years and ten. All the wealth they possessed had been plundered from
another set of villains, whose misfortune was, a want of sagacity in
escaping the rapacity of their more accomplished compeers. That there
were a few honourable exceptions must be admitted, but I could not with
a good conscience assert, that one-eighth of the police was as honest as
is generally the case with those city officers, for I have facts to the
contrary.

The whole of that Southern Sodom at an early date had been inundated
with this "secret band of brothers," or this fraternal band of land
pirates. As they became wealthy they ceased their usual occupation, and
began to speculate in a different way. Having it in their power, they
would rob even their nearest friends, thus overleaping that common law
of "honour among thieves." They would do this with the utmost impunity,
whenever they saw proper. There was no redress. The very officers were,
many of them, under fictitious names and would assume deceptive titles,
for the more successful perpetration of their villany.

The unfortunate prisoner discovered, when it was too late, that his
supposed HONEST BROTHERHOOD were not what their profession had led him
to believe. Poor fellow! he had not taken enough degrees to learn the
full "mystery of iniquity." Every effort was made to procure a light
bail, but it could not be effected. At last an arrangement was made, and
for a stipulated sum he was placed in charge of a committee, who had him
removed to the hospital. The colonel, by this time, was, to appearance,
very dangerously ill. He was removed to his new quarters, but not
permitted to regain his health, lest the spell of their deceit should be
broken. His visitors were numerous. To his face, they appeared his most
sincere friends. They seemed deeply interested in his welfare, and made
bountiful proffers of sympathy and assistance. His true friends, who