He thought his stop-father know bost. In tho morning tho drover received his pocket book nnd proceeded to count Its contents. Ho at onco saw thnt tho bills' woro of n different kind than thoso lib- had been cnrrylng. Ho pulled n counterfeit detector from his pocket and examined them. Having satisfied himself that thoy woro bad, ho charged John with hnvlng substi tuted them. Tho nccused mnn'B fnco turnod red nnd ho began to stammer, but his stop-father who was standing by, camo at onco to tho front and com menced to talk In German to John. Turning to tho drovor ho protested In badly broken English that tho young man was honest and hadn't evon opened tho pocket book. Between the two tho drover got a tongue lashing for his accusation thnt so completely upset him thnt ho was nono too suro that ho ovor had any money. Ho was now in a bad tlx; a long ways from John. Ho now becamo dazed with fear and cxcltcmont Ho left the homo of his boyhood on foot and mado his way to Philadelphia, whero ho chanced to meot his stepfather who wns n member of a gang of counterfeiters. John was easily persuaded nnd ho Buf fered himself to bo led nlong step by step until ho was deep in tho mlro. Our Civil war had brought n great change In the finances of tho country. Wild cat banks hnd gone out of ox Istonco nnd a new kind of money was in use. Thero wns n great doal of. counterfeiting going on and John Hnrtz was ono of tho number ongaged' in it. Llko tho most of tho man of his stamp ho was unsuccessful in ac cumulating wealth. A counterfeit beer stamp made its appcaranco In Philadelphia and I found it necessary to visit thnt city Tho night .was dark and stormy and it was about tho portentous hour of 1:00 a. m when ghosts nro Bald to Btalk abroad in ghastly whlto array, that four detectlvos loft their comfort abla quarters in tho hotel with tho ex pectation of making an Important arrest. Tho man thoy sought was In visible during tho day tlmo and n dif ficult mnn to encountor at night. Ho had frequently been henrd; of but had seldom been seen by tho government dotectlves. When tho officers roached tho appointed placo they scattered and took up their positions whero thoy would attract as llttlo attention ns posslblo. Their mysterious mission had beon fully explained; a deal was expected to be pulled off. Ono of tho detectives was rotund of person. Ho hnd, through ono of tho counterfeiting gang, beon Introduced as a beer deal er who said ho wns willing to tnko his chances with bogus stamps, nnd ho had bargained with ono of the coun terfeiters for five thousand counter feit lager bocr stamps, and was to rocolvo them at a certain hour at a designated placo. When tho man put In nn appear nnco to innlte tho dellvory ho was to bo arrested. This individual, owing to tlio darkness of tho night, was unablo to see tho' detoctlvos stationed about, and ho wnlked with his carpet bag in home with a pocket book full of coun terfoil tnonoy ns his only wherowlth to pay his expenses. After everything had cooled down, Mr. (Woisgarbor, in n burst of gener osity1, was good onough to loan tho drover ono or two hundred dollars to pay his way until ho could reach Strnsburgh, a llttlo town at tho foot of tho Three Drother mountains. Tho drovor was silenced but not altogether convinced, His money was all right tho day before, but ho wasn't qulto suro" It was of tho right otivmp when ho hnnded it over to the young man for safo kooplng. Hero wns an exem plification of tbo llttlo dltforonco bo twoen tho truth nnd a Ho well stuck to. Tlmo rolled on nnd John Hartz career In crlmo becamo moro and moro firmly fixed. Ono day tho sheriff came with a warrant for tho "Flying Dutchmnn," which meant Herman Woisgarbor. "Qott on Hlmmolll Vot Ish dish?" ho oxclalmod. A long explanation ensued- nnd tho shorlft was greatly puzzled rognrdlng his duty. Ho was convinced that tho accused mnn was innocent, and ho thought it might bo a safo thing to lcavo him at his homo nnd go buck to tho county Boat und report beforo ma king the arrest. Whon ho reached thero ho was told to return at unco und bring his man.. Whon ha got back to tho Illack Hear Inn Mr. Woisgarbor wns out. Ho had saddled up and rodo awny and might not roturn for soveral days, perhaps novor. Hut tho good-natured sheriff didn't boo t that way. Ho would como bnck ngaln, or ho might present hlmsolf voluntarily at tho shorlfra office. Tho mother had now experienced enough to sntlsfy hor that sho had mado a groat mistake and that sho was tied to a bad man, Hor