按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
developments； the clerk turned round； found the note； and promptly
placed it in box Number 420。 The very simple scheme had worked；
and quite unconsciously the clerk had indicated the number of the
room occupied by Dodge。
Jesse lost no time in ascending to the fourth floor； viewed room
Number 420； returned to the desk； told the clerk that he was
dissatisfied with the room assigned him； and requested that he be
given either room Number 421； 423； or 425； one of which he stated
that he had occupied on a previous visit。 After some discussion
the clerk allotted him room Number 423； which was almost directly
opposite that occupied by Dodge； and the detective at once took up
his task of watching for the fugitive to appear。
Within the hour the door opened and Dodge and a companion； who
subsequently proved to be E。 M。 Bracken； alias 〃Bradley；〃 an agent
employed by Howe and Hummel； left the room； went to the elevator；
and descended to the dining…room upon the second floor。 Jesse
watched until they were safely ensconced at breakfast and then
returned to the fourth floor where he tipped the chambermaid； told
her that he had left his key at the office； and induced her to
unlock the door of room Number 420； which she did under the
supposition that Jesse was the person who had left the chamber in
Dodge's company。 The contents of the room convinced Jesse that he
had found Dodge； for he discovered there two grips bearing Dodge's
name as well as several letters on the table addressed to him。 The
detective returned to the hall and had a little talk with the maid。
〃The old gentleman with you has been quite sick；〃 she said。 〃How
is he to…day？〃
〃He is some better；〃 answered Jesse。
〃Yes； he does look better to…day；〃 she added； 〃but he sho'ly was
powerful sick yesterday。 Why； he hasn't been out of his room befo'
fo' five or six days。〃
This statement was corroborated by Dodge's physical appearance； for
he looked haggard and worn。
Jesse was now confident that he had found Dodge； in spite of the
reports of the New Orleans police to the contrary； and he was also
reasonably sure that the fugitive was too sick to leave the hotel
immediately。 He therefore telegraphed his superiors that he had
discovered Dodge and that the latter was ill at the St。 Charles
Hotel。
At three o'clock in the afternoon Jesse received a wire from New
York as follows：
〃New Orleans police department claims party not there。 Left for
Mexico three weeks ago。 Ascertain correct destination and wire at
once。〃
Jesse at once replied：
〃No question as to identity and presence here at this time。〃
He now took up the task of keeping his quarry under absolute
surveillance day and night； which duty from that moment he
continued for a period of nearly ten months。
During the remainder of the afternoon and throughout the night
Dodge and Bracken remained in room Number 420； and during the
evening were visited by several strangers； including a plain…
clothes officer from the New Orleans Police Headquarters。 Little
Hummel； dining in Long Acre Square in the glare of Broadway； was
pressing some invisible button that transmitted the power of his
influence even to the police government of a city two thousand
miles away。
The following day； January 26th； at about 8。40 in the morning；
Dodge and Bracken descended to the lobby。 Bracken departed from
the hotel； leaving Dodge to pay the bill at the cashier's window
and Jesse heard him order a cab for the 11。30 A。 M。 Sunset Limited
on the Southern Pacific Railroad and direct that his baggage be
removed from his room。 Jesse did the same。
In the meantime Bracken returned and promptly at 11 A。 M。 left for
the railroad station in a cab with Dodge。 Jesse followed in
another。 As the two passed through the gates the detective caught
a glimpse of Dodge's ticket and saw that it had been issued by the
Mexican National Railway。 Retiring to the telegraph office in the
station he wired New York as follows：
〃Bird flying。Sunset Limited。 Destination not known。 I am with
him。〃
He then hastily purchased a ticket to Houston； Texas； and boarded
the train。 Dodge's companion had bidden him good…by as the engine
started； and Jesse's task now became that of ferreting out Dodge's
destination。 After some difficulty he managed to get a glimpse of
the whole of the fugitive's ticket and thus discovered that he was
