The San Francisco call. [volume], December 13, 1908, Page 2, Image 2

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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TRUE DETECTIVE STORIES
TWO WOMEN AND A RED TRUNK
BY A. L. DRUMMOND, FORMERLY^ CHIEF OF THE U. S. SECRET SERVICE
EaRLT in August. 1872, the Tnira National, bank
of Baltimore wa« robbed. The vault " was
blown at dead, of night and between $200,000
and $300,000 taken. A large part of. this sum
was in coin and currency. The rest was in registered
bonds and coupon bonds. The robbers escaped without
leaving a clew of their identity.
Coupon bonds can be cashed at any bank as readily
as one government note can be exchanged for another.'
Registered bonds cannot. Ordinary thieves therefore
do not take bonds the numbers and the names of the
owners of which are matters of record. Forgers are
the exception. With their secret chemicals for remov
ing printing and writing inks without leaving a stain
that even a magnifying glass will show, they can
make use of registered bonds. The fact that a large
lumber of blank drafts and checks had been stolen
also Indicated that one of the robbers was an expert
forger.
From these bare facts it soon-, developed that the
robbers were Joe Elliott. Joe Chapman, Charlie Becker
and a Russian. Becker was the forger — one of the
best that the world ever produced. Careful search re
vealed their movements for several days preceding the
robbery. It was even found that men answering their
descriptions were seen near the bank on the day it
\u25a0was rifled. But when all these facts became known
the earth seemed to have swallowed the men wlio were
wanted. \u25a0*-'-;
More than a month passed and nothTng v.-as heard
of them. On September 17 the chief of the secret serv
ice called me to his office. Beside him sat a man with
a long white beard. The chief introduced him to me as
Clement Herring, father of Charlie Becker's wife.
"This man runs a saloon on Stanton street." said
the chief. "He expects his daughter and Mrs. Chap
man to call on him tomorrow morning. Be on watch
outside, and if they come he will signal you. He says
they are going to leave for Europe in the afternoon,
and that among th«-ir baggage will -.be a small red
trunk containing the registered bonds stolen from the
Third National. Mr. Herring thinks tliry will get the
trunk either on Lexington avenue near Twenty-second
street or on Eighth avenue near Forty-eighth street.
•Jleze's what I want you to do. Once you get sight
of these women, follow them wherever they go. If
they get the red trunk, follow them on to the ship and
learn the number of their stateroom and the names
under which they depart — they are not going to use
their own names. When you get these facts put them
in this letter that 1 have written to the chief of police
of Southampton, and give it to the purser on Hie ship,
\u25a0who will deliver it to an officer waiting at the pier
on the other side. He will be notified that you are
coming and will know what to do. lton't arrest the
women; don't seize the trunk."
At S o'clock the next morning I took up~<he watch
in front of Herring's saloon. I waited more than an
hour before anything happened. Th*>n a stylish car
riage drove up. Two women alighted, and in the
moment that before they descended the three
Eteps that led to Herring's basement saloon I took
careful note of their appearance.
Each woman \va« apparently 30 years old and strik
ingly handsome. Both were gowned In the height of
fashion. TheHblondc woman, who I afterward learned
was Mrs. De«k^r, v.-a* a trifle (shorter than her com
panion. Mrs. Chapman, who was a statuesque brunette
of perhaps live feet eight or nine. ! Both women were
wreathed In smiles and apparently radiantly happy.
They were going io Europe to meet their husbands,
and evidently the prospect pleased them.
Two or three times while they were Inside I walked
past the place and caught glimpses of them through
the window. The two women seemed to be sipping at
giaEFCS of Rhine wine, while they talked to the Cray
whiskered man who Bat on the other sid'j of the table.
Mrs. Becker did most of the talking. The lightheart
edness that marked her manner in the street tiad de
parted. She. Kpoke earnestly and striously. The man
listened, almost sadly.
While I was waiting I sent a newsboy to call a
hack driver who had often driven me on business trips,
and when, about 11 o'clock, the women left the saloon,
I was ready to follow them. But I had not taken
into account the possibility that the driver might not
come with the accustomed cab. He didn't. He came
with what was the most fashionable turnout of the
time — a Clarence coach, drawn by two horses. This
fact is of importance only because the semicircular
front of the coach was grass and I was dressed like
a stevedore — slouch hat, blue shirt, rough trousers
and no coat or waistcoat. I had contemplated the p.os-
Blbility that my work that day might take me along
the docks, and had dressed accordingly.
