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, |
