A Detective’s Story

Stealing and “Washing” Revenue Stamps

—Demoralization of Office Boy—

Fagin and His Pupils

Well, now, sit down and I’ll tell you all about it; but Lord bless you, you musn’t say I gave you the account of it, or—why, what’s the little fellow there going to do with the note book? Oh, you musn’t put it down as I say it—that would never do; I don’t talk grammatical enough. Put up your book, now, and I’ll tell you all about it, and then you can put it in your own language to suit yourselves. But mind, I tell you, some of these things you musn’t print—I’ll keep showing you all along which you can write out, and which you must keep in your own heads. You see, Mr.— came to me and said (but Lord, you musn’t print his name—it’d never do in the world): “Sampson, I wish you’d look after that boy of mine that keeps the revenue stamps.” So Ed. Malloy and I—Ed’s a good fellow, put down his name; or no, no don’t put in anybody’s name—I’ll just give you the facts; that’s all people care about reading. You see, Ed and I looked around a little, and we found out there was a whole lot of boys stealing stamps, and selling ’em at a discount. I went to Mr. C., an iron merchant, and said: “Have you got a boy here of such an age? In charge of stamps? And could he steal?” Yes, he said, he could; but I hope he don’t, for he’s of such a nice family, and it would almost kill them if he were to go wrong. Well, I said, I never want to be hard on a young fellow—take him out and talk to him—get him to confess, reform, and show who it is receives the stamps. For I always say, it’s better to convict one receiver than five thieves.

Lord bless you, my boy, you’ve no idea of the thousands of dollars I found involved in this thing. It turned out that a whole lot of the boys were… Read More