Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1898 — PAYING THE PENALTY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

PAYING THE PENALTY

BY HESCOTT

CHAPTER XL—(Continued.) “True! But we are alive to each of these facts. We are in communication with the officials of every important city in the Union. All questionable resorts such as are usually frequented by criminals, are nnder surveillance from one end of the ceuntry to the other.” “Glad to hear that. Well, I receivedinstructions from the president of our company this moratag to offer a reward of just ten thousand dollars for the apprehension and conviction of the man who assaulted Elsworth and the restoration of that package or its contents of twenty thousand dollars, to the company.” “By Jove!” exclaimed the inspector. “That is a good round sum. Fifty per cent of your loss—it will set every expert detective In the country at work. We cannot be outdone. Onr department must capture that reward. But what portion of it goes for the apprehension and conviction of Elsworth’s assailant if the money is not recovered?” v "Not a dollar. Onr president in his communication states that as a safeguard and as a bar to an inducement on the part of unscrupulous so-called detectives—if there be such—to capture the reward, even though an innocent man be convicted, the reward will be paid only on conviction of the robber and restoration of the contents of that package.” “Which will result,” observed the inspector, “in very few detectives engaging In the case. But suppose the criminal Is convicted and but a part of the money is recovered?” “There also I have instructions. If the money recovered exceeds the amount of the reward, the ten thousand dollars will be paid; but not otherwise.” “You need have no fear of unscrupulous detectives convicting an innocent man by reason of any incentive they will receive from the conditions under which the reward is to be paid, certainly,” remarked Hunt. “But there are those ” “Oh, yes, plenty of them. They are mostly these private detectives—these dime novel sleuths. Yes, sir, they would convict their grandmothers for reward enough. But our force is composed of better timber.” “We are well aware of that, inspector,” said Mr. Andrews; “but our object is to offer no incentive to the class you have named.” “I see.” “Our proclamation will appear In the journals of ail our largest cities, as well as in some of the European papers. We are also getting out a few thousand handbills, and would like your assistance in—” “I see,” said Hunt. “Send over a bunch and I will have my secretary mail them to the chiefs of various departments in this country and Europe.” “Thanks; that is what I would have requested. Good day.” After his visitor had departed, the inspector leaned back in his chair, and the expression that fell from his lips was this: “Well, I’ll be d d! The old skate didn’t think of asking my advice. Ha, ha! There is not only no incentive for crooked detectives, but there is no incentive for our department. We are no cheap skates. I should say not.” At 4 p. m. a messenger from the express office laid a package on the desk of the inspector and with the words, “Those reward posters,” took his departure. Hunt soon had one of them spread out before him, which he read aloud for the benefit of several detectives he had been consulting with when the messenger arrived. “‘TEN THOI’SANn DOLLABS beW ARD V “ ‘The Union Express Company will pay the above-named sum for the apprehension and conviction of the robber, or robbers, who, between 4:35 and 4:45 p. m., on Tuesday, June 27, 1855, assaulted and robbed Collector Elsworth, of their service, of a money package containing $20,000.’ “ ’Said money was In State bank bills In denominations ranging from $5 to SIOO The bills were put up In SI,OOO packages, each package encircled by the ordinary paper slip, which, besides the SI,OOO mark, bore the letters L. T., the same being the Initials of Lawrence Terry, the cashier of the Great Western Bank, from whom our collector had, at 4:85 p. m., received the money. The twenty SI,OOO packages were embraced in one and It bore on its surface the words: “ ‘Central Bank, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.’ “ ‘The assault and robbery took place In the alley between Washington and Randolph streets/

