of this work, and to this he replied, “Twelve.” “My wife,” said Mr. McHenry, “did a great deal of work in this case, and was of much service to the Fall River police. She was, I believe, the only woman who could and did succeed in getting the confidence of Bridget Sullivan. She was also of much assistance as a shadow, and was the famous veiled lady who was so mystifying to the newspaper men. She shadowed Trickey to Boston time and again, and on each occasion found that he went to the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Mr. Trickey always, after leaving my office, went to this place before he went to the office of the Globe.”
Such is the statement of McHenry and it is but fair to say that the Fall River police admit that Captain Harrington was sent to Providence several times to overhear the conversation between Trickey and McHenry, and that Captain Desmond went one or more times. The police also admit that Mr. Trickey was indicted for tampering with a government witness.
There is, however, another side to this case, and that is the explanation made by Mr. Trickey of his conduct. It is conceded that he was one of the ablest and at the same time most brilliant man in his profession in the State, and there is no attempt made here to reflect discredit upon his methods or to question his honesty of purpose. Thus it is justice to him in giving his version of the affair. Before his departure from Boston and after the Globe had published its big story he made a written statement of connection with it, telling plainly of every move he made and of all the talk he had had with McHenry before and after the purchase of the story. This written statement was delivered into the hands of Superintendent John Cornish of the Pinkerton Detective Agency, and served as a basis for an extended investigation which the Pinkerton’s carried on for months in Fall River, Providence, New York and Boston, with the intention of sifting the entire matter to its foundation. Mr. Trickey alleged, and his friends believe him, that McHenry was responsible for the injustice done the Boston Globe and that the detective actuated by motives of personal gain and revenge not only sacrificed Mr. Trickey and the Globe but deliberately misled the Fall River police and secured their sanction and co-operation in the deal. He starts out by saying that he was in Providence the early part of September on the lookout for the “lawyer story” and that he saw McHenry on the street. That the detective called him across and the two men entered into conversation, during which McHenry said that he had a good story to sell. “Well Mack” said Trickey “the Globe will pay
as much for it as any other paper.” “Yes” said the detective, “but it’s worth a great deal more to somebody else.” “Who?” asked Trickey. “The defense” replied McHenry. Then Trickey was given to understand that he could have the entire evidence in the Borden case for $1200. He says that McHenry gave him to understand that the matter would be sold only for the use of the defense and not for publication. Trickey didn’t care anything about the defense, all he wanted was a story for his paper and with a view of getting it he humored McHenry by agreeing to call upon Col. Adams and ask him if he wanted to hire a good detective, one who could get at all the state’s evidence against Miss Borden. Trickey did call upon Col. Adams and had a conversation about this matter with the result according to Trickey’s statement that the lawyer didn’t have any use for a detective and didn’t care anything about investing his client’s money in the purchase of the Commonwealth’s case. In other words, Col. Adams refused to have anything to do with the proposed deal. But the reporter, knowing that his chances of securing the “stuff” for publication would be very materially lessened if he made known the result of his visit, concluded to act the part of an agent for the defense and represent to McHenry that Col. Adams did in reality desire to buy the story. With this conclusion in mind he again visited the detective and reported, (but wrongfully as he says) that the Colonel would buy if the price was lowered. McHenry then agreed to sell for $1000 and divide the money with Trickey. This was the reporter’s opportunity. He knew that the Globe would give $500 and that sum he intended to pay over to the detective, representing that it came from Col. Adams, and that he had kept the other $500 as his share, according to agreement.
It might be said here that if any such deal as this was made the supporters of Mr. Trickey have failed to find a witness who overheard the bargain, while on the other hand the police deny that such a conversation ever took place and claim that Captain Harrington and others were in a position to hear all that was said upon the subject by Mr. Trickey and the detective. But this chapter is not an argument either for or against Mr. Trickey. His declaration goes on to say that after the 15th of September, or thereabout, he made numberless visits to the detective, and in this particular he agrees with the police version of the affair. He admits receiving the “skeleton” story first and later the names of the alleged witnesses, and that he did play the part of an agent for the defense prompted purely by a desire to get the story for publication. The fact that he
hastened to print the story without further attempt to verify it, is due to two causes. First, he feared that McHenry would sell it to the Boston Herald. Second, that he had given a Fall River police officer (one whose name does not appear in this chapter,) the sum of $100 for a list of the witnesses in the case and they agreed with the names furnished by McHenry in the latter part of the transaction. The fact that it did agree convinced him that the story was all right and he did not want to take the chances of McHenry selling out to the Herald, so the agreement about the twenty-four hours notice was violated.
The writer has been assured by the police that if Mr. Trickey had given the twenty-four hours notice before publication the Boston Globe would have been spared the trouble of printing the “fake.” In Justice to the Boston Globe it must be said that its editors made the most humble and abject apology for the wrong done Miss Borden by the publication of the “thirteen columns of lies” which Detective McHenry had sold to Mr. Trickey. The apology was made as prominent as the story had been and the Globe’s position, although not an enviable one, appeared to be as graceful as the circumstances would admit.
It has been stated by persons who are in a position to know whereof they speak, that not only Mr. Trickey, but others were indicted for their apparent connection with this affair.