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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 ofliterary merit, which renders no apology necessary for their appearancebefore the public at this time. The Detective Policeman is in somerespects peculiar to England--one of the developments of the lasttwenty-five years. He differs as much from the informer and spy of thecontinent of Europe as the modern Protective Policeman does from theold-fashioned Watchman. His occupation is of the most exciting anddangerous character, calling into requisition patient endurance andskilful diplomacy. In ferreting out the legitimate objects of justice,his record is full of "hair-breadth 'scapes," which lend a strong odorof the romantic to his life.
We think that the reader, after having perused the following pages, willunite with us in the remark, that the _true_ stories contained thereinhave never been equalled for thrilling interest by any productions ofmodern fiction.
CONTENTS.
PAGETHE 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.
A little more than a year after the period when adversecircumstances--chiefly the result of my own reckless follies--compelledme to enter the ranks of the metropolitan police, as the sole means leftme of procuring food and raiment, the attention of one of the principalchiefs of the force was attracted towards me by the ingenuity andboldness which I was supposed to have manifested in hitting upon andunraveling a clue which ultimately led to the detection and punishmentof the perpetrators of an artistically-contrived fraud upon an eminenttradesman of the west end of London. The chief sent for me; and after asomewhat lengthened conversation, not only expressed approbation of myconduct in the particular matter under discussion, but hinted that hemight shortly need my services in other affairs requiring intelligenceand resolution.
"I think I have met you before," he remarked with a meaning smile ondismissing me, "when you occupied a different position from your presentone? Do not alarm yourself: I have no wish to pry unnecessarily intoother men's secrets. Waters is a name common enough in _all_ ranks ofsociety, and I may, you know"--here the cold smile deepened in ironicalexpression--"be mistaken. At all events, the testimony of the gentlemanwhose recommendation obtained you admission to the force--I have lookedinto the matter since I heard of your behavior in the late business--isa sufficient guarantee that nothing more serious than imprudence andfolly can be laid to your charge. I have neither right nor inclinationto inquire further. To-morrow, in all probability, I shall send foryou."
I came to the conclusion, as I walked homewards, that the chief'sintimation of having previously met me in a another sphere of life was arandom and unfounded one, as I had seldom visited London in myprosperous days, and still more rarely mingled in its society. My wife,however, to whom I of course related the substance of the conversation,reminded me that he had once been at Doncaster during the races; andsuggested that he might possibly have seen and noticed me there. Thiswas a sufficiently probable explanation of the hint; but whether thecorrect one or not, I cannot decide, as he never afterwards alluded tothe subject, and I had not the slightest wish to renew it.
Three days elapsed before I received the expected summons. On waiting onhim, I was agreeably startled to find that I was to be at once employedon a mission which the most sagacious and experienced ofdetective-officers would have felt honored to undertake.
"Here is a written description of the persons of this gang of blacklegs,swindlers, and forgers," concluded the commissioner, summing up hisinstructions. "It will be your object to discover their private haunts,and secure legal evidence of their nefarious practices. We have beenhitherto baffled, principally, I think, through the too hasty zeal ofthe officers employed: you must especially avoid that error. They arepractised scoundrels; and it will require considerable patience, as wellas acumen, to unkennel and bring them to justice. One of their morerecent victims is young Mr. Merton, son, by a former marriage, of theDowager Lady Everton.[A] Her ladyship has applied to us for assistancein extricating him from the toils in which he is meshed. You will callon her at five o'clock this afternoon--in plain clothes of course--andobtain whatever information on the subject she may be able to afford.Remember to communicate _directly_ with me; and any assistance you mayrequire shall be promptly rendered." With these, and a few other minordirections, needless to recapitulate, I was dismissed to a task which,difficult and possibly perilous as it might prove, I hailed as adelightful relief from the wearing monotony and dull routine of ordinaryduty.
[A] The _names_ mentioned in this narrative are, for obvious reasons, fictitious.
