The Burglars Fate and The Detectives | Page 9

After concluding his relations, he
requested the assistance of another operative, in order that they might
scour the country round about, in the hope of finding some clues of the
escaping robbers.
On the next morning, operative Howard Jackson, a young, active and
extremely intelligent member of my force, arrived at Geneva, and
placed himself in communication with John Manning, for the
continuance of this investigation.
When Manning's reports were duly received by my son, William A.
Pinkerton, the superintendent of my Chicago agency, he gave the
matter his most careful and earnest attention, and as he finished their
perusal, he formed the opinion that young Pearson was not entirely
guiltless of some collusion in this robbery. The more he weighed the
various circumstances connected with this case, the more firm did this
conclusion become, until at last he experienced a firm conviction that
this young man knew more about the matter than he had yet related.
It seemed strange to him that a young, strong and active man like
Pearson should not have manifested even ordinary courage in a crisis
like this. He was behind the desk when the attack was made upon Miss
Patton at the door, and saw what was transpiring before the second
assailant had time to reach him. Even if powerless to defend her, it
seemed reasonable that he could have raised an alarm, which would
have attracted the attention of the passers by; or, failing in that, he
could, at least, have hastily closed the vault doors, and thus have saved

the money of the bank. He knew that these doors were open, and that
within the vault were nearly thirty thousand dollars, for which he was
indirectly responsible. But a moment's time would have sufficed to
close these doors and adjust the combination, and yet he made no effort
to prevent a robbery which he knew was intended.
The ordinary promptings of manhood would, it was thought, have
induced him to make some show of resistance, or to have gone to the
rescue of a young and delicate girl; but none of these things did he do,
and, if the story related was true, the young man had acted like a base
coward at the best, and submitted without a murmur to the outrages that
were perpetrated in his presence. Instead of acting like a man, he stood
tamely by and allowed a woman to be cruelly beaten, the bank robbed,
and the robbers to walk off unmolested and unharmed.
There was another matter which seemed impossible of accomplishment.
Pearson had stated that while in the vault he had removed the screws
from the lock upon the door with the aid of a ten-cent piece. This idea
seemed to be utterly incredible, and prompted by his doubts, William
attempted the same feat upon the lock on his office door. After several
efforts, in which he exerted his strength to the utmost, he was obliged
to desist. The screws utterly defied the efforts to move them, while the
coin was bent and twisted out of all shape, by the pressure that it was
subjected to.
While he was thus engaged with his thoughts upon this perplexing
problem, he was informed that two gentlemen from Geneva desired to
speak with him. Signifying his readiness to receive them, two
well-dressed gentlemen entered and announced their business.
One of these men was a Mr. Perry, a director of the Geneva bank, and
his companion was a Mr. Bartman, a merchant in Newtonsville, a little
town situated but a few miles distant from Geneva.
"Mr. Bartman," said Mr. Perry, addressing my son, "has some
information to communicate, which I think is important enough to
deserve serious consideration, and I have brought him to you."

Mr. Bartman's information proved to be of very decided importance.
He stated that he was a merchant, doing business in Newtonsville, and
that he was in the habit of purchasing his goods from various traveling
salesmen who represented Chicago houses. Among this number was a
young man named Newton Edwards, who was in the employ of a large
commission house, located on South Water Street, in the city of
Chicago. He had known Edwards for some years, and had frequently
dealt with him during that period. During the forenoon of the day on
which the robbery occurred, he saw Newton Edwards in Newtonsville,
but that instead of attempting to sell his goods, that gentleman was
apparently seeking to avoid observation. He met him upon the street
and familiarly accosted him, but Edwards received his salutations
coldly, and did not engage in any conversation. Mr. Bartman thought
nothing of this at the time, but in the afternoon, having business in
Geneva, he drove over to that place, and, to his surprise, he found
Edwards, in company with