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About The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 1909)
The Versatile Rogue _ < _ ' ; "By George Barton Frank Macy, Born in Freeport, HI., Is Doubtful Hero of One of I Superintendent Froest’s Investigations. | TEF DEPOSITOR GTANCED AT THE TZOQP 'ON IFF OTHFP SIDE OF THE DESK AND FUSE ENOUGH, UiFPF WAS THE ODD NOTF^-SS V7 HIS is a fragment from the biography of a versatile rogue —a man whose ad venturous career leaps at a bound from Chicago to Cape Town, and whose criminal his tory iu a part of the police archives of New York, Chicago, London. Paris, Vienna and Berlin. Beginning as a prototype of the Artful Dodger, he has gone from pocket-picking to bunco steering, and then run the entire gamut of crime, stopping only—providentially, perhaps —at murder. Frank Macy, the doubtful hero of this queer story, was born at Freeport, 111. There are many old residents in that place who still recall' him as a precocious baby, a smart boy, and a clever youth. Freeport soon proved to be too small to satisfy his bulging genius, but even before he left his birthplace he made little excursions from the paths of virtue which, in the boy, are so often prophetic of the man's career. When he reached man’s estate he was tall and as straight as an Indian. He had coal-black hair and a sallow complexion, which lighted up brightly whenever he was in a humor to be affable with his fellow-man. It was in Chicago that Frank Macy first distinguished himself in crime. A little more than a dozen years ago an advertisement appeared in the Chica go papers stating that a wealthy widow, about to take a long trip abroad, was willing to sell her favor ite horse-"Dobbin." After the money had been paid, and within 24 hours, Dobbin began to undergo a most curious transforma tion. What had been a magnificent specimen of horseflesh began to show strange signs of decrepitude. He shriv eled up, as it were; it seems almost impossible to properly describe this marvelous transformation in mere words. The scene now shifts from Chicago to Low’s Exchange in Trafalgar Square, London. Wilkie at that time was the London correspondent of an American paper, and while standing in the corridor of this hostelry he was surprised to see his old-time “Gyp” friend, Frank Macy, enter and place his name on the h;-tel register. Macy looked prosperous. He was dressed in swagger style, wore a long coat, car ried a heavy cane and had a sunburst of diamonds reposing amidst the folds of a blood-red cravat—in fact, he looked too vulgarly rich to be true. Wilkie consulted the hotel register and found that his erstwhile criminal friend had registered as Frank Lacy. The change of attire and the assumed name were suspicious and the Ameri can lost no time in going to the tele phone and calling up Frank Froest, one of the brightest detectives in Scotland Yard. Wilkie told Froest that it might be worth his while to come up to Low’s and have a look at the latest addition to the American invasion of London. Not long after the meeting in Low's Exchange all London became excited ' over what was called the “Cutlass j Mystery.” It began when a* well dressed. elderly gentleman of consid erable wealth was found on the side walk with his head badly cut and the blood flowing from several saber wounds. He said he had no recollec tion of how he came to be in such a plight, and resolutely declined to give the police any information upon the subject. Two days later another man was found similarly wounded and in the same condition. He was not as close-mouthed as the first individual, and went so far as to say that his misfortune was the result of a card party in which he had participated the previous night. He was unable, however, to give the locality of, the house, having been taken there by an obliging cabby whom he had sought with a request to be conveyed to some place where he could satisfy his de sires to dally with the goddess of chance. In less than 24 hours from this time still another man was found with two saber cut: about his head, and then the “Cutlass Mystery” be came the reigning sensation of Lon don. The next chapter in the history of this curious rogue occurred at the lit tle watering place of Margate. A mu sical instrument dealer of London was taking his holiday at this resort and was enjoying himself in a manner such as is possible only to a London tradesman. As he was strolling along the strand he came face to face with Lacy, who was then a fugitive from justice. He grasped him by the coat. “Mr. Lacy,” he exclaimed, “I am so glad to see you.” “Why?” asked Lacy. “Why,” retorted the other, “because now you will pay me for the mandolin you bought from me about a month ago.” Lacy laughed. ‘You will pay me, wont’ you?” cried the dealer, hysterically. “You wouldn't rob a poor man, would you?” “Fade away,” said the versatile rogue. “I’m havin’ me holiday now, and I can't be disturbed by vulgar tradesmen.’ Lacy immediately realized the mis take he had made and, learning the character of the telegram that had been sent to Scotland Yard, made quick preparations for shortening his vacation at the cozy seashore resort. He acted with characteristic disregard of conventionalities. He summoned a fisherman and hired him to take him out in a small boat, and hailed a Cas tle liner which was bound for South Africa. By the aid of a clever “cock and bull story” he induced the cap tain to take him aboard and before the Scotland Yard man reached Mar gate Lacy was calmly sailing the sea on his way to Cape Town. Superintendent Froest immediately telegraphed to the authorities at Cape Town, describing Lacy, and instruct ing them to apprehend the man on his arrival at that port. Lacy managed to get ashore and strolled about the Af rican city, admiring the botanic gar dens and the astronomical observatory with the enthusiasm of a tourist whose only desire is to profitably while away an idle hour. He was in specting the fine new docks of the place when the agent of Scotland Yard clapped his hand on his shoulder and placed him under arrest. Lacy submitted with perfect good grace and wr>s formally lodged in jail at Cape Town. Arrangements were made to have him returned to England the fol lowing day. But, alas! his satisfaction was pre mature, for the daring Lacy jumped off the train while it was in motion and disappeared in the depths of a South African forest. The officer had the train stopped at the next station and, with the assistance of several other men, made a search of the woods. They finally located their man in an empty house a few miles from the point where he had jumped from "jjf] How the Bulging I" Genius of This Lad Became Too Large for His Home Town— How He Spread It Out and His Ultimate Down | fall—This Is a True Story. ■li^—— the train. He was arrested "for keeps” this time, taken back to Lon don, tried, sentenced and imprisoned. After he had served his time he started on a tour of the continent, ac companied by a mysterious blonde woman who passed as his wife. He played cards, engaged in the pastime of bunco steering and varied these performances occasionally by assum ing the part of the wronged husband. He had a scheme by which the bank could be broken, and offered to show the man how he could take a thou sand dollars and come out with a profit of ten thousand. The man ac cepted this glowing offer, but instead of going to the house that was desig nated he notified the District police and the versatile rogue was once more arrested—this time under the name of Frank Tracy. He was re leased on bail, however, and soon after again sought the historic at mosphere of London. His latest exploit is really deserv ing of a chapter in itself, but because of lack of space must be condensed into a few paragraphs. Superintend ent Froest, who was always on the lookout for queer characters, learned that Tracy—as he now called himself —was in London 24 hours after he had set his feet on English soil. He in structed his subordinates to be on the lookout for Tracy, but otherwise did not give much thought to the man. One morning the telephone bell at Scotland Yard rang, and the voice of an excited individual, who proved to be a clerk in a banking house near Leadenhall street, informed the au thorities that a thief had entered the institution that morning and robbed one of its depositors of £200. There was much excitement; a crowd had gathered in the corridors, and in the confusion the thief had escaped with the money. “Pardon me,” said the stranger, “but you have dropped one of your notes.” The depositor glanced at the floor on the other side of the desk and, sure enough, there was a bank note. “Thank you,” he replied gratefully, and stooped down to pick up the odd note. The act only consumed two or three seconds, but when the depositor straightened up and was about to add the missing note to his pile he found, to his amazement, that the original package of money had gone, and with it the stranger. He gave the alarm and rushed out of the bank, but when he reached the street the crowd was so great that it was impossible to find his man. vv ut’u nuperniieuueni r roesi re ceived news of the theft, he immedi ately dispatched one of his men to the bank, hut, not satisfied with this, he resolved to go there in person as soon as he had finished the work in his private office at Scotland Yard. That only consumed a few minutes, and at its completion Mr. Froest pulled down the top of his roll-desk and hurried towards Leadenhall street. At Oldgate, where Cornhill and Leadenhall street converge, he saw a tall, well-dressed man, hurrying along amidst the crowd. It did not take him many seconds to recognize the man as his old friend, the versa tile rogue, who had lived successively under the titles of Frank Macy, Frank Lacy and Frank Tracy. Instinctively the superintendent associated the fel low with the theft of the bank in Leadenhall street. He walked up and took Tracy by the arm. “My dear friend,” he said, “I would like you to go down to the office with me and have a talk over old times.” Tracy made no resistance—Indeed, this was characteristic of the man. The moment an officer of the law touched him he surrendered without a struggle. The two men proceeded to Scotland Yard and Tracy, when searched, was found to possess the £200 which had been stolen from the depositor in the bank that morning. He was tried for that offense, convict ed and served his time. The versatile rogue is at liberty once again, and for the time being is honoring the United States with his presence. This brief sketch is not offered as a story of his life. It is onyl what it purports to be—a frag ment from the life of a versatile rogue. (Copyright, 1D0S, by W. C. Chapman.) LiON TAMER TALKS OF PETS Timid Animals Less to His Liking Than the Pugnacious Ones. A lion tamer, over his midnight sup per, talked shop. “The timid lion is the only one I fear,” he said. “The fierce, pugna cious lion is my joy. What a show he gives the‘people fo>- their money! 