I hastened home; and after dressing with great care--the best part of mywardrobe had been fortunately saved by Emily from the wreck of myfortunes--I proceeded to Lady Everton's mansion. I was immediatelymarshalled to the drawing-room, where I found her ladyship and herdaughter--a beautiful, fairy-looking girl--awaiting my arrival. LadyEverton appeared greatly surprised at my appearance, differing, as Idaresay it altogether did, from her abstract idea of a policeman,however attired or disguised; and it was not till she had perused thenote of which I was the bearer, that her haughty and incredulous starebecame mitigated to a glance of lofty condescendent civility.
"Be seated, Mr. Waters," said her ladyship, waving me to a chair. "Thisnote informs me that you have been selected for the duty of endeavoringto extricate my son from the perilous entanglements in which he hasunhappily involved himself."
I was about to reply--for I was silly enough to feel somewhat nettled atthe noble lady's haughtiness of manner--that I was engaged in thepublic service of extirpating a gang of swindlers with whom her son hadinvolved himself, and was there to procure from her ladyship anyinformation she might be possessed of likely t
o forward so desirable aresult; but fortunately the remembrance of my actual position, spite ofmy gentleman's attire, flashed vividly upon my mind; and instead ofpermitting my glib tongue to wag irreverently in the presence of a righthonorable, I bowed with deferential acquiescence.
Her ladyship proceeded, and I in substance obtained the followinginformation:--
Mr. Charles Merton, during the few months which had elapsed since theattainment of his majority, had very literally "fallen amongst thieves."A passion for gambling seemed to have taken entire possession of hisbeing; and almost every day, as well as night, of his haggard andfeverish life was passed at play. A run of ill-luck, according to hisown belief--but in very truth a run of downright robbery--had set inagainst him, and he had not only dissipated all the ready money which hehad inherited, and the large sums which the foolish indulgence of hislady-mother had supplied him with, but had involved himself in bonds,bills, and other obligations to a frightful amount. The principal agentin effecting this ruin was one Sandford--a man of fashionable anddashing exterior, and the presiding spirit of the knot of desperadoeswhom I was commissioned to hunt out. Strange to say, Mr. Merton had theblindest reliance upon this man's honor; and even now--tricked,despoiled as he had been by him and his gang--relied upon his counseland assistance for escape from the desperate position in which he wasinvolved. The Everton estates had passed, in default of male issue, to adistant relative of the late lord; so that ruin, absolute andirremediable, stared both the wretched dupe and his relatives in theface. Lady Everton's jointure was not a very large one, and her son hadbeen permitted to squander sums which should have been devoted to thedischarge of claims which were now pressed harshly against her.
I listened with the deepest interest to Lady Everton's narrative.Repeatedly during the course of it, as she incidentally alluded to themanners and appearance of Sandford, who had been introduced by Mr.Merton to his mother and sister, a suspicion, which the police papershad first awakened, that the gentleman in question was an oldacquaintance of my own, and one, moreover, whose favors I was extremelydesirous to return in kind, flashed with increased conviction across mymind. This surmise I of course kept to myself; and after emphaticallycautioning the ladies to keep our proceedings a profound secret from Mr.Merton, I took my leave, amply provided with the resources requisite forcarrying into effect the scheme which I had resolved upon. I alsoarranged that, instead of waiting personally on her ladyship, whichmight excite observation and suspicion, I should report progress byletter through the post.
"If it _should_ be he!" thought I, as I emerged into the street. Thebare suspicion had sent the blood through my veins with furiousviolence. "If this Sandford be, as I suspect, that villain Cardon,success will indeed be triumph--victory! Lady Everton need not in thatcase seek to animate my zeal by promises of money recompense. A blightedexistence, a young and gentle wife by his means cast down from opulenceto sordid penury, would stimulate the dullest craven that ever crawledthe earth to energy and action. Pray Heaven my suspicion prove correct;and then, oh mine enemy, look well to yourself, for the avenger is atyour heels!"
