Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 June 1885 — THE STOLEN NOTE. [ARTICLE]

THE STOLEN NOTE.

Except that he indulged ioo freely in the use of the intoxicating cup, John Wallace was an honest, high-minded and extraordinary man. His one great fault hung like a shadow over his many virtues. He meant well, and when he was sober he did well.

t\e was a hatter by trade, and by industry and thrift be had secured money enough to bny the house in which he lived. He had purchased it before, for $3,000, paying SI,OOO down, and securing the balance by mortgage to the seller. The mortgage was almost due at the time circumstances made; me acquainted with the affairs of the family. But Wallace was for the day; he had saved up the money; there seemed to be no possibility of an accident. I was well acquainted with Wallace, having done some little collecting and drawn up legal documents for him. One day his daughter Annie came to my office in great distress, declaring th it her father was ruined, and that they should be turned out of the house in which they lived. ‘Perhaps not, Miss Wallace,’ said I, trying to console her and giv : the the affair, whatever it was, a bright aspect. ‘What has happened?’ ‘My father,’ she replied, ‘had the money to pay the mortgage on the house in which we live, but it is all gone now.’ ‘Has he lost it?’

‘I don’t know. I suppose so. — Last week he drew two thousand dollars from the bank, and lent it to Mr. Bryce for ten days.’ ‘Who is Mr. Bryce?’ ‘He is a broker. My father got acquainted with him thro’ George Chandler, who boards with us, and who is Mr. Bryce’s clerk.’ ‘Does Mr. Bryce refuse to pay it?’

‘He says he has paid it.’ ‘Well, what is the trouble then?’ ‘Father says he has not paid it.’ ‘lndeed! But the note will prove that he has not paid it. Of course, you have the note?’ ‘No, Mr. Bryce has it.’ ‘Then, of course, he has paid it ?’ ‘I suppose he has, or he could not have the note.’

‘What does your father say?’ ‘He is positive that he never received the money. The mortgage, he says, must be paid to-morrow.’ ‘Very singular. Was your father— ’

‘I hesitated to use the unpleasant word, which must have grated harshly on the ear of the devoted girl. ‘Mr. Bryce says father was not qu te right when he paid him, but not very bad.’ ‘I will see your father.’ ‘He is coming up here in a few moments; I thought I wo* d see you first, and tell you the facts before he came.’ ‘I do not see how Bryce could have obtained the note unless he paid the money. Where did your father keep it?’

‘He gave it to me, and I put it in the secretary.’ ‘Who was in the room when you put it in the secietary ?’ 'Mr. Bryce, George Chandler, my father and myself.’ The conversation was here interrupted by the entrance of Wallace. He looked pale and haggard, as much from the effects of anxiety as from the debauch from which he was recovering.

‘She has told you about it, I suppose T said he in a very low tone. ‘She has.’ I pitied him, poor fellow, for two thousand dollars was a large sum for him to accumulate in his little business. The loss cf it would make the future look like a desert to him. It would be a misfortune which one must undergo to appreciate it.

‘What passed between you on that day?’ ‘Well, I merely stepped into his office—it was only the day before yesterday—to tell him not to forget to have the m mey for me by tomorrow. He took me into his back office, and a.< I sat there he said he would get the money ready the next day. He then left me and went into the front office, where I heard him send George out to the bank to draw a check for two thousand dollars; so I supposed he was going to pay me then.’ ‘What does the clerk say about it?’

‘He says Mr. Bryce remarked, when he sent him, that he was going to pay me the money.’ ‘Just so.’

‘And when George came in he went into the front office again and took the money. Then he came to me again and did not offer to pay me the money.’ ‘Had you the note with you?’ ‘No, now I remember; he said he supposed I had not the note with me, or he would pay it. I told him to come in the next day and I wo’d have it ready —that was yesterday. When I came to look for the note it could not he found. Annie and I have hunted the house all over.’