3icwling hideously, wrinkling his great face in dreadful snarls, gnash ing his teeth and threatening to strike me with his paw, he goes through his tricks, and the audience is held in a delicious suspense, half hop ing, half fearing, that the big brute will chew me up before their eyes. “Yes, the fierce lion assures a fine attractive turn. But the timid one! “The timid lion, just when you want to give your best show, will whimper with terror at the crack of the whip, and slink off to the farthest corner of the cage, and, turning its back to you, lie down and bury its face in its paws. Gehenna! “But, say, do you know what I’ve been known to do? I've been known to dope up timid lions. Yes, sir. doped them up till they were maniacal. That's dangerous, too. Batty like that, they might do for you." Start a New Paper. “I have often wondered," said the Idiot to the Publisher, “why you fel lows have never started a magazine called Rumor. It would be a corking success.” ”1 fail to see why,” returned the Publisher. “Because Rumor circulates rapidly and extensively,” said the Idiot. “And what would you have in it?'1 asked the Publisher. “That’s just the point,” said the Idiot. “You needn’t have anything in it. The less there is in a Rumor the greater will be its circulation.”—John Kendrick Bangs, in Broadway Maga zixe. AMmuDG&MS & p/xsmBm aw nsumusvwLML hope ®p oshmsSo) " HQ/JT//YG FtVE 7VFG OF CAFE Prior to the war with Spain Ameri cans knew little about the island of Porto Rico, and the island knew little about its near neighbor, America. But now that has all been changed. It is only tea years since the island came under the control of the United States, and in that time Americans have settled in the island and are now to be found in almost every industry there. In fact the chief industries, such as sugar, tobacco and fruit, are almost entirely controlled by Ameri can capital. The sugar industry, which is by far the most important, has had a phe nomenal growth in the last decade. Formerly the plantations, Mattered throughout the island, but more espe cially in the coast regions, were oper ated independently. The cane was raised, the sugar was made and was shipped by each estate. This method, of course, necessitated a very primitive and inefficient process. The power was almost without exception fur nished by oxen operating a small set of rollers, into which the cane was fed by hand. The boiling of the juice and the crystallizing of the sugar was done in open pans, with the result that a large percentage of the sugar was not recovered. Hence Porto Rico became famed for her fine molasses, while lit tle or nothing was ever heard of her production of sugar. To-day on nearly every estate the old mills have fallen into disuse or have been dismantled, the rollers used in road making and the pans for cattle to drink from, for sugar making by in dividuals is a thing of the past. American companies have estab lished what are known as “centrals” and have made it for the interest of plantation owners to send their cane there to be made into sugar. These companies have established railroads with branches running into all estates to bring the cane quickly and easily to the mills. In most cases the “central” has a general supervision over the estates with inspectors who advise the latest methods of cane culture, install irriga tion systems, encourage the opening of new lands, often forwarding money for such work, and in general promote the culture of more and better cane. Besides owning several plantations some of the larger “centrals” gather and grind the cane from 60 or more plantations extending along the coast sometimes for 30 or 40 miles and far back into the mountains. The advantage to the plantation owner is very evident in that his work and responsibility end when his cane is raised, cut and loaded upon the com panies’ cars which come by means of portable tracks into his very fields. The efficiency of the modern and elab orate method of sugar making more than makes up for the division of profits. These sugar houses are equipped with the latest and best machinery. No expense is spared in this respect, for by the saving of even the smallest percentage of additional sugar the amount saved in the manufacture of a season's crop, often 25,000 tons or more, is enormous. Connected with the sugar houses are laboratories with a corps of chemists, who by continued analysis at every stage in the process of manufacture control it so that the maximum amount of sugar is obtained, and the finished product is kept up to the standard de sired by the refiners in the “states." i ms process or manufacturing the sugar occupies from six to eight months in the year, the rest of the time being given up to repairs and im provements. With the exception of the laborers, who are of course natives, these places are operated by Americans, and during the grinding season you find many col onies of them situated far from the cities in the midst of the cane coun try. Some men holding positions which demand their attention the year round have settled with their families at these ‘centrals,” but for the most part those required but for the busy season go north for the rest of the time, where the social and climatic condi tions are more agreeable. The social life is of course very lim ited in these places, owing to the