Sandford, I had been instructed was usually present at the ItalianOpera during the ballet: the box he generally occupied was designated inthe memoranda of the police: and as I saw by the bills that a verysuccessful piece was to be performed that evening, I determined on beingpresent.
I entered the house a few minutes past ten o'clock, just after thecommencement of the ballet, and looked eagerly round. The box in which Iwas instructed to seek my man was empty. The momentary disappointmentwas soon repaid. Five minutes had not elapsed when Cardon, looking moreinsolently-triumphant than ever, entered arm-in-arm with a palearistocratic-looking young man, whom I had no difficulty, from hisstriking resemblance to a portrait in Lady Everton's drawing-room, indeciding to be Mr. Merton. My course of action was at once determinedon. Pausing only to master the emotion which the sight of the glitteringreptile in whose poisonous folds I had been involved and crushedinspired, I passed to the opposite side of the house, and boldly enteredthe box. Cardon's back was towards me, and I tapped him lightly on theshoulder. He turned quickly round; and if a basilisk had confronted him,he could scarcely have exhibited greater terror and surprise. My aspect,nevertheless, was studiously bland and conciliating, and myout-stretched hand seemed to invite a renewal of our old friendship.
"Waters!" he at last stammered, feebly accepting my profferedgrasp--"who would have thought of meeting you here?"
"Not you, certainly, since you stare at an old friend as if he were somefrightful goblin about to swallow you. Really"----
"Hush! Let us speak together in the lobby. An old friend," he added inanswer to Mr. Merton's surprised stare. "We will return in an instant."
"Why, what is all this, Waters?" said Cardon, recovering his wonted_sang-froid_ the instant we were alone. "I understood you had retiredfrom amongst us; were in fact--what shall I say?"----
"Ruined--done up! Nobody should know that better than you."
"My good fellow, you do not imagine"----
"I imagine nothing, my dear Cardon. I was very thoroughly done--done_brown_, as it is written in the vulgar tongue. But fortunately my kindold uncle"----
"Passgrove is dead!" interrupted my old acquaintance, eagerly jumping toa conclusion, "and you are his heir! I congratulate you, my dear fellow.This is indeed a charming 'reverse of circumstances.'"
"Yes; but mind I have given up the old game. No more dice-devilry forme. I have promised Emily never even to touch a card again."
The cold, hard eye of the incarnate fiend--he was little else--gleamedmockingly as these "good intentions" of a practised gamester fell uponhis ear; but he only replied, "Very good; quite right, my dear boy. Butcome, let me introduce you to Mr. Merton, a highly connected personage Iassure you. By the by, Waters," he added in a caressing, confidentialtone, "my name, for family and other reasons, which I will hereafterexplain to you, is for the present Sandford."
"Sandford!"
"Yes: do not forget. But _allons_, or the ballet will be over."
I was introduced in due form to Mr. Merton as an old and esteemedfriend, whom he--Sandford--had not seen for many months. At theconclusion of the ballet, Sandford proposed that we should adjourn tothe European Coffee-house, nearly opposite. This was agreed to, and outwe sallied. At the top of the staircase we jostled against thecommissioner, who, like us, was leaving the house. He bowed slightly toMr. Merton's apology, and his eye wandered briefly and coldly over ourpersons; but not the faintest sign of interest or recognition escapedhim. I thought it possible he did not know me in my changed apparel; butlooking back after descending a few steps, I was quickly undeceived. Asharp, swift glance, expressive both of encouragement and surprise, shotout from under his penthouse brows, and as swiftly vanished. He did notknow how little I needed spurring to the goal we had both in view!
We discussed two or three bottles of wine with much gaiety and relish.Sandford especially was in exuberant spirits; brimming over withbrilliant anecdote and sparkling badinage. He saw in me a fresh, richprey, and his eager spirit revelled by anticipation in the victory whichhe nothing doubted to obtain over my "excellent intentions andwife-pledged virtue." About half-past twelve o'clock he proposed toadjourn. This was eagerly assented to by Mr. Merton, who had for sometime exhibited unmistakeable symptoms of impatience and unrest.
