Detectives -- United States -- Biography; Pinkerton, Allan, 1819-1884; Robbery -- United States -- Case studies
On arriving in New Orleans, Maroney again put up at the City Hotel,
while Roch went to a neighboring restaurant, to get some refreshments,
intending afterwards to change his clothes, and make his appearance as
the dashing Southerner. He had just finished his meal, when, on looking
over to the City Hotel, he saw Maroney getting into a carriage, on which
his two trunks were already placed. He rushed out as Maroney drove off
in the direction of the depot where passengers take the cars for
Pontchartrain, and then go by steamer to Mobile.
He had to make quick time again, and was fortunate enough to secure the
services of a negro drayman who had a fast horse. With this assistance
he got to the station "on time," and, securing a second-class ticket to
Mobile, was soon away on another route.
After reaching Pontchartrain, and embarking on the steamer, Maroney
seemed happier than he had yet been, and walked around the deck, singing
and whistling, apparently overflowing with good spirits. As his spirits
rose, Roch's fell in a corresponding degree. He was unable to understand
the cause of this change; everything seemed confused to him, and he did
not know what to do. He finally concluded that Maroney had left
Montgomery, going to Atlanta, Chattanooga, Nashville, Memphis, etc.,
merely to see if he would be followed, and now, finding he had not
been, he was returning home in a perfectly easy frame of mind.
So much at least had been done. Roch knew that all his actions had met
with my approval. I was the responsible party, and if I was satisfied,
he was. In the meantime, I was unable to form a definite opinion as to
the reason for the change which had evidently taken place in Maroney.
There was no denying but that something had happened to give him more
courage, and it flashed through my mind: Has he got the money?
I thought nothing about the old trunk, as, if he had had anything
valuable in it, he would not have left it so carelessly exposed, at the
stations, on the wharf-boat, etc. All I could do was to carry out my old
plan: "Watch and wait."
Roch, on the journey to Mobile, took a seat on this identical trunk; he
saw nothing suspicious about the old thing, which was not even locked,
but tied up with ropes. Had it entered his mind that the trunk contained
the money he was after, the battle would have been a short one. But he
knew nothing, positively nothing, which would lead him to suppose that
this was the case; so he had nothing to do but to wait, and wait he did.
On Saturday, the thirtieth day of April, the steamer arrived at Mobile,
and the passengers speedily disembarked. At three in the afternoon a
steamer started up the Alabama river, for Montgomery, and on this boat
Maroney took passage. Among the passengers going to Montgomery were a
number of his friends. There were many ladies among them, and he was
well received by all of them. He took no notice of his baggage, and his
trunks lay carelessly amidst a pile of luggage.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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