fact that they are situated so far from the cities that, with the very poor means of transportation, it is very difficult to reach them. At the largest “centrals” you find but six or eight families living in sep arate houses, and a clubhouse housing 30 or 40 unmarried men or men with out their families. But even among themselves some social life would be possible were it not for the fact that these people come from so many social classes them selves. The lack of schools for the children A-GOOO ILLUSTRATION OF. THE. HEIGHT OF CANE has been a great drawback to men carrying their families with them, but there is a plan under consideration now for tlA government to establish schools at some of the larger "cen trals” for American children. This wrill probably be the means of inducing more men to carry their families with them, and eventually greatly improve the social life. Probably the school-teachers form the largest class of Americans on the is land, but, of course, they are very' widely scattered. In the larger cities of San Juan, Ponce and Mayaguez, you find a great many American teachers, both men and women, and probably in these three cities are to be found as many Americans as in the rest of the island. San Juan is the center of American civilization in Porto Rico, and has been from the first. There are ttye government officials, and most of the men in business of a commercial na ture. However, in traveling about the in terior of the island and in the smaller coast cities, the larger part of Amer icans you meet are teachers. In every town large enough to be called such, you find a school over which floats the American flag, and in which the English language is being taught. Often the only English-speaking per son in the whole town is the teacher, and it may be a long, hard trip by coach or on horseback to the next town. Among a strange people, where the language, food, customs, etc., are so hard to become accustomed to, it often proves a hard life. But in the larger towns the condi tions are much better. Here you gen erally find more than one teacher, bet ter school buildings, and a higher class of people, with whom it is easier to mingle. The tobacco business has already grown to vast proportions under Amer ican management, as is evidenced by the constantly increasing consump tion of Porto Rican cigars in the United States. In every- town or vil lage, even among the mountains, to bacco is still raised and cigars are still made as they- have been for gen erations, but the new tobacco raisers have planted hundreds and in one case over 1,000 acres in a stetch, which may be seen entirely covered by cheese cloth to subdue the light and improve the quality. This indus try has by no means reached its height, and, indeed, has the prospect of a vast future grow-th. The coffee raising is also worthy- of mention, although not developed as yet to any great extent. Coffee is raised mostly among the mountains and Americans have taken it up but little. How-ever, it has been pronounced the finest coffee in the world by President Roosevelt, and when the market for it is made it will undoubtedly offer a broad field for American interest. There are also a large number of minor industries which men from the umicu oiaies nave entered and at which they are making fortunes. Among these are the raising of pine apples, cocoanuts, rice and vegetables, which are sent to the United States for winter use. The buying up and ex porting of native lace and drawn work has also been carried on to a limited extent. It is clearly evident that the island as a whole has not been developed to anything like its capacity. While Americans are recognizing the wealth of the place and are taking advantage of it, the next ten years will without doubt show a much greater advance than has the past decade. Noise of Wireless Telegraphy. Many readers may be surprised to learn that the electric sparks em ployed in wireless telegraphy over long distances produce a noise that may be annoying for those living close by the station. At least this has been the experience at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, where the sparks from an appa ratus possessing a power of ten kilo watts have proved disagreeable to peo ple several hundred yards away. Since it is now proposed to substitute apparatus of 40 kilowatts power, with the hope of sending communications direct from Paris to New York, the generating station will be placed un derground in order to smother the sound of the sparks. Popular Royal Families. “No one who has lived here for a few days will doubt the popularity of the youngest royal family in Europe,” writes a French correspondent from Sofia. “Ferdinand is a fine, manly man, and just the type which would natu rally find favor with the Bulgarians. In the stationers’ shops and all places where picture post cards and cheap prints are sold there is great demand for pictures of the new czar dressed as a Bulgarian peasant. He is repre sented as wearing a long blue co»t, trimmed at the collar and wrists with black embroidery; the trousers, not too well shaped, of black wool stuff; the soft linen shirt has a broad Byron collar. There is not a suggestion of an order or a decoration, save a nar row red ribbon diagonally across the shirt front. Another favorite picture shows Queen Eleanore among the pu pils of the school for the blind, which she founded.” As a rule, the modern battleship is out of date after 15 years. MIX