THE BLACK PILGRIM

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20737, 22 February 1939, Page 11

THE BLACK PILGRIM

A story of a modern Robin Ilood.

I STORY XI. (Continued) All these various points and complexities Sydney Barstem had overcome by perfecting a controlling system. Firstly he engaged the lungers and coiners; then he kept a close eye on possible markets, and. these obtained. he was willing to supply the necessary •'snide'’ coins, forged notes, or Letters of Credit, to the •’passers” who took the risk and returned to the Barstem gang a handsome pro lit on their goods. If a straightforward ”passer” was caught, the Barstem -ang provided, by an untric<abl >ut< e n< • ssai > legal aid to either pot their client off scot-free, r >r to get the sentence reduced reas *um. <)f course fhore was al\va>> the possibility that- some unscrupulous client would not pay the gang them just profits. To overcome this. Sydney Barstem had ••rcanix-d a system of • watchers, and the passer” who

By George Stanley

held-up on the Barstem gang usually finished in the river. The Black Pilgrim was no champion of the capitalist classes. He considered that they had ample means of protection and of recouping them- | selves for any losses which they | might suffer. But when Sydney ! Barstem reorganised this system of | production and disposal of “snide” silver, the greatest currency of the poorest classes. The Black PilgTim decided to throw a spanner into the machinery of Barstem’s organisation. It had taken him some time to obtain the clues which had led him to follow the gang to The Larches, but as he lay in his bed that night at The Silent. Waters inn. he felt satisfied • that, at last, he had Sydney Barstem ml his gang almost in the position which he wanted. Th'-re remained only one or two little matters to attend to, before he flnal round-up and, j upon tiie following morning, he sprang

from his bed, full of zest, to continue his work. Although .he had the headquarters of the gang located, and some of the necessary articles in his hands for dealing with Sydney Barstem. he wanted to discover the depot which was used for storage, and to which the “passers” came to receive their counterfeit currency. For it was obvious that a continuous procession of strange persons of varying types could not visit the seclusion of The Larches without causing considerable local comment. For the next few days he occupied himself with keeping observation upon The Larches and following whenever a car left the premises. These excursions Anally solved the problem and, on the third day. he succeeded in tracking a car which left the house during the evening, to a club in Genge, on the outskirts of London. But while he was proceeding with this work he had not neglected the other angles to Barstem's ganig. For the expenditure of a few pounds, he had hired an acquaintance to keep watch on Sydney Barstem. and from this he made a fresh discovery. It was apparently Sydney Barstem's peculiarity he disliked travelling long disl'-m-os by car. In order to j overcome th.. a car from The Larches took hnn every other morning to the I station at uuddi'ord, seven miles away, i

where he journeyed to Town, always occupying the same compartment. Armed with this information, he returned to the attack. Twice he attempted to ented the club at Genge, but he only succeeded in obtaining a view from a window of one of the ■•passers” receiving a wad of counterfeit pound notes, when he was disturbed and had to run to escape detection. Determined not to be thwarted in his scheme, he waited until the "passer.” a' big florid man, had left the club, and followed him. When the man entered the train at Genge station, The Black Pilgrim entered it also, and as they passed through the Genpe tunnel, he Ared a shot from his gas pistol at his unsuspecting companion. He searched the man's pockets, took some of the notes, and left the train at the next station, guessing that the unconscious "passer" would dare to raise no complaint to the police. Having secured the whole of the j articles and most of the information ■ necessary to the achievement of his ; i purpose, he returned to The Silent ! Waters inn to be ready for the Anal j blow, as soon as he had completed h's plans to his satisfaction. He saw Sydney Barstem leave m the - ear for Guildford the nexi morning. < and followed fit a discreet dstance. ghting the stat r he - > d

a platform ticket, even saw him enter a tirst-class compartment in the almost empty train. Then he returned thoughtfully to The Silent Waters inn and sat considering his plans. These satisfactorily concluded, he entered his car and sent it out on the road to London. He parked the car in a mews and. after altering his appearance, made his way to his Aat. He spent some time there and. when he left, carried a suit-case which appeared to be rather heavy, and a letter which was addressed to; — Inspector Barney Rye, Scotland Yard, S.W.I. He made his way to his car. loaded the suit-case into the rear seat, and on the way back to Goderming posted the letter in the outer suburbs of London. It was received the following morning by lb-- Inspector, among the n|her r.inte’ii:- <.f the m i 1. which contained - v us : • rsons, perI sonal threats and anonymous com- ! muiib-.il: ns. But. as Barney Bye i ;;au !/;. i;.} 1 e A cure of The Black | [>:icr ■ : leaning upon his staff which ad hi. d : e i -p f the c ird he had pn' • d '’•••• m an envelope, he whistled " • P* >’> • ugl sr-c-.m: lirmik the window ' his sid j office and there, in the presence of two

other police officers and a railway 1 official, the detective turned to the gang leader. "I have reason to suspect you ol distributing forged currency, Mr Barstem,” said the Inspector. Have you any objection to showing me the contents of your pockets .and that case, you are carrying?” “Certainly not!' exclaimed Sydney Barstem. He began to turn out his pockets, and pulled out his wallet. • You'll find all this money is good,” he said, opening his wallet. But. as his eyes fell upon the notes which he had flicked out into his hand, his la<-e blanched. It blanched still more I when Barney Rye opened the dispatch - [ i case in it, swathed in chamois--1 ! leather, discovered a plate which had * 1 obviously been used for forging not* -■ !SO dumb- founded was he. that 1" . could make no comment as they led - ; him away, vainly trying to solve im i j mystery. - 1 Xnother Episode