"You will accompany us, Waters?" said Sandford, as we rose to depart."There is, I suppose, no vow registered in the matrimonial archivesagainst _looking on_ at a game played by others?"
"Oh no; but don't ask me to play."
"Certainly not;" and a devilish sneer curled his lip. "Your virtue shallsuffer no temptation be assured."
We soon arrived before the door of a quiet, respectable looking house inone of the streets leading from the Strand: a low peculiar knock, givenby Sandford, was promptly answered; then a password, which I did notcatch, was whispered by him through the key-hole, and we passed in.
We pr
oceeded up stairs to the first floor, the shutters of which werecarefully closed, so that no intimation of what was going on couldpossibly reach the street. The apartment was brilliantly lighted: aroulette table and dice and cards were in full activity: wine andliquors of all varieties were profusely paraded. There were abouthalf-a-dozen persons present, I soon discovered, besides the gang, andthat comprised eleven or twelve well-dressed desperadoes, whose sinisteraspects induced a momentary qualm lest one or more of the pleasant partymight suspect or recognise my vocation. This, however, I reflected, wasscarcely possible. My beat during the short period I had been in theforce was far distant from the usual haunts of such gentry, and I wasotherwise unknown in London. Still, questioning glances were eagerlydirected towards my introducer; and one big burly fellow, aforeigner--the rascals were the scum of various countries--was veryunpleasantly inquisitorial. "_Y'en reponds!_" I heard Sandford say inanswer to his iterated queries; and he added something in a whisperwhich brought a sardonic smile to the fellow's lips, and induced a totalchange in his demeanor towards myself. This was reassuring; for thoughprovided with pistols, I should, I felt, have little chance with suchutterly reckless ruffians as those by whom I was surrounded. Play wasproposed; and though at first stoutly refusing, I feigned to begradually overcome by irresistible temptation, and sat down to blindhazard with my foreign friend for moderate stakes. I was graciouslyallowed to win; and in the end found myself richer in devil's money byabout ten pounds. Mr. Merton was soon absorbed in the chances of thedice, and lost large sums, for which, when the money he had brought withhim was exhausted, he gave written acknowledgements. The cheatingpractised upon him was really audacious; and any one but a tyro musthave repeatedly detected it. He, however, appeared not to entertain theslightest suspicion of the "fair-play" of his opponents, guiding himselfentirely by the advice of his friend and counsellor, Sandford, who didnot himself play. The amiable assemblage broke up about six in themorning, each person retiring singly by the back way, receiving, as hedeparted, a new password for the next evening.
A few hours afterwards, I waited on the commissioner to report the stateof affairs. He was delighted with the fortunate _debut_ I had made, butstill strictly enjoined patience and caution. It would have been easy,as I was in possession of the password, to have surprised theconfederacy in the act of gaming that very evening; but this would onlyhave accomplished a part of the object aimed at. Several of thefraternity--Sandford amongst the number--were suspected of utteringforged foreign bank-notes, and it was essential to watch narrowly forlegal evidence to insure their conviction. It was also desirable torestore, if possible, the property and securities of which Mr. Mertonhad been pillaged.