FOR RHEUMATISM The following is a never failing rem edy for rheumatism, and if followed up it will effect a complete cure of the very worst cases: “Mix one-half pint of good "whiskey with one. ounce of Toris Compound and add one ounce Syrup Sarsaparilla Compound. Take in tablespoonfui doses before each meal and at bedtime.” The ingre dients can be procured at any drug store and easily mixed at home. Satisfaction. Stem Officer (on German frontier)— Passport, sir! Gentle Graduate of Yale—Jerushy John! Forgot all about—that is, I did not know I had to show it here. I— well—hold on! Here! (Produces a be ribboned and be-sealed document) Here you are at last. Excuse me, I did not know you were the proper officer. Officer (tries to read the Latin)—Ha —Dlictum—Ha—His Emporium—Ha! (Returns sacred parchment.) Yis, sare! It is sufficient! Axcuse mi! It is of the high royal household. Special envoy. Much apolige. Houury! Goat once. Graduate (relieved)—Great Scott! That was a close shave! That's the best thing a Yale diploma ever did for me. —From the Bohemian. The extraordinary popularity of fine white goods this summer makes the choice of Starch a matter of great im portance. Defiance Starch, being free from all injurious chemicals, is the only one which is safe to use on fine fabrics. Its great strength as a stiffen er makes half the usual quantity of Starch necessary, with the result of perfect finish, equal to that when the goods were new. Used Dolls to Set Fashions. Long before women's newspaper* were started, and fashion plates in their modern form were thought of, women derived their knowledge of the fashions from dolls dressed in modern costumes, which were sent from one country to another, more especially from Paris, which then, as now, waa the leading center of the mode. Importance of Knowing Positively. Every one should know positively what causes dandruff, gray, or failing hair so that you can remedy it. Send ten cents for famous book “Hair Science and Care’’ by Prof. Frederic Goujon. Address Du Murier & Cie., 723 Lexington Ave., Xew York. Fortunate. “Have any luck hunting?” “The greatest ever.” “How was that?” “I went out with an amateur and came back alive.” MORE PINKHAM CURES Added to the Long List due to This Famous Remedy. . Camden, N. J.— “It is with pleasure | that I add my testimonial to your already long list —hoping that it may i induce others to avail themselves of ldis vaiuame medi cine, Lydia E. Pink ham’s Ye getabl e Compound. I suf fered from terrible headaches, pain in my back and right side, was tired and nervous, and so weaklcould hardly stand. Lydia E. I’inkham’s Vegeta ble Compound re stored me to health ami made me feel like a new person, and it shall always have my praise.” —Mrs. W. P. Valkstlse, 902 Lincoln Avenue, Camden, N. J. Gardiner, Me. — “ I was a great suf ferer from a female disease. The doc tor said I would have to go to the hospital for an operation, but Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound eom Sletely cured me in three months.”— Iks. S. A Williams, Ih F. 1). No. 14, Box 39, Gardiner Me. Because your case is a difficult one, doctors having done you no good, do not continue to suffer without giving Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound a trial. It surely has cured many cases of female ills, such as in flammation, ulceration, displacements, fibroid tumors, irregularities, periodic pains, backache, that bearing-down feeling, indigestion, dizziness, and ner vous prostration. It costs but a trifle to try it, and the result is worth mil lions to many suffering women. 45 to 50 Bu. of Wheat Per Acre have been grown on farm lands in WESTERN CANADA Much less would be satisfactory. The gen eral average is above twenty bushels. I “Allare loud in their praises of the great crops and that won* 1 dcrful country.”-- Ex tract from correspondence National Editorial Association of August, 1908. It is now possible to secure a homestead of 160 acres free and another I60acres at $3.00 per acre. Hundreds have paid the cost of their farms (if purchased) and then had a balance of from $10.00 to $12.00 per acre from one crop. Wheat, barley, oats, flax—all do well. Mixed farming is a great success and dairying is highly profitable. Excel lent climate, splendid schools and churches, rail ways bring most every district within easy reach of market. Railway and land companies have lands for sale at low prices and on easy terms. “Last Best West” pamphlets and maps sent free. For these and information as to how to secure lowest railway rates, apply to Superintendent of Immigration, Ottawa, Canada, or the authorised Canadian Govern ment Agent: W. V. BENNETT, 8D1 New fork Lite Building, Omaha. Nebraska. BILLIONS GRASS riflfiSi Costs 60c—SOc pur acre for seed. KBUJB H M ost wonderf u 1 grass of the century .yielding irrtn9 Hi to 10 tons of nay per aero and lots of pasture l«- ■ ■ .titles. Itsimply frrows.grows.grows! C'u t i t today ■ 9 and in 4 weekt> 11 looks for the mower attain, and 9 ■ toon. Grows and flourishes everywhere, on every 9 9 farm In America, (heap as dirt; luxuriant as hoi ■ bottom lands of Egypt. Big seed catalog free or 9 ■ tend IOc n stamps and receive sample of thl»9 ■ wonderful praRs.alsoof Spelt*, the cereal wonder.9 ■ Barley .Oat*,Clovers. Gra’-sses. etc.. etc. .and ca-a ■ 9t or free. (>r send |4c and we will add a sample ■ ill farm seed novelty never seen by you before. g SflLZER SEED C0-. Box W, ta Crosse. WIs, |