“ ‘The above reward will be paid only on condition that the $20,000 be recovered and returned to the company, or a sum exceeding 60 per cent, of the same.’ “ ‘For the conviction of no supposed criminal will the Union Express pay one dollar.’ “ ‘A schedule of the hanks or Issue of the bills making up the package can be had at our office.’ “ ‘The only clew as to the perpetrator, or perpetrators, of the crime, In so far as we are aware, Is that, on returning from the Northwestern Bank to the Union Express office, with the package In his possession, Collector Elsworth passed, on the sidewalk. Just before entering the alley where the robbery was committed, a man of dark, swarthy complexion, black hair and mustache, about 6 feet 8 Inches In. height and wearing a Derby hat and a dark sack coat. Our collector might not be able to Identify this man, as It was a dark, rainy evening, and he was carrying an umbrella, which he tilted forward as he noticed that he was observed.’ “ ‘This man also carried a cane. It Is the belief of the collector that this cane was loaded; that this man stole up behind him In the alley and struck him the blow the effects of which rendered him unconscious and an easy victim.’ “‘A. B. DOUGLASS,’ “ ‘President Union Express.’ “ ‘JACOB ANDREWS, Chicago Agent.’ " To the above proclamation of reward there was added in the Chicago newspapers’ reward announcements, these words: “Mr. Elsworth, our collector, states that the man he observed on the walk before entering the alley, bore a marked resemblance to the teller of the Northwestern Bank, Earl Kellogg, a nephew of President Kellogg, a worthy young man in all respects, and who, at the time of the robbery was at his desk in the bank. It was this resemblance that impressed the collector sufficiently to attract his attention, tie states, however, that this man appeared to be all of forty years of age, while the teller is a much younger man.” “There you are, boys!” exclaimed the inspector. “Now there is an incentive for you, sure. What do you say, Roan?” “Say? Why, the company will never be called on to pay that reward. Of course there is a possibility that we may corral the right man and recover some of the money, but we will have the field to ourselves. No private detective would touch the case on those terms. What do you say, Goss?” “I have run in ten men on the case and made enemies enough. Of course I want to earn my eighty dollars a month, but I am not blowing in money on uncertainties. That chap has skipped from Chicago, in my opinion, or we have had him in here and released him. If we had the numbers of some Of those bills we could do something; but ” “If we ever capture the man under the conditions,” said the inspector, “it will be because of future developments that we cannot foresee. Keep your eyes about you, but bring no more men here unless you find a good round sum of money in their possession and they are unable to account satisfactorily as to how they became possessed of it. Pay out no more car fare on the case. There is nothing in it. If anything comes your way, well and good. Andrews’ proclamation has knocked the bottom out of the whple business.” “If the reward had been offered for the conviction of the criminal without stipulating that the funds must be recovered,” said Officer Roan, “we would have the man in a week, and send him down next toort.”

“Sore thing!” exclaimed Goss. “Send some one down and whack up on the reward.” “Get oat of this?’ said the inspector. “Go on, yon are only joking. Bat the next man yon find that resembles the yonng bank teller, fathom his financial condition before yoo lock him up,” CHAPTER XII. At the banker’s residence there was no little uneasiness felt and displayed over the continued ill health of Janette. She had apparently rallied nnder the doctor’s treatment, and in a week’s time had been able to descend the stairs to the parlor; but two days later she was a greater sufferer tbiti she had been before the physician had been called. “I declare,” the. doctor had said, “this is a stubborn case. It has assumed a chronic condition, and I will have to watch it more closely-” “Do yoto regard my daughter as being in a critical condition?” Mr. Kellogg had asked. “Oh, no, not in a critical condition; bat the malady should have yielded to treatment readily. It seemingly did, in fact; yet the improvement was bnt temporary. I think, Ms. Kellogg, that Janette had been suffering from hear ailment for a longer time than yon were aware of.” "Doubtless. She liked not the idea of being an’ invalid''. Spare not time or expense, doctor.” “We wIH soon have her bat, I trust,” the physician had stated. “And yet,” he mattered to himself while leaving the house, “I hardly understand it. The usual remedies, the best of attention, no apparent cause, and her condition not improved an iota.” The affairs of the bank were progressing as. usual, though its president, after the seeming relapse of Janette, devoted less of his time to that Institution. The officers of the bank, after the appearance of the reward proclamation of the express company, were subjected to one annoyance of considerable magnitude —particularly was this the case with the yonng teller.

