Norfleet: the actual experiences of a Texas rancher's 30,000-mile transcontinental chase after five confidence men. Page: 78 of 369
4 p. l., 344 p. front., plates, ports. 22 cm.View a full description of this book.
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60
N 0 R F L E E T
At this the agent came suddenly awake. All three
men sprang to their feet.
"It may be shut for you," the owner of the property
cried, "but it's never closed for us!"
With this exclamation he snatched at the bag on
the relaxed wrist of Mrs. Bockerman. She flung her
hand in the air when one of the men behind her caught
it above her head and tore the bag from her, peeling
ribbons of tender flesh from the old lady's arm.
Before they could think, let alone speak, the three
thieves had dashed through an open door, bounded into
a waiting automobile and in another minute were nothing
but a cloud of dust down the highway.
This is the story, they told me.
It resembled that of many others I had heard since
my own. But somewav it seemed more dastardly to
rob these two gentle 'old folks. I came to learn that
the weak and unprotected are the choice prey of these
serpents.
Of course they went to see the Police and the
Sheriff. At both places they were told to go home and
what could be (lone to apprehend the outlaws would
be done and they be notified.
So. with home gone, savings gone, hope gone, they
spent their few remaining silver dollars, each inscribed
"In God W\e Trust." for carfare back to the rented
cottage in St. Petersburg.
When I met them on the lawn they had just received
a letter from the Sheriff's office, saying nothing
could be found of the absconders.
I knew how these poor people felt. That gone,
hopeless feeling as if one had stepped off the top stair
in the dark or the universe had been pulled out from
under his feet.
As my own affairs were not prospering in the way
of capturing my own men, I decided to see if I could
do anything toward getting any of the Bockerman offenders.
"Birds of a feather flock together." Perhaps if
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Norfleet, J. Frank, 1864-. Norfleet: the actual experiences of a Texas rancher's 30,000-mile transcontinental chase after five confidence men., book, 1924; Ft. Worth, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth5864/m1/78/: accessed May 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .