From Boniface to Bank Burglar; Or, The Price of Persecution: How a Successful Business Man, Through the Miscarriage of Justice, Became a Notorious Bank LooterWhite, George M. (George Miles)
History
From Boniface to Bank Burglar; Or, The Price of Persecution: How a Successful Business Man, Through the Miscarriage of Justice, Became a Notorious Bank Looter
White, George M. (George Miles)
Bank robberies -- United States; Criminals -- Biography; White, George M. (George Miles)
Stuart was inclined to be irritated if any one questioned his word or
intelligence, so I came in for a round scoring, which terminated in his
demanding to know whether I thought he was an infernal fool. I assured
him that he was the finest fellow that ever followed in the footsteps
of Daniel Webster, whereat he regained his good humor. I named a day
for the meeting in the last week of September, and added that I would
send my second foreman, John McGurk, with a carriage, to the Grand
Central Hotel in Broadway, near Bond Street.
“The carriage will be at the hotel not later than eight P.M.,” I
told Stuart, “and McGurk will be looking for you in the lobby or
reading-room. You and Whiteley get in the carriage, and my man will do
the rest.”
What was the Grand Central Hotel then is now known as the Broadway
Central. It got well advertised at one time, as the place where Jim
Fisk, the Erie Railway magnate, was murdered by Ed Stokes, who became
the proprietor of the Hoffman House, after serving a short sentence
in the state prison at Auburn, New York. Like the Metropolitan Hotel,
a few blocks below, the Grand Central was the resort of prominent
professional men and Wall Street speculators, and the class of cheap
men who trail them. In directing McGurk to drive ex-Judge Stuart to
me, I said nothing as to whom the other man would be, not deeming it
necessary, for I would have trusted my life in the hands of my second
foreman.
“Be at the hotel at eight,” I said to him, “and drive Stuart and his
companion to me at Eighty-sixth Street and Eighth Avenue. Turn in
Central Park, and I will be there. But don’t by any means tell a soul
where you are going. Do you understand?”
I knew he did. Then I told him, upon leaving the hotel, to drive
ten blocks north, four blocks east, five more up-town, seven blocks
down-town, and west to Eighth Avenue, where, if he was not being
followed, he might come straight to me.
“Trust me, Mr. Miles,” said John McGurk; and I did, knowing full well
that neither ex-Judge Stuart nor any one else in the world would be
able to make him disobey or prove unfaithful to his promise.
I was at the appointed place ten minutes before nine, with Gus Fisher,
a man of my profession. I brought him along to drive the buggy back
to my stables, in case I didn’t need it. With the same caution that I
exercised in getting Colonel Whiteley to the appointed place, I had
planned to outwit him, should he prove to be decoying me into his
hands. I had one of my fleetest horses in front of my buggy, and with
Gus Fisher for an assistant I felt pretty sure of getting ahead of any
game the Secret Service chief might attempt. Really I had considerable
confidence in Stuart’s judgment, but I couldn’t afford to proceed
blindly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account