“It’s only asking for trouble,” I said, “and what’s the use?”
“Oh, to hell with the cops,” was the separate reply from the trio. I said no more, but hoped they would be wise. I might have left them to a big surprise, but after Radford had gone I hastened to McGuire’s place in Bleecker Street and told him what I had heard, adding that they would better get out of town on the instant. They laughed at my warning. The following evening at eight o’clock Captain Jourdan arrested them, and the next morning soon after daylight he personally took them to the outskirts of the city and, boarding a train, lodged them in a Maine jail. Thus were “Fairy” McGuire, Rory Simms, and Dave Bartlett shanghaied out of New York State by Captain Jourdan, in utter defiance of the requisition laws.
Knowing what the police had done, I determined that Captain Young would not have the opportunity to thus take Mark Shinburn and our sales agent to Maryland, and ex-Judge Stuart said he would assist me. He procured a writ that would forestall any illegal procedure of the sort that might be attempted, and had it served on the Police Commissioners at headquarters. Meanwhile we kept a diligent watch on the gamesters in Mulberry Street. About the time Mr. Somerville got back from Albany with good news from that quarter, Captain Young turned up and with him the news of where he had been. Close on the heels of these developments, the officials of the New Windsor Bank and their attorneys, accompanied by Detective Pierson, of Smith, Pierson, and West’s Agency, of Baltimore, arrived in town. Pierson was a very clever sleuth and a trusted friend of our advisers at Police Headquarters. He promptly received a tip from our friends, and therewith ignored Captain Young. In an exceedingly short time he was in an earnest conversation with the attorneys of the bank officials, advising them as to the most efficacious means of recovering the Union Pacific bonds. Pierson had no difficulty in demonstrating the fiction of John Young’s wonderful tale of his capture of the bank looters, and immediately there was some figuring with a view of scaling down his promised reward. Also it was presently shown to them how the bonds could be returned without the fabricator’s assistance. They were thoroughly disgusted with the mode of procedure, and admitted that they had been well duped by Young’s representations.
The result of Pierson’s mediation was an interview between the bank’s attorneys and ex-Judge Stuart. Two days later we decided to return the fifty-three thousand dollars’ worth of Union Pacifics in return for the recipients’ promise not to prosecute Shinburn and our sales agent. Captain Young had his reward scaled down to seventeen thousand five hundred dollars, but felt that he must turn the prisoners over to the Maryland authorities. He had his reward in hand, and if General Spinola received any part of it, the information never reached me. Knowing John Young as I did, I believe the general whistled long and loud ere he got a finger on the “rake-off.”
These matters being “squared” and the Marylanders ready to start for home, Captain Young turned the prisoners over to Detective Pierson, it being lawful in this instance to do so, provided both parties were agreed. Meanwhile I was apprised of the leaving time of the Pennsylvania Railroad train that was to take the party to Maryland, and accordingly the ferry-boat that left the New York slip for the five o’clock P.M. train, bearing the party, also had me aboard with a closed carriage and ready for a part I would play. At the landing of the boat I drove my team to a convenient place close to the ferry-house and waited. Detective Pierson, with the prisoners handcuffed, and accompanied by the bankers and lawyers, went to the train in waiting and boarded it. The time was then ripe for action.
“I’m going to call a halt here, gentlemen,” said Shinburn, “and there’s mighty little time to waste before this train goes.”
Detective Pierson tried to look solemn, as did the bankers and their attorneys, and then asked the reason for the protest.
“Simply this—we’re not going with you,” declared Mark.
“Oh, yes, you will; there’s no use crying about it. Sit down!” commanded Pierson. This made a fine by-play for the passengers.
“I’ll make an outcry,” exclaimed Shinburn, “unless you can show me your authority.”