However, there was nothing to do but to Jump into
the coach and tell the driver to follow the women
wherever they went. They cut in and out through
•ide streets and finally turned Into Lexington avenue.
I remember with what amazement I was stared at
by others who drove fashionable carriages like my
own. Behind the semicircle of slass I sat like the
modern "demonstrator" in a show window — apparently
a stevedore seeing the sights at ?-> a day!
Near the corner of Twenty-second street — at the
number at which the aged man *ald they might get
the red trunk — the carriage containing the women
halted. As they alighted and went up the steps to the
house I saw that they were again the happj', frolic
some women who were overjoyed at the prospect of
seeing their husbands. All of the earnestness, and
the -seriousness with which they talked to' Mrs. Beck
er's sad eyed father had been swept away in a swirl
of smiles.
Ten minutes after the door closed upon them a serv
ant came out with come hand baggage. He placed it
on the carriage at the driver's feet and went back :
after some more. I watched carefully for the red
trunk, but it did not come. In a few minutes the.
women appeared, still smiling. They entered . their
carriage and were driven up • Lexington avenue to
Twenty-eighth street, then over to and up Broadway.
I followed along in mjr Clarence coach, keeping
half a block behind them. They went straight; up
Broadway to Eighth avenue, and from there to the
Forty-eighth street house that Herring had told- me
about. About an hour after they entered the prem
ises the red trunk was brought out. A few minutes
later the women followed.
Telling my driver to be sure not to lose them, -I
resumed my pursuit. They drove straight to Cort
landt street and, still secluded in their carriage, went
on the ferry. I let a few teams get in after them and'
then drove on the boat. •
I knew the*' were headed for the Cunard "piers at
Jersey City, which at that time were Just below the
present slips of the Pennsylvania railroad. I also
Knew they had taken passage on the old sidewheel
steamboat Cuba. 1 . So while we were crossing the
river I left my carriage to look for the ship. To my
amazement I : saw that it was not at the pier. The ~
next instant I saw it lying In the .middle of the river.
The tide had gone out at noon and,'.the dock not hay- ,
ing been dredged as deeply as docks are now, the ship
had gone out into the stream. Late passengers would
be compelled to go out on. a tender.
This was a possibility that -I had not. contemplated.
It i» comparatively easy •to board a ship lying at her
pier and almost impossible - to get .aboard a tender.
.While I was 'wondering what .l should do the ferry
boat nosed her way into the slip and I was compelled
to do something quickly. This is what I did:
I had worked my way among the teams up to a point
perhaps 50 feet behind the vehicle in which were
the two women. When their carriage drove off I fol
lowed it. When they alighted. I was almost beside :
them, and when their handbags , were. put off- the car
riage 1 grabbed two of them and made for the gang
plank leading to the tender.
Fortunately the crew of the tender thought I was
a stevedore, and the stevedores .thought". I belonged to
the tender. So nobody molested me and I got aboard.
As soon as I could I looked for the women and was
rejoiced to find that they had taken seats at the oppo
site end of the boat. I kept away from them all the
way over and pi- ;eded them up the; ladder to the
ship. Once on board the, Cuba, I contrived -to, get be-,
hind them in order to let them lead; the \u25a0 way Ho the
stateroom. They walked down the starboard' sfde of
the cabin to a point half way between the -middle: of
WHAT HAPPENED M THE GULCH
I "HE hunted man turned away from his prostrate
liorsft with a -shudder or repulsion, and, kneeling'
down, cleaned his long knife by repeatedly thrust
ing it into the soft ground.
"It had to be done," he -muttered. VTho hoss' leg
was broke. He was suffcrin', and 1 couldn't dare risk
the noise of a shot with them : fellers so close in ;on
me." ' ,--'.. \u25a0'\u0084',.':\u25a0' '.