Nothing of especial importance occurred for seven or eight days. Gamingwent on as usual every evening, and Mr. Merton became of course more andmore involved: even his sister's jewels--which he had surreptitiouslyobtained, to such a depth of degredation will this frightful vice plungemen otherwise honorable--had been staked and lost; and he was, by theadvice of Sandford, about to conclude a heavy mortgage on his estate, inorder not only to clear off his enormous 'debts of honor,' but toacquire fresh means of 'winning back'--that _ignus-fatuus_ of allgamblers--his tremendous losses! A new preliminary 'dodge' was, Iobserved, now brought into action. Mr. Merton esteemed himself a knowinghand at _ecarte_: it was introduced; and he was permitted to win everygame he played, much to the apparent annoyance and discomfiture of thelosers. As this was precisely the snare into which I had myself fallen,I of course the more readily detected it, and felt quite satisfied thata _grand coup_ was meditated. In the meantime I had not been idle.Sandford was _confidentially_ informed that I was only waiting in Londonto receive between four and five thousand pounds--part of UnclePassgrove's legacy--and then intended to immediately hasten back tocanny Yorkshire. To have seen the villain's eyes as I incidentally, asit were, announced my errand and intention! They fairly flashed withinfernal glee! Ah, Sandford, Sandford! you were, with all your cunning,but a sand-blind idiot to believe the man you had wronged and ruinedcould so easily forget the debt he owed you!
The crisis came swiftly on. Mr. Merton's mortgage-money was to be paidon the morrow; and on that day, too, I announced the fabulous thousandsreceivable by me were to be handed over. Mr. Merton, elated by hisrepeated triumphs at ecarte, and prompted by his friend Sandford,resolved, instead of cancelling the bonds and obligations held by theconspirators, to redeem his losses by staking on that game his readymoney against those liabilities. This was at first demurred to with muchapparent earnestness by the winners; but Mr. Merton, warmly seconded bySandford, insisting upon the concession, as he deemed it, it was finallyagreed that ecarte should be the game by which he might hope to regainthe fortune and the peace of mind he had so rashly squandered: the lasttime, should he be successful--and was he not sure of success?--heassured Sandford, that he would ever handle cards or dice. He shouldhave heard the mocking merriment with which the gang heard Sandfordrepeat this resolution to amend his ways--_when_ he had recovered backhis wealth!
The day so eagerly longed for by Merton and the confederates--by thespoilers and their prey--arrived; and I awaited with feverish anxietythe coming on of night. Only the chief conspirators--eight innumber--were to be present; and no stranger except myself--a privilege Iowed to the moonshine legacy I had just received--was to be admitted tothis crowning triumph of successful fraud. One only hint I had venturedto give Mr. Merton, and that under a promise, 'on his honor as agentleman,' of inviolable secrecy. It was this: "Be sure, beforecommencing play to-morrow night, that the bonds and obligations you havesigned, the jewels you have lost, with a sum in notes or gold to make upan equal amount to that which you mean to risk, is actually deposited onthe table." He promised to insist on this condition. It involved muchmore than he dreamt of.
My arrangements were at length thoroughly complete; and a few minutespast twelve o'clock the whispered password admitted me into the house.An angry altercation was going on. Mr. Merton was insisting, as I hadadvised, upon the exhibition of a sum equal to that which he had broughtwith him--for, confident of winning, he was determined to recover hislosses to the last farthing; and although his bonds, bills, obligations,his sister's jewels, and a large amount in gold and genuine notes, wereproduced, there was still a heavy sum deficient. "Ah, by the by,"exclaimed Sandford as I entered, "Waters can lend you the sum for anhour or two--for a _consideration_," he added in a whisper. "It willsoon be returned."
"No, thank you," I answered coldly. "I never part with my money till Ihave lost it."
A malignant scowl passed over the scoundrel's features; but he made noreply. Ultimately it was decided that one of the fraternity should bedespatched in search of the required amount. He was gone about half anhour, and returned with a bundle of notes. They were, as I hoped andexpected, forgeries on foreign banks. Mr. Merton looked at and countedthem; and play commenced.
As it went on, so vividly did the scene recall the evening that hadsealed my own ruin, that I grew dizzy with excitement, and drainedtumbler after tumbler of water to allay the fevered throbbing of myveins. The gamblers were fortunately too much absorbed to heed myagitation. Merton lost continuously--without pause or intermission. Thestakes were doubled--trebled--quadrupled! His brain was on fire; and heplayed, or rather lost, with the recklessness of a madman.
"Hark! what's that?" suddenly exclaimed Sandford, from whose Satanicfeatures the mask he had so long worn before Merton had been graduallyslipping. "Did you not hear a noise below?"