llto be camo a burden to hor. Ono day shq suddenly dUappearod. After a long Bearcn alio was found dead with ropo tightly drawn about her neck banging to a Stout hook In the amnVn house. The scone was too much for hand bravoly up to tho officer In wait ing at tho placo agreed upon. On a given signal the detectives hurriedly closed In. Tho countorfolt or did not readily Bubmlt and tho offl- cers soon found they had taoklod rough customer. For somo minutes tho Bcuflllng and twisting was furious and he was not fairly subdued until a pair of- glistening handcuffs was clipped upon his wrists. Tho cold stoel took tho fight out of him nnd ho was at onco escorted to tho Bingham houso. It was ono of tho kind of concptr acles that are a direct fraud upon tho government, and I was very anxious to reach its source, which particularly meant tho ongrnvor of tho plates from which tho stamps wero printed. I was not a llttlo surprised whon I learned that tho wholesale dealer wo had caught was John Hartz. This was tho first tlmo I had mot him. Ho had for soveral years maintained a roputatlon among tho dotoctlves as a person who could not under any circumstances bo mado to Bqueal. I could well afford to turn him loose If he would furnUh tho Information loading to tho cap turlng of tho Important men behind him. Tho squealer In ensos of this kind Is usually tho most powerful adjunct to the detectlvo art. Whllo thoso ofll cers have llttlo rcspoct for htm they nro dollghted to avail themselves of his services. I was well acquainted with tho most prominent feature In tho prisoner's past career. Ho lnld claim to tho possession of a principle to which ho had steadfastly adhered Ho had boon arrestod soveral times for passing counterfeit money and had On nil occasions persistently refused to squeal on his confederates. Ho proferrod rather to sucrlflco hlmsolf than to assist the government in any manner. I had up to that tlmo novcr met a man under llko circumstance that, could not by somo means bo In duced to squeal, but I pounded John Harts up one side and down the other until broad daylight without eliciting tho slightest Information. I had of fered him his liberty and $1,000 In money as nn inducement, but ho stub bornly rofuscd. no seemed to have deluded himself into tho idea that treachery among a gang of criminals was much worso than tho unlawful deeds performed by them. I learned from tho prisoner that he nnu n inmiiy. wnen tins was men- Honed ho shuddered n little. Coming to tbo conclusion that I could learn nothing front him I was ready to lock him up. Before doing this I suggested tho Idea of taking him to bco his wife nnd children. Early in tho morning I procured n carriage, and after a 20 minutes' drive we stopped In front of n largo tenement houso which wo entered, ascending the stnlrs to tho second floor. Knocking at n door to our right wo woro after somo delay admitted by a woman wenrlng a calico wrapper, and wo entered tho room which wns dark nnd dismal as n tomb. Two or thrco broken chairs, a rickety table nnd n mattress spread upon tho floor and covorcd with ragged quilts, consti tuted tho furnishings. Peeping from boncnth tho tattered covorlng I saw tho bright eyes nnd curly heads of two young'chlldren. "Is this your homo, Mr. Hartz?" I Inquired. "This is whero I stay," ho replied. I saw at onco that I was up against n species of affliction for which I had no rendy-mado speech of condolenco, nnd I was Just a llttlo embarrassed. Thero was a depth of sorlousness in tho affair that I had rarely met with. I was confronted with tho genuine woes of humanity nnd nt n loss for tho moment to know just what to do or eay. After deliberating a short tlmo I camo to tho conclusion that It was best to explain all to his wlfo. Sho looked like nn Intelligent woman and I proceeded to ncqualnt her with tho facts concerning hor husband's nr- I rost and the punishment that was suro to follow. I llkowlso pointed out the door through which ho might escape. I domanded a clean breast without reserve I was to know nil tho partic ulars In regard to tho conspiracy, and ho wns to act in good faith nnd to as sist tho detectives in plans to cap ture tho engraver nnd all others con nected with tho nffalr; besides, he wns, If it becamo necessary, to go up on tho witness stand nnd testify ngalnst his confederates. Counterfeit ers ns a general thing aro treacherous towards ono another when In a tight place; It Is anything to save them selves. With John Hartz It was dif ferent; ho