on his way to the City of Mexico； via Eagle Pass； Texas； while from
the Pullman conductor he learned that Dodge had secured sleeping…
car accommodation as far as San Antonio； Texas； only。
So far all was well。 He knew Dodge but Dodge did not know him； and
later on in the afternoon he had the satisfaction of a long talk
with his quarry in the observation car where they amiably discussed
together current events and argued politics with the same vehemence
as if they had been commercial travellers thrown fortuitously into
each other's company。 Dodge； however； cleverly evaded any
reference to his destination。
When the train reached Morgan City； Louisiana； at 3 P。 M。； which
was the first stop； Jesse wired New York as follows：
〃On Sunset Limited with friend。 He has transportation to the City
of Mexico； via Eagle Pass； where I am now journeying with him。
Answer to Beaumont； Texas。〃
Later in the afternoon he sent an additional message from
Lafayette； Louisiana：
〃Have seen transportation of friend and am positive of
destination。〃
Dodge was occupying Section 3 of the sleeping car 〃Capitola；〃 and；
as became an invalid； retired early。
At Beaumont Jesse failed to receive any reply to his various
messages； and when the train arrived at Houston no word came from
New York until it was almost the time of departure。 Waiting until
practically the last moment Jesse hurried through the gates of the
Union Station at Houston and bought a ticket to San Antonio。 As he
was leaving the ticket window Night Chief of Police John Howard and
two officers came hurrying up inquiring anxiously for 〃Mr。 Jesse。〃
The reenforcements had arrived。
Outside on the track 〃The Sunset Limited〃 was just getting under
way。 The first frantic puffs were being vomited from the funnel。
Inside Dodge was sleeping peacefully in his berth。 Jesse；
accompanied by Chief Howard； hurried up to the conductor who was
about to swing on to the steps of the sleeper； and ordered him to
hold the train till the fugitive could be removed。 After some
argument the conductor grumblingly complied and Dodge was aroused
from pleasant dreams of the 〃Creole Quarter〃 to the cold reality of
being dragged out of bed by a policeman。 He was unceremoniously
hustled out of the sleeping car into a carriage and taken to
Headquarters where he admitted his identity and remarked：
〃I know what I am wanted for； but I will never return to New York。〃
In his grip was found the sum of 1；563。15； as well as numerous
letters from the law firm of Howe and Hummel； and a quantity of
newspaper clippings relative to his case。
Dodge pleaded with Chief Howard not to lock him up； urging that he
was a sick man and offering a goodly sum if he might be taken to a
hotel and guarded for the remainder of the night。 But what 〃went〃
in New Orleans did not 〃go〃 in Houston； and the best that Dodge
could get for himself was a cot in the 〃Ladies' Detention Room〃 on
the second floor of the jail。
Early the following morning Jesse visited Police Headquarters and
for the first time met George Ellis； Chief of Police of Houston；
for whom he will always have a feeling of deep gratitude for his
enthusiastic cooperation and loyalty in the many stirring events
that followed。 Dodge now received a telegram from New York； which
was submitted to Jesse before reaching the prisoner； to the effect
that Howe and Hummel were sending on an attorney to aid the
fugitive in resisting extradition； and informing him that they had
employed Messrs。 Hunt and Meyers as attorneys to look out for his
welfare。 These last immediately jumped in medias res and on the
afternoon of the same day secured a writ of habeas corpus from
Norman J。 Kitrell； District Judge of Harris County； Texas；
returnable the following morning。
The next day； January 28th； Kitrell released Dodge from custody。
Jesse had anticipated this and immediately swore out another
warrant with the result that the prisoner was rearrested before he
left the courtroom。
Meantime the Dodge interests retained another firm of lawyers；
Messrs。 Andrews and Ball； who； on the following day； secured a
second writ of habeas corpus from Judge Ashe。
The result of the first engagement thus being a draw； counsel on
both sides agreed that this writ should not be returnable for six
days。 During this period District Attorney Jerome employed Messrs。
Baker； Bot