ened in resolution as to accede without opposition to the arrangement proposed. Hence, with the consent of the commissioner, it was agreed that McKinstry and Colonel Abbey, city marshal, should remain with the General through the night in one of the parlors of the hotel.

After supper the three gentlemen repaired to the apartment designated for the purpose on one of the upper floors. Hinton had seen much of the world, and in conversation could be forcible or entertaining at will. In the present emergency he exerted his powers to the utmost to obtain temporary ascendency over the minds of his guardsmen, with the view of

porter."

withdrawing their thoughts from the object of the meeting, and of encouraging a feeling of security. Protestations of innocence and threats of vengeance against the postmaster, were adroitly interlarded with anecdotes and personal reminiscences. At length the watchers grew sleepy and negligent, while the General at intervals paced the room diagonally for the apparent purpose of resting his limbs. Seizing a favorable moment, he gave a sudden spring, pulled the key from the door, whirled through, and locking

**The key is gone,' replied Mike, the the room on the outside, placed the key in his pocket. The guardsmen recovered from the shock of surprise to find themselves prisoners. Hinton hurried noiselessly down stairs and escaped by one of the private entrances to the hotel.

Some seconds elapsed before McKinstry and Abbey could decide upon a plan of action. They then began to shout lus

THE ESCAPE OF HINTON.

35

tily for the porter on watch below, who, after some delay, caught the sound of the tumult, and ran up stairs to inquire what was the matter.

"Let us out quick," replied McKinstry; "General Hinton has locked us in and escaped. Come, make haste."

"The key is gone,” replied Mike, the porter.

"Hurry up and find another," answered the voice within. Mike, having returned to the office for a master-key, liberated the guards thus unexpectedly metamorphosed into prisoners. It was between one and two o'clock in the morning. Without sitting down to chew the cud of mortification, they roused a few friends, and began to scour the city in search of the fugitive. Messengers were despatched in various directions, but they gradually returned bringing no tidings whatever of the runaway.

Shallcross arrived about noon from Pittsburgh. When informed that the postmaster, in violation of positive instructions, had assumed management of the case only to commit a series of blunders ending in the flight of the criminal, his wrath found expression in language more forcible than elegant. Through superserviceable zeal, poor Haskell had managed to draw upon his devoted head the fire of both friend and foe. Nor is there any one to whom a blunderer can go, under such circumstances, for consolation, as all are under strong temptation to join in the general censure, if for no other reason than to show their own superiority.

It is worthy of remark in passing, that whenever postmasters interfere with the work of special agents, in matters of detection and arrests, they almost invariably make a failure. If the thief is at all sharp, he not unfrequently proves a Tartar in the hands of his captor, causing a great deal more trouble than he receives. The department is often annoyed, and the ends of justice are often thwarted, by well-meant but pernicious intermeddling of this kind. Instead of acting on his own responsibility in such cases, it is the duty of postmasters to notify the proper officer at Washington, that an agent of

the requisite qualifications may be sent to attend properly to the business.

Having taken a hasty survey of the situation, Mr. Shallcross proceeded immediately to Columbus, traveling night and day, as he had done continuously for over two weeks, with nothing more comfortable than a seat or the floor of a coach to sleep on. In that city the Ohio Stage Company had its headquarters, J. H. Sullivan, Esq., being then president, and Oscar Ream, Esq., secretary. On the presentation of the facts by the special agent of the post-office department, those gentlemen at once issued orders to all the agents of the company to keep a strict lookout for Hinton, and to report promptly any information they might obtain concerning him. From Columbus, in company with Mr. Ream, Mr. Shallcross, drove to Delaware, Ohio, the home of Hinton, and made the necessary arrangements for his apprehension should he visit his family.

In the mean time the post-office department, having been fully advised of the situation, authorized Mr. Shallcross to offer a reward of one thousand dollars for the arrest of Hinton, and he accordingly scattered broadcast handbills containing a complete description of the fugitive, with the amount of the reward displayed in conspicuous type, well suited to open the optics, and put on the qui vive the "Buckeyes " of the period. Mr. Sullivan added, over his own signature, as president, strict instructions to all employés of the company to extend the fullest aid to the special agent in his efforts to effect a capture. For several days no news was heard of the robber from any quarter, and it seemed idle to speculate in regard to his movements. From the fact that Hinton was extensively known through the state, the detective reasoned that he would try to remain in concealment till the pursuit relaxed in vigor, and then make his way as best he could to some other part of the country.

On returning to Columbus, Mr. Shallcross found a telegram. announcing that Hinton had been seen in the vicinity of Akron, Ohio, where he applied at a farm-house for food,

A HARD JOURNEY WITH HARD FARE.

37

saying that he was very hungry, having eaten nothing for two days except green corn plucked from the fields beside the road. Thither the special agent started immediately, and learned from the farmer's wife that, after a voracious meal, the half-starved traveler left in the direction of Ravenna. Barely stopping to thank the lady for the information, the officer pushed on in hot pursuit. A few miles beyond he ascer

"Unaccustomed to so much walking, he decided to buy a horse."

tained that a man answering to the description had recently passed, and that he had bought from an old gentleman in the vicinity a horse and equipments. From this person additional and highly important information was obtained. He still had the bills, eighty-five dollars, received in payment for the horse, and on examination they proved to be the identical notes contained in the letter mailed at Hillsborough, Ohio, the post-bill accompanying which, the detective at an earlier stage of the chase had found behind the fire-board of the

General's room in the hotel at Morristown. The gentleman was directed to retain the money, and not to part with it under any circumstances till authorized to do so.

In addition to the stolen bills, another discovery was made at this place. The seller of the horse stated that the purchaser arrived about noon, and represented himself to be an agent of a nursery firm engaged in selling trees. Unaccustomed to so much walking, he had become weary and foot-sore, and had accordingly decided to buy a horse, to facilitate his movements. After completing the bargain and taking dinner, the stranger remarked that he had a visit to pay to a gentleman in the neighborhood, but as the distance was considerable around by the road, he would take a short cut on foot across the lots, adding that he might not return before nightfall. He left in the direction of the place designated, and came back at dusk. He then partook of a hurried supper, and rode away.

Before the arrival of the special agent, the old gentleman whom the nursery agent had favored with his patronage learned from the farmer, upon whom the same individual proposed to call, that no such person had come near his place. Hence the detective inferred that the fugitive hoped to escape by traveling in the night and remaining in concealment through the day. On the afternoon of the purchase he probably stayed in an adjoining cornfield, with no other companionship than guilty memories and dismal forebodings.

The detective further concluded, from the direction of his flight, that he was hastening toward the river, hoping to find an asylum among the hills of Virginia and Western Pennsylvania, where few if any were familiar with his features.

Changing horses at Ravenna, Mr. Shallcross continued the pursuit with unabated vigor, stopping at wide intervals long enough to partake of necessary food, but not thinking of rest while the object of the chase was still unaccomplished. A hint here and there, occasional and fragmentary, as the fugitive traveled mostly at night, satisfied the officer that Hinton