preferred to sacrifice' hlm solf rather than to givo away his con federates. When tho wlfo wns mado acquaint ed with tho proposition thnt had been mado to her husband she appealed to him In languago that seemed Irresistible Ho huntr his head. Thero was an expression on his faco that was In definable. A fresh link in misery's chain hud now roached his heart. Tho Bceno was absolutely painful and I soon saw that ho was weakening. A man's chnracter varies in accord- nnco with tho position In which ho Is placed. Criminals aro human, like our solves, nnd If wo would learn tho dangers lurking In bur pathway, wo should know how thoy chanco to stumblo nnd fall. Somo men aro weaker and moro prono to vlco than others. Thero Is a never-ending bat- tlo between right nnd wrong. I novor yet found a mnn bo bad that there was not something In his chnracter upon which to huso a hopo. I never yot saw a man that was so good as to bo freo from danger. Tliero is thread of gold running through .the character of tho worst of men: the difficulty is to roach it. Tho prlsonor"B oycB fell and wero filled with toarB. We havo no pity for tho tears shod by criminals. Thoy aro dosorvod, but thoy aro'tcars Just tho Barao, and Bomotlraes como from a heart unjustly pierced. His wife now approached him and said, "Whero is tho monoy to como irom to pay tno rent for this miserable room we are living i"? How am I to obtain food and clothing for our children whon you nro In tho penltontlary?" Accustomed as I was to scenes of this kind my heart was deeply touched and my hand went almost lnvoluntarl ly to my pockot. 1 pulled out a roll of bills. It was tho govornraent's monoy, "Peollmr off flvo twenties. I handed them to tho woman. rnico tnis, ray uood woman, I cannot .savo your hus band, but I will give you something with which to supply your Immediate wnntR. Buy theso children some clothes." I handed hor an addltlgnnl twenty, Tho couutorfeltor and his wlfo stood lnnklnii earnestly Into ench other's faces. Both Boomed well nigh broken hearted. Ho stepped towards mo as he sold: "You aro tho only decent man I havo ovor seen In tho detectlvo business nnd I am going to tell you all about It." I havo soon crlmo In Its many phases and havo noted tho offect of n long torm of Imprisonment upon men as they received their sontonco, but John Hartz appeared as tho most repentant criminal I had over mot. no nau been cauKht red-handed and could havo boon easily convicted, but tho result of his confession and assistance was mnny times moro Important to tho Kovernment It led to tho breaking up. root nnd branch, of nn oxtenslvo croun ot dnngerous counterfeiters The engraver, procuror nnd six otherjs wero arrested with tho ovldonce of their guilt In their hands. All wore convicted nnd sentenced to servo va rious terms In tho penitentiary. My promise to Hnrtz was religiously ironL He was BUtrerea to go ni large, What becamo ot him I am unable to iay. (Cepyrtlht, 1910, by W. O. Chapman.) IMPRISONED FOR SMUGGLING To defraud tho government of tho United States of Us customs coming here from tho old world has been tho darling wish of many women ovor since Americans havo been able to in dulgo In tho luxury, of an ocean voy age. Miss Multimillionaire, sccuro in her social position, did not llko to bo held up on tho dock nnd mado to pay largo sums for being caught trying to BWlndlo tho government. But when sho is caught finally sho chafes undor her treatment, but Boclcty stands by her and that cncourageB others to fol low her example, v To remove this prop from tho faBh ionnblo woman tho authorities havo decided to jail thoso caught in de frauding Undo Sam of his dues. Thin penalty, it Ib thought, will prevent rop utablo women from engaging In tlis business. Tho first to suffer tho Imprisonment nnd tho odium which nttacfics to It Is Mrs. Roberta O. Hill, divorced "wlfo ot Major Hill of tho English army. Sho pleaded truilty to smuRKllnc In a sable coat and Jewelry valued at $8,000, pleading In extcnuntion that sho was Igno rant or tno law. Judge Martin In Now York fined her $2,000 and sentenced her to servo thrco days in a cell In tho Tombs. Mrs. Hill becamo hysterical when imprisonment wbb added to fine. Sho Is a daughter of MorrlB Mengcs, a horseman of Brooklyn. Mrs. Hill 1b glvon to tho romantic. At sixteen sho married Halsey Corwln of Brooklyn, but sho soon nftor divorced him. Discovory after discovery of thoso nttcmntlnK to BmtiEclo valuables into tho ports of our country, chiefly at Now York, havo resulted