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How A Gay And Festive Eau Claire Confidence Man Establishes P/Ivate Agencies*Three Dollars and Seventy?five Cents, A Gun, Few Scratches, Batted Hopes Pay the Bill.Ia E. C. Turney, Eau Claire has an expert confidence man that would do justice to the Bowery in New York, Clark street iiL'Cbicftgo, or^any place. Turney’s ventures have been many. Less than a year ago he was in jail for attempting to extort money from two prominent local divines on a fraudulent note. The forgiving spirit of the pastors save the “con” man from a trip.Turney’s latest game is cstablishine private detective bureaus.” His victim is 20-year-old Arthur A. Harmisont butcher, 354J Michigan street. Harmison is a guileless foung man, who is tired hitting steers on the head, or slaughtering pigs lor a living. He wanted something easier. So when E. 0. Turney, of glib tongue, told Harmison that he was a born sleuth, had all the requirements that go to make up a great Hawkshaw,*' including Lhe eagle eye, massive brain, etc.,and promised to get him a position on a private detective force, Harmison swallowed the bait, book, line, sinkers, and all.Harmison was to pay Turney $5 for gettinghim the job. He paid him $1 on account,•. 4and gave a note for the balance. i To make ■ his play good and strong, Turney entered the oflice of a prominent attorney, when the proprietor was absent. The stenographer, in this ease a young man, was in. Turney told the stenographer that ids hand was disabled and asked that personage .to “strike off a letter for him ou the typewriter,” the stenographer acquiesced, Turney dictated a letter purporting to be Hariuison's appointment. To still further leud color to the document Turney, when the back of the stenographer was turned, imprinted the lawyers private seal on the letter.Meeting Tlarmison Turney gave him his “commission”, charging hint 50 cents for the letter and 75 cents more for the seal, which was promptly paid.On Sunday last Turney called on bis victimand presented him with a tiu star—the insigoa of ofiiee—ou which was scratched:ARTHUR A. HARMISON,CHiVATK DETECT I VIS.NO. 411-14.The badge cost Harmison 75 cents more. Turiaev then gave the guileless a uavy revolver as big as a Gatling gun, and told ’him he would initiate him iu the mysteries of disguise unci shadowing criminals. They proceeded toward Forest Hill cemetery, Turney soloquiziug on his ability as a detective. Frcseully two forms loomed upon the horizon, they were suspicious looking for tup. Due of the forms carried a bag; as the “upn man” and his victim drew near the forms nnade suspicious movements, one attempting t-o cou*r eeal die bag under his overcoat. ^!” said Turney, “sneak thieves.-Ah! said luruey, “sneak thieves, see that?’ Wheu your eye becomes as expert as miuejyou will catch ail such suspicious moves. They are bad men. We muse nut let them escape, lierc^vou shadow 'em and 1 11 go around another way and head ’em otf. When you hear me whistle come to meat once.”The two parted. Harmison “shadowed” the men *or two miles, suddenly they disappeared in a disused barn, Harmison recount! itcred. When he was passing the barn door one of the men sprang out, pinioned the arms of the “detective,” while the other went ihrough hia pockets taking 75cents, the navy revolver, a .plug of tobacco, and, horrors, Lhe 75 rent tin star. Harmison was then roughly used. The two bad weu threw him up agaiust the barn several times, rolled him iu the suow, puni Dueled the very Ide out of him. i’resentl) a fusilude of pistol shuts was heard aud the desperadoes made otf. Turney did not appear. When Harmison recovered his breath sufficiently he went in search of his “chief.” He found him on the oilier si.it* of the barn quietly Mtiukiug a cigarette.“ Well,” said Turney, “did they escape you?”“Yes, they did, and look all I had, aud the guu too,” replied the artless.vThe gun’Giesar s ghosil I bmrowtd thatfrom lnyhiwyer , It will have to he paidlor. 1 think 1 can square it if you pay me a dollar.” _Ilnmiison-promised tlmt the first dollar he could lay his hand.- lt;»u would be Turney •Harm .sou did m t s cep that nig lit. lie Inin awake thinking over Liu: events. lie began to gcOMKpicums. On Monday he went to tin* lawyer ‘Turnev said he borrowed lhe gun from. The follower of Liaekcone said lie khrw no Turney and never possessed agon iu his life. The truth dawned ou Gunnison. He hud been “bilked.*’ The baa men wnuj had held him up were Turney's aceimipiicy*. He laid the whole story in me lawyer with* tears .streaming down Ins cheeks In I lie m-an time I'urney has JlarmismTs money, and Harmisun—well—lie has the ex per Knee.
Newspaper Details
Eau Claire Leader
Eau Claire, Wisconsin, US
Wed, Dec 01, 1897
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Hope C.
WI, USA 24 Feb 2019
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