Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images available at The Internet Archive) THE Recollections OF A POLICEMAN. BY THOMAS WATERS, AN INSPECTOR OF THE LONDON DETECTIVE CORPS. BOSTON: THAYER AND ELDRIDGE, 114 & 116 WASHINGTON STREET. 1860. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1856, by WENTWORTH AND COMPANY, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. PREFACE. The tales included in this volume possess a remarkable degree of literary merit, which renders no apology necessary for their appearance before the public at this time. The Detective Policeman is in some respects peculiar to England--one of the developments of the last twenty-five years. He differs as much from the informer and spy of the continent of Europe as the modern Protective Policeman does from the old-fashioned Watchman. His occupation is of the most exciting and dangerous character, calling into requisition patient endurance and skilful diplomacy. In ferreting out the legitimate objects of justice, his record is full of "hair-breadth 'scapes," which lend a strong odor of the romantic to his life. We think that the reader, after having perused the following pages, will unite with us in the remark, that the _true_ stories contained therein have never been equalled for thrilling interest by any productions of modern fiction. CONTENTS. PAGE THE GAMBLER 5 GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY 20 X, Y, Z 42 THE WIDOW 61 THE TWINS 82 THE PURSUIT 95 LEGAL METAMORPHOSES 109 THE REVENGE 127 MARY KINGSFORD 144 FLINT JACKSON 165 MODERN SCIENCE OF THIEF TAKING 189 THE DETECTIVE POLICE PARTY 202 THREE "DETECTIVE" ANECDOTES 227 THE MARTYRS OF CHANCERY 239 LAW AT A LOW PRICE 247 THE LAW 261 THE DUTIES OF WITNESSES AND JURYMEN 265 BANK NOTE FORGERIES 280 DOOM OF ENGLISH WILLS 313 DISAPPEARANCES 349 LOADED DICE 361 Part I. THE GAMBLER.