He took a quick glance uown the .gulch,'-' and ; his
eyes narrowed' dangerously. , .. ' . vi ';
"So the reward reads for Lem Darrow/dead or,"alivev
this trip, does.lt?" he said through his shut teeth.' : "I
guess I'm *up against a hard play. There ..wasn't t no
sense in that Bob hoss breakin' his leg,"; he ©rumbled.
"I \u25a0 might a \u25a0 got- safe across the. line- by riding hard, .
and now .1 ain't got no hoss. Wei I,'riU play the: handl:
; for the stakes* they has named," he ; went"on;grimly.-
He took another look .'down the: trail .toward the '.
mouth of'the gluch and* startccl;to his^feet. - "^ \.;V *
"The game's beginning,, a lready! ". n ®l ejaculated.
"That's>the sheriff, down 1 there 'now !'.';- . \u25a0•\u25a0 " • •.- '
The mounted man had -halted and was looking up
the gulch. \u25a0 - • . . : " ;
- Darrow dropped to his knees behind the body of
his horse and:, watched jhis; pursuer Intently.
'.'Say,' sheriff,".; he "murmured, •."there's'" three for four.'
ways that I- might get out of ; the : country,/andT you
had better guess wrong on which one: of. them I? took,,:
for if you come'meandering.up'hereiril dropyou v sure.' I '-.
"By God, he's guessed right P. ejaculated t .Darrow.
"He's, coming >up 7 here!';, -.._\u25a0'-; '. ~ ' _ '.*•\u25a0'.' .^ ~ ,' ; . :
- The sheriff; advanced- warily. • - •,' ..''.',
- Darrow ralsedihls^head; a^llttle 'and a; shiny barrel^
slid forward over \u25a0 the body; of.?the "dead * Bob v horse.V? • ".'£
"That's a fine. animal' the ; sheriff t'isjridihg.V. muttered -
the outlaw.^ ;"ril;haveva" new^hoss arid? a'new/chanceV
in a minute if 'he (don't' stampede iwhen"- : --77- . •'
- Tire 6harp 'crack of ' r Darrbw!«;; rifle ."echoed/, through;
the gulch. ,-. The ' sheriff \ swayed from this -saddle '.and'
fell | limply, to 'the ground. .His; horse' gave\"aj fright- \u25a0
enedrleap to one side; and ? then? stood! trembling. <: ; ~; .-'•
.r. r Darrow ! ran ~ swiftly .down .the ; trail,;" the ;.";f ear/ithat }
the horse' would ' : escape him; clutching; at "his heart. . .
The animal snorted 'as :he .approached and
away,'; but'. Darrow. dexterously^ caught >the ]; loose*, bridle^
. and^steadied the ifrightened',Deast' : with "his .voice. ;j : His:,
foot was in the stirrup and his leg. across 7 the saddle
-when he- heard a' groan.: . , y . ; v"
':'•: Darrow V had ;not f even glanced at " the sheriff. >-\u25a0 Now t
he'- looked .'\u25a0\u25a0>' down --ratjr him; Mht surprise."'-;'. "What w r is-- h« w
- groaning 111 1 or Tl - t he ) muttered: "^.'He . is "dead. > He 'has * got
to* be:dead.* : I(plugged;hJm?lnHhe:hcart."
~ } The man on "*the i ground > moved a': little. V,^ ; -"\u25a0• \u25a0•\u25a0 '•'\u25a0_
Darrow jumped : from? the \u25a0 horse, the
.bridle /over,* a'vllmb.v walked over .--to ? the sheriff rand?
openedlhls/shirt/" ..'' . _'_;'\u25a0 .\u25a0' : • '.. ."^ij.. \u25a0:\u25a0. .: ' • .
Then the outlaw stood up' with a look of profound
the ship and the stern and then turned in to a little
hall. 1 knew their stateroom could be only a few feet
away, so I asked them if the baggage I carried be
longed to them. They looked at it and replied that it
did. I asked where I should put it and they! led me to
their staterooms the number'of which I . noted. Then
I held, up a handbag which bore the name of "Mrs.
Bruce Cutting" and asked to. wliich of the women It
belonged. Mis. Chapman replied that she was Mrs.