only In fines, and this has failed to stop tho practlco. Exposuro and consequent disgrace proving Ineffectual, tho courts finally determined on imprisonment. This seemed tho only way to mnko the rich and influential and socloty bellos comq to a realization of thlB kind of otfondlng that It wob a real crlmo. HUNGARIAN STATESMAN HERE Ono of tho most eminent of Euro pean statesmen, Count Albert Appon yl, member of tho Hungarian parlia ment and. ex-mtnlster of public won, ship and education of Austria-Hungary, la now on a visit to this country in, tho Interest of international peace. Ho haB como to deliver a series of lec tures on tho difficulties' of the1 ponco problem in Europo and to urgo this country to bocomo the world's lender, in tho efforts to abolish war. This Is not his first visit to the United States. Ho camo horo in 1904 to attend tho poaco conferonco held at St. Louis. Ho has been actlvo In tho causo ot tho world's peaco for many years and has; attended interparliamentary confor-! ences on the subject at Brussels,! Chrlstianla, Paris and London. , Count Apponyi is a member of nJ Hungarian aristocracy which traces! Us descent in nn unbroken lino back to 123D. Ho was born In 1846, was cd: ucated in schools conducted by tho Jesuits and has been In public llto slnco 1872. Ho was a conservative when' ho first ontored politics, but Is now tho leader of tho nationalists, or tho Kos suth party, In Hungary. Although nn aristocrat by birth and heredity, ho is1 noted for his democracy and years ago relinquished tho seat which waB his1 by right In tho Hungarian houso of peers in' order to sit In tho lower houso. Tho count is tlio ownor of magnificent estates In Hungary nnd is wealthy. His wlfo Is related to the royal family of England, hor grandmother hnvlngl been a slBtor ot Queen, Victoria's husband, tho prlnco consort. ' IMPORTANT COMMITTEE HEAD Ono of tho figures of tho Sixty-second congress will bo Representative Oscar W. Underwood of Alabama, se lected by tho Democratic caucus to head tho all-Important ways and means committee. Mr. Underwood will bo tho "Democratic floor leader, succeed ing In that position Representative Se reuo E. Payno of Now York, and will givo his name to tho now tariff bill which tho Democrats propose to put through. Mr. Underwood novor hold an offlco or was a cnndldato for such a position, until 1894. Then ho ran for congress, tho entire issuo being tho tariff, nnd ho had a blttor fight. Speaker Crisp camo into tho district to help him and whon tho votes woro counted ho hnd won by 1,000. Slnco that tlmo ho has novor had an opponent for tho nomi nation. Ho has been elected to con- ErCBB olcht tlmen. thrnn tl a Republican opponent. Ho has always been a closo friend and confidential udvlser of Champ Clark and Is only forty-eight yenra old. Ho was born In Louisville, Ky. His grandfather was a colloaguo of Honry Clay in tho senate. Young Underwood attended the University of Virginia, graduating in law In 1884. It was thero that ho began to get his Democratic ideas. Ho haB been married twlco, his first wlfo dying in 1900. In 1904 ho remarried. Mr. Underwood Is a prominent member of tho Birmingham Country club and spends nil of his sparo tlmp in tho summor playing golf on tho slopes of Red mountain. mm MOUNTS HIGH IN THE ARMY Another step In his steadily upward career has been taken by Col. Enoch H. Crowder, whoso envlablo army rec ord is ono to stlmulato emulation Gen. Georgo W. Davis, Judgo ndvocato general of tho army, was retired on account of having 'reached tho ago limit, and to tho vacancy thus created Colonel Crowder has succeeded In tho ordinary course of promotion, as ho was tho senior colonel in tho Judgo advocate division. Colonel Crowdor is a nativo of Mis souri, wnoro ho was born April iHt'j, tno son or John Herbert Mary (Wollor) Crowder. Ho graduat- oa irom tno Military ncadomy In 1881 nnd In 188G ho received tho degree oft LL. B. from tho University of Mis-1 sourl. Colonel Crowdor served In the Philippine Islands In 1898-1901. Dur ing tho war between Japan nnd Russia ho becamo conspicuous ns an observer of tho field maneuvers, being with thoi jupaneso army irom April, 1904, until April, 1905. In Cuba, 1906-'O7, ho acted as financial advisor of the Cuban government, his services being- greatly valued. Warrior that he 1b, however, thero Is ono conquest which tho colonel has never made. No womanly heart has yet capitulated to his superior tac tics, a willing prisoner; at least he is not married. 11. andi