The Rook was actually a wealthy safe-maker, who knew very well how to crack a safe, and decided to become a thief for the thrills. At the scene of each crime, he left an ivory rook playing piece. He never sold what he stole, but merely put it in his own safe as a trophy. Eventually, his identity was discovered by a blackmailer, who held onto a signed confession of his crimes, and forced the Rook to commit more serious crimes. This confession passed hands several times and forced the Rook to lay low in retirement for a while. The Rook returned to crime after he was hired by his friend, an NYPD detective named Raybolt, to find the Rook. At that time, Bray hired a new secretary, Leila Craig, who was a reformed thief. Leila swindled him, but later returned, having gained possession of the signed confession that hung over the Rook’s head. She fell in love with Bray and married him. The White Rook was also hunted by a powerful crime syndicate called the Committee of Thirty-Three, but they were eventually brought to justice by Raybolt.
Appearance List “The White Rook’s Pawn” by Hugh Kahler in Detective Story Magazine (October 1, 1918), possibly serialized. The White Rook: A Detective Story (Novel, 1927).
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Description The Rook was actually a wealthy safe-maker, who knew very well how to crack a safe, and decided to become a thief for the thrills. At the scene of each crime, he left an ivory rook playing piece. He never sold what he stole, but merely put it in his own safe as a trophy. Eventually, his identity was discovered by a blackmailer, who held onto a signed confession of his crimes, and forced the Rook to commit more serious crimes. This confession passed hands several times and forced the Rook to lay low in retirement for a while. The Rook returned to crime after he was hired by his friend, an NYPD detective named Raybolt, to find the Rook. At that time, Bray hired a new secretary, Leila Craig, who was a reformed thief. Leila swindled him, but later returned, having gained possession of the signed confession that hung over the Rook’s head. She fell in love with Bray and married him. The White Rook was also hunted by a powerful crime syndicate called the Committee of Thirty-Three, but they were eventually brought to justice by Raybolt.