Cutting. The other bag was marked "Mrs. Steward,"
which Mrs. Becker told 1 me was her name. Mrs. Chap
man was evidently impfessed with .my desire to make
no. mistake In delivering 'their baggage, as she gave
me a. 25 cent tip.
This part ,of the work over, I went to thewritihg
room and in the letter written by the chief, of the
secret service to the chief of police of Southampton
filled In the names under which Mrs.. Becker.'; and > Mrs.'
Chapman had departed, together with the number of
their: stateroom. Then. I sought the purser and. pre
sented my letter of Introduction.
"Did you get track of them?" he asked.
disgust on his face. "1 ain't come within a "foot of
killing him:" he exclaimed. VI Just: hardly winged him!
I .wouldn't like to have the boys know how near I was
to;him when, l took that shot. I wouldn't have "no rep
utation Jeftr*:" * * ;
: 4 : The outlaw looked down at' him in perplexity and
thenherlooked'at the horse. \ \."
' i " lt ' s .«Cnew.,combinatlon. l I, don't know how to" play
It,", he nfurmured. "Why ain't you -dead?" he went on
complainlngly to the unconscious sheriff. _•; You ought
to be. ; You : are putting, me out' considerable. 1^ can't
leave you here the way you are, and' I can't see : my
way clear to fixing you out the way I did the Bob hoss
back up there. What' will I do?"
.As if -in- response to the question, the sheriff opened
his eyes and looked up. ' "
i!S ellc V Lem -" »c "aid, "wasit you shot at me?" :
J, v .Yes,' but-thesun was. in my eyes and" \u25a0
'..."Oh. don't apologize,'*, put in "the sheriff with a grin;
,'I m satisfied to be alivo. VWherd am I hit? My
shoulder; feels some; stiftM and"
"Yes. the sun, I told you. was" • N *~~jjfflfßf
.The sheriff laughed--weakly. ' "How was it you let
:me come *up on you, .Lem?~ I thought' you "had the
best horse In the country." - . - ; a
"% "So Vd\d have. He.broke his leg. He's dead."
: f ,The, sheriffs : eyes roamed : to < his \u25a0: own horse. : V. V
• '. " We M» ; l Isee you've -'got 1 - nime" there," he. said.- '.'.What
are you hanging around here for, losing valuable^tlme ?"
: 'v" 1^""" 0 '"-' shortly.- "V guess it la
•becausejl;am;a-d— d = fool." f; :V.-' : .U v r \u25a0'"> \u25a0'\u25a0'; : . •. ';':'\u25a0 ;; V .
> \u25a0 ?The> sheriff ; ! looked . at", the outlaw., and then
• sal d;V'Well;_ seeing ; &»: you • are": here, . l^wlsh; you ; would
;' give; me la.- drink.. ; Nb.i riot f that ; .water; is' what^ l', want
Hhisjitrip." ' \u25a0; •'.","\u25a0*"\u25a0• .. , : '.\u25a0.'. ' . ' .'.-•." .'-"'\u25a0\u25a0•'./k •-,'\u25a0-.• -" :
r^Darrow,- brought :it 'arid then . sat down .'awkwardly
\u25a0beside the; wounded-man.';' * : ' : - "!';'"!;• ;V
/'/jUWhatareVyou" going! to; do. .Lem?"-. asked 'the /sheriff.
