FACTS REGARDING THE CONVICTION OF AN INTERNATIONAL AND GREAT NORTHERN
BAGGAGEMAN OF MANY CRIMES.
Early in the '80s the railroad companies of the Southwest were troubled
very much by the continued receipt of complaints of passengers from all
quarters of the United States, and some from foreign countries, and
their filing claims for articles which had been stolen from their trunks
and other baggage while in transit.
The Iron Mountain Railroad Company and the International & Great
Northern Railroad Company were both parts of the Gould System, and
formed a through and direct line between St. Louis, Galveston and San
Antonio, Texas in the winter season both Galveston and San Antonio were
winter resorts, largely patronized by health seekers. The complaints
became so numerous that they were turned over to my department for
investigation.
I took the matter up and after a long and tedious investigation decided
to pay special attention to one George Hersogg, who was employed as
train baggage-master, running between Longview and San Antonio, Texas.
In my investigation I had noticed that nearly every case of lost
articles from baggage were traced to the train on which Hersogg was
baggage-master, therefore I concluded to test him first.
Hersogg occupied a room in a private boarding house when at Longview,
where he had a twenty-four hour layover. I sent one of my operatives,
George Herbert, to Longview, who represented himself as a railroad man,
and he secured a room in the same boarding house where Hersogg was
stopping. After remaining there for a few days Herbert became acquainted
with Hersogg and with his runs, and when he would be absent from his
room. Having accomplished this, Herbert became indisposed, and for that
reason was compelled to remain in his room for a few days.
In the meantime impressions of certain keyholes had been taken, and a
number of skeleton keys had been sent to Herbert at Longview. He had
noticed that Hersogg had two rather large trunks in his room, and when
the proper opportunity presented itself he examined the contents of Mr.
Hersogg's trunks, unbeknown to the inmates of the boarding house, and to
Herbert's great surprise he found in one of the trunks a silver mounted
Smith & Wesson, pearl handled revolver, which he immediately recognized
as the property of the Hon. Joseph Harris, who, at that time, was
Circuit Attorney for the City of St. Louis, but was in San Antonio for
his health. Herbert also found a number of articles of jewelry, which he
knew to be the property of Mrs. Harris. In this connection I will say
that Herbert had been a member of the St. Louis police department prior
to his entering my service, and while there he had been on detached
service at the Circuit Attorney's office, in which capacity he had acted
for about two years, thereby meeting Mr. Harris daily, and seeing his
wife very frequently, and becoming familiar with both Harris' revolver
and Mrs. Harris' jewelry.
Upon the discovery of the revolver Herbert promptly reported to me by
wire code. Up to that time we had had no report of the Harris robbery,
and, in fact, did not know that Mr. Harris had gone to San Antonio. On
receipt of Herbert's report, I at once got into communication with
Harris at San Antonio, and he verified the loss of the articles which
Herbert had reported he had found in the trunk of the baggageman at
Longview.
Herbert also found other articles, the loss of which had been reported
from various sections of the country. The most valuable article was a
diamond and emerald ring, which contained one large diamond and two
small sized emeralds. This ring was the property of a lady who lived at
Peoria, Ill., and who had gone over the route to San Antonio some months
before the discovery of it in Hersogg's trunk. She valued the ring at
about $800.00.
We arrested Hersogg, and he was tried in due time convicted and served
four years in one of the state prisons of Texas.
Many of the stolen articles which were recovered were fully identified,
and returned to their owners.
It developed that Hersogg had provided himself with skeleton keys of all
sizes and styles. Having a whole baggage car to himself, he was thus
able to open and inspect all the baggage at his leisure. He was afforded
ample time between stations in which to loot the contents of the baggage
car, and strap and lock them up again, leaving no trace on the outside
of the baggage having ever been tampered with.
The capture and conviction of Hersogg was not only a source of relief to
the Gould System, but was an equal relief to all connecting lines.
(THE END.)