‘You told Bryce so?’ ‘I did. He laughed, and showed me his note, with his signature crossed over with ink, and a hole punched through it.’ ‘lt is plain, Mr. Wallace, that he paid von the money, as alleged, or has •btained fraudulent possession of the note, and h i intends to cheat you out of the amount.’

‘He never paid me,’ he replied promptly. ‘Th n he has fraudulently obtained possession of the note. — What sort of a person is that Chandler, who boards with you?’ ‘A fine young man. Bless you, he would not do anything of that kind.’

‘I am sure he would not,’ repeated Annie earnestly. ‘How could Bryce obtain the note but through him ? What time does he come home at night?’ ‘Always at tea time He never goes out in the evening.’ ‘But, father, he'did not come home till ten o’clock the night before you went to Bryce’s. He had to stay in the offi -e to post books, or something of the kind.’ How did he get in?’ ‘He has a night key.’ ‘I must see Chandler,’ said I.

‘No harm in seeing him,’ added Mr. Wallace; ‘I will go for him.’ In a few moments he returned with the young man Chandler, who, in the conversation I had with him, manifested a very lively interest in the solution of the mystery, and professed himself ready to do anything to forward my views. ‘When did you return to the house on Thursday night?’ ‘About twelve.’

‘Twelve!’ said Annie; ‘it was not more than ten when I heard you.’ ‘The clock struck twelve as I turned the corner of the street,’ replied Chandler, positively. ‘I certainly heard some one in the front room at ten,’ said Annie, looking with astonishment at those around her.

‘We’re getting at something,’ said I. ‘How did you get in ?’ The young man smiled as he looked at Annie, and said: ‘On arriving at the door, I found I had lost my night-key. At that Moment a watchman happened along and I told him my situation. He knew me, and taking a ladder from an unfinished house opposite, placed it against one of the second story windows, and I entered in that way.” ‘Good Now, who was it that was heard in the parlor, unless it

was Bryce or one of his accomplices? He must have taken the key from your pocket, Chandler, and stolen the note from the secretary. At any rate I will charge him with the crime, let happen what may.— Peliaps he will confess when hard pushed.’

Acting upon this thought, 1 wrote a lawyer’s letter —‘demand against you,’ etc., —which was immediately sent to Mr. Bryce. Cautioning the parties not to speak of the affair, I dismissed them. Bryce came. ‘Well, sir, what have you to say against me, he asked, stiffly. ‘A claim on the part of John Wallace for $2,000, I replied, poring over my papers, and appearing perfectly indifferent. ‘Paid it,’ he said, short as piecrust. ‘Have you?’ said I, looking him sharply in the eye. The rascal quailed. I saw that he was a villain. ‘Nevertheless, if within an hour you do not pay the $2,000, and SIOO for the trouble and anxiety you have caused my client, at the end of the next hour you will be lodged in jail to answer a criminal charge.’ ‘What do you mean, sir!’ ‘I mean what Iyaav. Pay or take the consequences.’ It was a bad charge, and if he had looked like an honest man, I should not have dared to make it. ‘I have paid the money, I tell you,’ said he; ‘I have the note in my possession.’

‘I got it when I paid the— ’ ‘When you feloniously entered the house of John Wallace, on Thursday night, at 10 o’clock, and took the said note from the secretary.’ ‘You have no proof,’ said he, grasping a chair for support. ‘That is my lookout. I have no time to waste. Will you pay or goto jail?’ He saw the evdence I had was top strong for his denial, and he drew his check on the spot, for $2,100, and after begging me not to mention the affair, he sneaked off.

I cashed the check and hastened to Wallace’s house. The reader may judge with what satisfaction he received it, and how rejoiced was Annie and her lover. Wallace insisted that I should take SIOO for my trouble, but I magnanimously Kept only S2O. Wallace signed the pledge, and was ever after a temperance man. He died a few years ago, leaving a hand--ome property to Chandler and his wife, the marriage between him and Annie having taken place shortly after the above narrated circumstance occurred.