Detectives -- United States -- Biography; Pinkerton, Allan, 1819-1884; Robbery -- United States -- Case studies
Maroney was the first to break the silence. He said: "I first stole ten
thousand dollars, which was brought to my office on Sunday, by the
messenger from Atlanta. This package was intended for a party in
Columbus, Ga. It had been missent, and forwarded by mistake to Atlanta,
instead of to Macon, and from Atlanta to me in Montgomery. My duty was,
on receipt of the package, to immediately telegraph to Atlanta of its
arrival, and to send it off by the train that left that evening for
Columbus. I had no right to the package, and should have immediately
re-billed it and sent it off. I was certain that no one knew that it had
been missent. It had evidently found its way into the pouch through a
mistake, as it was not marked on the way-bill, or its presence known to
the messenger. I never thought I should be guilty of theft till the
time; but the moment I saw the package it flashed into my mind that if I
took it I would never be detected. The temptation was too strong to be
withstood. I yielded to it, and without any one's seeing me, dropped the
package under the counter. The messenger did not see it, and as his
way-bill checked up all right, soon left the office. I watched my chance
and put the packet of money into my coat-pocket and went home.
"You see, White, that was my first offense, and I felt rather
frightened. I felt sorry that I had yielded to the temptation, but could
not part with the money, it seemed so completely to have infatuated me.
I took it home and hid it, but did not tell my wife a word about it. In
a short time despatches were sent all around to the different agents to
find, if possible, where the package was. I received several of them,
but reported that I had not seen or heard anything of it. I was so
assured of the impossibility of my detection that I had lost all the
fears that at first assailed me, and was as cool as a cucumber.
"The General Superintendent came around with several detectives, but
they could not find the money. I was tried in many ways, but I never
flinched, and they finally had to give the matter up.
"In a short time I asked for leave of absence to make a visit to the
North. It was granted me, and I started off, with the ten thousand
dollars in my possession. I soon found that I was followed by a
detective, and I led him a wild-goose chase until I reached Richmond,
Va., where I gave him the slip, and he never knew where I went. I did
the same in the forty-thousand-dollar case. I gave them all the slip at
Chattanooga."
"No matter about that," said White; "if you are going to give me a
statement, give me a clear one, and not jumble everything together."
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