_My_ ear had caught the sound; and I could better interpret it than he.It ceased.
"Touch the signal-bell, Adolphe," added Sandford.
Not only the play, but the very breathing of the villains, was suspendedas they listened for the reply.
It came. The answering tinkle sounded once--twice--thrice. "All right!"shouted Sandford. "Proceed! The farce is nearly played out."
I had instructed the officers that two of them in plain clothes shouldpresent themselves at
the front door, obtain admission by means of thepassword I had given them, and immediately seize and gag thedoor-keeper. I had also acquainted them with the proper answer to thesignal-wring--three distinct pulls at the bell-handle communicating withthe first floor. Their comrades were then to be admitted, and they wereall to silently ascend the stairs, and wait on the landing till summonedby me to enter and seize the gamesters. The back entrance to the housewas also securely but unobtrusively watched.
One only fear disturbed me: it was lest the scoundrels should take alarmin sufficient time to extinguish the lights, destroy the forged papers,and possibly escape by some private passage which might, unknown to me,exist.
Rousing myself, as soon as the play was resumed, from the trance ofmemory by which I had been in some sort absorbed, and first ascertainingthat the handles of my pistols were within easy reach--for I knew I wasplaying a desperate game with desperate men--I rose, stepped carelesslyto the door, partially opened it, and bent forward, as if listening fora repetition of the sound which had so alarmed the company. To my greatdelight the landing and stairs were filled with police-officers--silentand stern as death. I drew back, and walked towards the table at whichMr. Merton was seated. The last stake--an enormous one--was being playedfor. Merton lost. He sprang upon his feet, death-pale, despairing,overwhelmed, and a hoarse execration surged through his clenched teeth.Sandford and his associates coolly raked the plunder together, theirfeatures lighted up with fiendish glee.
"Villain!--traitor!--miscreant!" shrieked Mr. Merton, as if smitten withsudden frenzy, and darting at Sandford's throat: "you, devil that youare, have undone, destroyed me!"
"No doubt of it," calmly replied Sandford, shaking off his victim'sgrasp; "and I think it has been very artistically and effectually donetoo. Snivelling, my fine fellow, will scarcely help you much."
Mr. Merton glared upon the taunting villain in speechless agony andrage.
"Not quite so fast, _Cardon_, if you please," I exclaimed, at the sametime taking up a bundle of forged notes. "It does not appear to me thatMr. Merton has played against equal stakes, for unquestionably thispaper is not genuine."
"Dog!" roared Sandford, "do you hold your life so cheap?" and he rushedtowards me, as if to seize the forged notes.
I was as quick as he, and the levelled tube of a pistol sharply arrestedhis eager onslaught. The entire gang gathered near us, flaming withexcitement. Mr. Merton looked bewilderedly from one to another,apparently scarcely conscious of what was passing around him.
"Wrench the papers from him!" screamed Sandford, recovering his energy."Seize him--stab, strangle him!"
"Look to yourself, scoundrel!" I shouted with equal vehemence. "Yourhour is come! Officers, enter and do your duty!"
In an instant the room was filled with police; and surprised,panic-stricken, paralysed by the suddenness of the catastrophe, the gangwere all secured without the slightest resistance, though most of themwere armed, and marched off in custody.
Three--Sandford, or Cardon; but he had half-a-dozen _aliases_, one ofthem--were transported for life: the rest were sentenced to variousterms of imprisonment. My task was effectually accomplished. Mysuperiors were pleased to express very warm commendation of the mannerin which I had acquitted myself; and the first step in the promotionwhich ultimately led to my present position in another branch of thepublic service was soon afterwards conferred upon me. Mr. Merton had hisbonds, obligations, jewels, and money, restored to him; and, taughtwisdom by terrible experience, never again entered a gaming-house.Neither he nor his lady-mother was ungrateful for the service I had beenfortunate enough to render them.