The Web : $b The Authorized History of the American Protective LeagueHough, Emerson
History
The Web : $b The Authorized History of the American Protective League
Hough, Emerson
American Protective League; Propaganda, German; World War, 1914-1918 -- Secret service -- United States
A man who owned a garage was reported hostile to Liberty Bonds and
Thrift Stamps. A certain operative went to talk over with him the
question of Thrift Stamps. The question was asked, “How many do you
want me to buy?” The solicitor said he thought about a thousand dollars
worth. He bought a thousand dollars worth in cash, then and there.
Almost persuaded.
A very elusive draft dodger was Geo. F——, who was chased from pillar
to post, but not come up with. He was discovered to have an intrigue
with a waitress, Jennie M——, who also would change her name once in
a while, leave her place of employment and be gone a day or two. The
question was, where did she go? The operatives on the case took Jennie
down to the Federal Building, where she told so many conflicting
stories that she was locked up. Meantime, the Post Office Department
advised that certain letters were sent back from Elyria, Ohio,
addressed to “F. J. P——.” The return card brought the trail around to
one of the original dwelling-places of the suspect. The operative now
went to this address and found the owner of the home and threatened to
arrest him for abetting a deserter from the United States Army. These
letters were opened and it was discovered that the man desired was
getting mail at the post office at Monroe, Michigan. So the operative
went to Jennie in jail and said, “Well, we have got George over in
Michigan.” “Is that so?” said the girl; “how did you get him?” The
operative declined to tell, and said the only thing he wondered about
was what name George was going under in Monroe. The girl finally
admitted that his name there was “F. J. P——.” It took patience and
shrewdness to follow the trail in Monroe. However, a name was found
written in two places in a register of a workingmen’s hotel there. The
initials were the same as for F. J. P——, one of the many alias names.
The landlady was found, and a picture of Jennie was shown her. She said
it was the same picture that “F. J. P——” had in the back of his watch.
The rest was rather simple. The operator hired a taxicab and started
out in search of his man, who then was engaged as night watchman on
some road work. A steam roller was found in the middle of the road,
displaying a red lantern, with a man fast asleep on top. The operative
awakened him, and identified him as the much wanted Geo. F——, alias
Ed. D——, alias Geo. W——, alias F. J. P——, alias F. J. P——. The man was
handcuffed and the party started back for Monroe. In due time, the
suspect was taken to the Department of Justice, and on December 14 the
long trail ended for him. The details of this pursuit are among the
most interesting of those which have been turned in for any case on the
Cleveland records.
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