Page:The web (1919).djvu/268

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The question was, where did she go? The operatives on the case took Jennie down to the Federal Building, where she told so many conflicting stories that she was locked up. Meantime, the Post Office Department advised that certain letters were sent back from Elyria, Ohio, addressed to "F. J. P——." The return card brought the trail around to one of the original dwelling-places of the suspect. The operative now went to this address and found the owner of the home and threatened to arrest him for abetting a deserter from the United States Army. These letters were opened and it was discovered that the man desired was getting mail at the post office at Monroe, Michigan. So the operative went to Jennie in jail and said, "Well, we have got George over in Michigan." "Is that so?" said the girl; "how did you get him?" The operative declined to tell, and said the only thing he wondered about was what name George was going under in Monroe. The girl finally admitted that his name there was "F. J. P——." It took patience and shrewdness to follow the trail in Monroe. However, a name was found written in two places in a register of a workingmen's hotel there. The initials were the same as for F. J. P——, one of the many alias names. The landlady was found, and a picture of Jennie was shown her. She said it was the same picture that "F. J. P——" had in the back of his watch. The rest was rather simple. The operator hired a taxicab and started out in search of his man, who then was engaged as night watchman on some road work. A steam roller was found in the middle of the road, displaying a red lantern, with a man fast asleep on top. The operative awakened him, and identified him as the much wanted Geo. F——, alias Ed. D——, alias Geo. W——, alias F. J. P——, alias F. J. P——. The man was handcuffed and the party started back for Monroe. In due time, the suspect was taken to the Department of Justice, and on December 14 the long trail ended for him. The details of this pursuit are among the most interesting of those which have been turned in for any case on the Cleveland records.

One operative had what he took to be a regular Conan Doyle novel, all spread out before him. It involved what was known as "The House of Mystery," where all kinds of