1 - "I; dunno/V, answered ! Darrow.' > "You: are "putting me
'•' out he" added,^ looking uneasily. d,own the
'-'.'\u25a0. •,'., -'':'' '\u25a0?." '.\u25a0'., \u25a0 '\u25a0 '- \ "'*' -'\u25a0\u25a0 ~" -' : v'-. : '*- \u25a0;" '''\u25a0&\u25a0/:\u25a0:\u25a0 'i"i.'"-:- '\u25a0\u25a0 '.'\u25a0 :•'
-;:'- ".There lisj: your ;po»*Be,;'sherfff,*; po»*Be, ; ' sherfff,* down { at > the? mouth'; of
.the l : gulchinow!" 'he- exclaimed.-. -"I guess)' they : .J heard
• the ;i shot, pl'm .; going i to * notify . them* : that £youv are lup
; here ; r and>incidentallyt get back* my* reputatlon.^ilt'a
,a' considerable Uorigj sHot,"ibutVr-~- v • ; ; \u25a0 :v > : :^ % - v , '
\ lThe.'fcrackXof \Darrow>i>ifleifinlahed • his
He '; gazed ;; f or^ a swiff, moment the \ gulch and
Ithen^sprangifor' thefsheriffs- hor»e. J ... ;v : "
;^^ouuare '.all^right-nbw.'J sheriff,^ he ;cried."i "They
'are;- coming^ fast!) \u25a0.'"Alii" except Tone!'.' \u25a0', he ~ added',' with > a
jqulckVlaughj 5 of 'triumph Jasghe^leapedK, to 'S.theisaddle:
U'He's£dead!-fPlugged';lnlthe|;heart!.^You'llfsce!' M ;And
urged? by^ the •«harp < scourge7of£his 'rider's
spur.Tdashed^up* the! steep j trail cthe^outlaWi'calied^-back
\u25a0\u25a0bver2his"shoulder,"<"Say,'- sheriff,' ;;be^ sure)" you ?tell^tHe
bbya:that';When.l.Bhotiat'you the" sun was in'my'eyeS!"
I replied. that I had and gave him their names. He
consulted his. passenger .list and ran his forefinger
down.the column, of names.
* "You're right." said he. "Here they are, and the
number of their stateroom is the same that you gave
to me." \u25a0 .
T handed-him the chief's letter to the Southampton
chief,, urged him to deliver it before the women could
leave the ship, and went aboard the tender Just as
the. Cuba was preparing to get under way.
The rest 'of this narrative had to do with events
that; took place in Europe. -And it should be borne
in . mind 'that in followingthe women and the red
trunk the; purpose was twofold— first, to learn the
whereabouts of .the band, that robbed the Third National
bank; of Baltimore, and,; second, to nab Becker If he
should attempt to alter and sell any of the registered
bonds. The women had committed no crime — we could
not prove guilty knowledge on their part concerning
the. contents of the trunk — therefore we Had no occa
sion to arrest them.' And there was nothing to be
pained by seizing. the trunk, since tho payment on all
of the stolen bonds had been stopped. - We wanted
only Becker and hlsband/
When ttye Cuba .reached Southampton an officer rep
resenting the chief of police was .at the pier. lie
read the, letter that , was Jianded to him by the purser
and -followed:, the' two '.women ''when they left the ship.
FADING AND UNFADING COLORS
MODERN dyes and pigments will not 'stand sun
light; they fade easily. On the other hand, many
of the colors used by the ancients are still as fresh
as when first used- and appear unalterable. For Instance,
the frescoes at Pompeii- and Hcrculaneum Axe still
bright, and the pigments employed to paint them, when
found In the. ruins, may be used as well today as. two
thousand years ago. Pottery, mural paintings and dyed
fabrics thousands : of years old have been found In.
Egypt: wlthr tints scarcelyaltered.
When we • remember that' some modern paintings
scarcely 50 years old , are barely visible, and that we
always expect to see ian "old master" looking grimy
and gloomy, our up to date pride gets somethins of a
setback. • »
lOur deteriorating pigments are In many cases chem-'
ically the same as the lasting ones used by the Roman?.
What can* the difference be? It is probable, according to
•a, writer in a P rench engineering paper, that chemical
composition has less to do with the matter than methods
.of preparation. It has long, been recognized that the
'excellence of artists'., colb*rs;d.epends. very greatly on the
way Jin which'they aremade.*. But exactly;what the'dlf-.
, f ere nee- in preparation our artists have \been unable
Hb\flndi out. -.Ahi Italian chcmlst.Signor Icllio Guareschl,' :
UsTaboutS; to.;undertake r.aT; study,- of \ ancient^ Industrials
- processes j. In', the slight} of j modern '.science/* and possibly.;
ihe may able ;to r discover something that will explain
the:mystery. —.'.V . -. . t lV -
ear™qu^e^v;aves
THE \u25a0-possibility; that; the shocks, of an earthquake,
-transmitted through the earth's mass, nia"y:V.'set:
off" another quake thousands -of miles distant; has
been^ suggested by an Italian student of the subject,
"Signor 'EmilioiOddbne/-- Of . coufse,~'thls .would be/the
.case only-'.where the .crust of the: earth: was in such
an ; unstable* condition . that a good "jarring vwould
isllpplngH o*r /. breakage. ?,'>signor^Oddone \u25a0\u25a0* has 'reVently '
called /attention- to;- the?; factj- that {Just N half ; : an -hour,
after .(\u25a0 the /„ great iValparatsos i earthquake.; another quako .
t was -.the* center,;: of iWnlchUwas^in -the: north.
