ty vastly more misery than a hundred equally as
bad men, and being equally as certain that Mrs. Winslow was an
exceptionally bad woman, I felt no regret whatever in becoming her
Nemesis, and even experienced a peculiar degree of satisfaction in
inaugurating a crusade against her as a pitiless, heartless, dangerous
woman, utterly devoid of conscience, and without a single redeeming
trait of character.

I accordingly detailed two of my operatives, Fox and Bristol, to proceed
to Rochester in charge of Superintendent Bangs, whom I gave instructions
to locate the men so that they could keep Mrs. Winslow under the
strictest surveillance, and make daily reports in writing to me
concerning her habits and associates, and operations of any character
whatever, using the telegraph freely if occasion required. I also
instructed him, after the men were located in Rochester, and he had
followed up the clue I had got for him as to Mrs. Winslow's western
exploits, to proceed to the West, taking all the time necessary, and
ascertain everything possible favorable or unfavorable to the woman; as
I held it to be not only a matter of utmost importance to thorough
detective work, but also a principle of common justice, that any
suspected person should receive the benefit of whatever good there is in
them.

For these reasons I have always fought against the system of rewards for
the capture and conviction of supposed criminals. There could be nothing
more absolutely unjust. Under that system, through a combination of
circumstances, an innocent party is often deemed guilty of crime, and
the detective, anxious to secure professional honor and large
remuneration for small work, begins with the presumption of guilt, and
industriously piles up a mountain of presumptive and circumstantial
evidence that times without number has sent innocent persons to the
felon's cell or the hangman's noose.

On arriving at Rochester the following Monday, Bangs took rooms at the
National Hotel, opposite the court-house--a house more a resort for
persons in attendance at the courts, and people visiting Rochester from
neighboring towns, than for fashionable people or commercial travellers;
while Fox settled himself at a little hotel nearly opposite Mrs.
Winslow's rooms on South St. Paul street, and Bristol found a home at a
little saloon, restaurant and boarding-house, kept by three old maids
named Grim, who were firm believers in Spiritualism--probably from never