Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 480

Museum Catalog Entry This issue contains the opening chapters of "New York Nick's Trail," a detective serial by Captain Howard Holmes. The protagonist, Hawkspear (with the black hand mark at his throat), attempts to sell a mysterious secret about the Holland family murder and kidnapping from fifteen years prior to Madame Coral Condyce, a woman connected to the case. Demanding ten thousand dollars, he rebuffs her lower offers and escapes to a launch on the foggy North River. Madame Condyce—recognizing Hawkspear's identifying mark—dispatches New York Nick (Detective Nicholas Nugent), an independent sleuth, to follow him. Nick pursues Hawkspear to the waterfront but loses him at the pier. Meanwhile, Hawkspear's accomplice Silas discovers a wrapped package containing luxury goods and a wanted poster offering five thousand dollars for the capture of Bart Black (alias "Diamond Bart"), an escaped Sing Sing convict serving time for bank burglary. The poster's physical description—notably a scar at the right jaw—becomes pivotal to the unfolding mystery.