[ Paclnc,"! about ! i 7,000 \ miles L distant.** The "time '; required
f.or- an; earthquake' wave* to : traverse the solid substance
bf.<thß>'earth>from'!-one'*of .: these ..-points^, to s the f other
. is f just- the \ period \ separated Stneltwoidlsturbanc.es.
flUmayiwellbe.^therefofe'.Uhat'theiblgjValparalso'quake
vpulled "ithe^ trigger" that "Vexploded,"-t so^to^speak. its
* smaller* successor in the .northern* hemisphere.'
The j San Francisco Sunday Call
Half an hour later hf was on the same train with
them, bound for London, where th^y remained a night.
The next morning they went to Paris. And the red
trunk was among the baggage that followed them to
the hotel at which they stopped In the French capital.
The Southampton detective engaged accommodations
at' the same place and for a week nothing of import
ance, developed. , The women, who seemed to be plenti
fully supplied with money, went out every morning,
evidently Intent upon replenishing their already large
stock of finery. In the evenings they went to the
theater*.
One morning the Southampton detective waited tn
vain to see them go out for their accustomed shopping
tour. An hour after the time *when they usually en
tered the carriage -he began to be nervous. Finally
he went to the clerk and. after having led up to tv«
subject gradually, made some reference to the "bea^.
tiful English women" whose beauty had been the su/^
ject of considerable comment. The clerk didn't know
whom he meant. The detective had purposely mis
stated their nationality in order not to display a
knowledge«of them that they might regard as suspi
cious if it should come to their ears. But in a mo
ment the clerk realized the detective's mistake and
said:
"Oh. you mean Mrs. Cutting and -Mrs. Steward.
But they are not English women; they are Americans.
They left the city this morning."
The closing sentence jarred the detective to his
boot heels, but he controlled his emotions.
"Where had they gone?" Oh, the clerk did not
know. They left after midnight and another clerk was
on watch. But he might be able to find out.
In a little while the* clerk imparted the information
that to the best of his knowledge and belief the ladles
had gone to Berlin. Strangely enough the detective
was to depart for the German capital the same even
ing. "Perhaps he would be fortunate enough to go
again to the same hotel with them.
At 5 o'clock m the afternoon the detective, on his
way to the train, stopped a moment at the clerk's
desTTto bid him goodby. Pleasantries were exchanged,
the two men had shaken hands, when the clerk
hurled a parting bit of badinage.
"Too bad you will not meet the American ladles in
Berlin." he said. "They have gone to Genoa,"
The detective made enough inquiries to convince
him that the information was undoubtedly correct
and changed his own plans accordingly. On the way
down to the Italian city he cudgeled his mind to de
termine how he should go about it to get track of hi.-*
lost Immigrants. They would reach Genoa several
hours ahead of him and might even have sped on to
another city before his arrival. There was only one
chance by moans of which ha might get trace of them
— the red trunk.
So when he rexcherd Genoa he made anxious •in
quiries of the man who had charge of the baggage
concerning two ladles whose present addresa ha wished
to learn. Speaking no Italian he had difficulty In
making himself understood, but at last sought to
Identify his friends by explaining that among their
baggage was a red trunk-. The baggage hands were
questioned, and at last a man was found who had
«ent the box that was covered with the hide of the
brindle cow.
It had been transferred to the wharf of a steamship
company -that operated a line of boats between Genoa
and Constantinople.
Again the detective resumed his travels, only to t
find when* he reached the city of the sultan that he
had lost all track of, the women. Nobody had seen the
red trunk — nobody at any of the hotels had seen the
women. And he was on the point of returning - to
Southampton to report his failure when .something
happened.
Becker and Chapman were arrested by. the Turkish
authorities for selling forged bond*! Their trial
brought their wives in public to their sides, and by
shadowing them their new habitation was learncl.
Becker and Chapman were quickly found guilty and
sentenced to, a long term of Imprisonment In Smyrna.
The jail was a flimsy affair and In a few weeks they
escaped. Simultaneously with thefr departure Mrs.
Becker and Mrs. Chapman went to London, the" de
tective following and tracking them to a boarding
house In an obscure part of the city. Within a week
their husbands Joined them, together with the other
two men who robbed the Third National bank of Bal
timore, and within another week Mrs. Chapman was
dead.
The cause of her death will perhaps never be known.
The end came suddenly. It has always been supposed
that she. n-ai poisoned by some member of the band.
After ''Mrs. Chapman's death the party separated.
Chapman came to the United States, robbed another
bank, was caught, convicted and sentenced to twelve
years* Imprisonment. Becker came to Brooklyn,
where a policeman arrested him in the act of making
the plates for a 1.000 franc French note. The red
trunk was never found.
Others may wonder, as I did at first, why Mrs.
Becker's father betrayed her husband to the secret
service. 1 put the question to the man flatly.
"Charlie didn't treat me right." he said. "He and
I were In on a counterfeiting deal one time and he
got all the be«t of It. I never could bear a dishonest
man. And. besides, I didn't want my daughter to co
to Europe to meet him."
(The next story In this series will appear next Sun
day.)
ELECTRIC FERTILIZATION
-]"HE conviction of some of the earlier experimenters
I with electricity that it was identical with "vital
force" would have been greatly strengthened by the
recent Investigations of M. Yves Delage on the fertiliza
tion of eggs in what he calls an "electric bath." The
modern biologist does not believe In "vital force," and
his explanation of how the electricity acts is of quite
a dtfferent sort, which shows how far science haa trav
eled in 'the last century.
Delage takes salt water or some other liquid that
may conduct an electric current and places it in a
shallow tray, the bottom of which is made of mica,
covered on the. outside with tinfoil. The tinfoil and
the liquid are connected respectively with the opposite
poles of a .battery, which, since the two are sepa
rated, throws the- mica 'bottom between them into a
state of electric tension. On this mica bottom aro
spread in a thin layer the unfertilized eggs of a ma
rine organism. After the liquid haa been Joined with
the positive pole of the battery for 30 minutes tho
poles are, reversed , for, 75 minutes more, after which,
when placed in ordinary sea water, some of the egg 3
develop and hatch precisely as If they had been fer
tilized In .the ordinary way.
This phenomena has been explained in various wajs.
It may be Imagined, for Instance, that the electrla
charge acts on the albumen of the egg, forming the In
terior membrane, which is- tho first step in Its develop
ment. M. Delage himself thinks that the electric chars*
causes development by altering »the composition of th«
< interior liquids of the egg. which it -does by. favoring
the . passage' of certain - constituents \ through the outer
iwallof^ the, egg >cell. These* experiments show, at any
.rate, that .'electricity, whose stimulating effect on
muscle. "and on other, bodtly_ tissues has long been reco£>
,ls also able.- to stimulate an egg to the point o£
development" without physiological -or chemical aid.
INOCULATION I'OR RABIES
— «-« HE number of , inoculations: for: hydrophobia at tha
ij .'Pasteur ..Institute of France has pretty steadily
• decreased, since the -service was* .started, 20. years
ago." In .1886^2,671 I persons were treated; in 1907. only
7S6.\.:The^ smallest : number. 628," was treated \\n 1903.
This -of course, might moan a lessening belief
In:.the'jenlcacy""bf.' the" treatment or a^decrease in the
prevalence of "rabies -in^France. An examination of the
percentage of; fatal cases treated reveals that thlsaiao
has^been^decreasihgr showing Improvement Jin efflci^u-y
and* lndicating .that. 'the treatment had' probably been
effective. in cheeking, tlfe malady. At no time .during
the "existence, of ;th« Institute has] tbe number. of fatal
cases -11 of the; total treated; but in
ISS6 1t r wa3 0.94 per. cent, whlleln 1907.1t was only 0.35.
In 19i)S>lt fell] as «Iow: as* 0.13. there 'being on«
death out: of 773' cases treated. . '.