Many would-be detectives and doubtless others led by curiosity, daily visited the bank for the sole purpose of obtaining a glance at the features of Earl Kellogg; some, in fact, gazed so intently at the young man that he became nervous and greatly annoyed. “Their idea must be,” said Terry, “to impress your features indelibly upon their brains before they go searching round the globe for your counterpart.” “It is Very annoying,” Earl said. “I wish that thief had resembled some one else. I imagine that was fancy on the part of Elsworth. Why, he stated that that man was forty years of age at least.” “Yet in form and features he might resemble you,” observed Terry. “I should pay no attention to them. Let them gaze their fill. In a week’s tinfe there will be no more of it.” “I wish they would repair to the express office and haunt that,” said Earl. “Doubtless that is also receiving attention. But, Earl, I doubt if the mystery attending that robbery is ever cleared up.” “I fail to see how it can be,” said Earl. “The robber would hardly remain in this locality. He probably left the city immediately after committing the crime.” “He may be on the ocean now,” remarked the cashier. “That money no one can trace. He has twenty thousand dollars in cash and will be satisfied to settle down far from the shores of America.” “Yes,” said the teller with a quiet smile, “that villain has twenty thousand in good, sound cash, and I believe he is safe. It was a bold stroke, though.” “It was; but everything favored the scoundrel. He had undoubtedly spotted Elsworth and was watching for an opportunity. The rain on the evening of the twenty-seventh kept people off the streets, and when he saw the collector enter the bank, he realized that his opportunity had arrived. It was an easy matter for him to leave the alley without attracting attention.” “True, there was none on the street to observe him.” The ninth of July, at near the closing hour, a gentleman entered the door of the bank and approached the window of the cashier. This man bore the appearance of being an individual of some importance, or at least of one believing himself to be of some importance. He was something less than six feet in height. As he walked forward he seemed as straight as an arrow, and his step was both quick and firm. A pair of gold-rimmed spectacles rested across the bridge of a rather prominent nose, and his face was beardless. A light Panama sat easily on his head. There was hardly enough of his close-cut hair to have enabled a close observer to state its color.

He was dressed in a suit of navy blue that seemed to fit exactly his attractive figure. The cashier glanced up as he approached the window. “Could I see Mr. Kellogg, the president of the bank?” he asked. “Not to-night, sir, unless yon visit his home. He left the bank an hour since. Is your business with him especially?” “I called to inquire if there were not marks by which some of those bills, stolen on the evening of June 27, might be identified—if you had a record of the numbers of the bills. It is not material that I see the president. In fact you yourself, or the teller, doubtless could inform me.” “Are you a detective, sir?” “Not a Chicago detective, but the work is in my line. I was attracted by the express company’s offered reward, and thought I would endeavor to earn it. I want nothing to do with the Chicago forcej I have my own methods and shall follow them. I am satisfied with the terms of the offer if ” “I understand—if any of the bills can be identified. Unfortunately we would be unable to identify a single bill that went to make up that package.” “Well, well!” “True, we have a schedule of the banks of issue, but not of the bill numbers. Nor was there a marked bill of any description, to my knowledge.” “The package was made up— r ” “By myself, the company’s collector standing where you now stand as I ran over the bills.” “Will you kindly furnish me a copy of your schedule of the bank issues that made up that package?” “Certainly. Here is a correct copy. I hope it may be of aid to you.” “Why did you schedule those bills and not schedule the bill numbers?”" “We always schedule the banks of issue in making up money packages for shipment by express. You see in these times, it is a matter of protection to the bank. The worthless bills of no defunct institution, or of one trembling on the verge of bankruptcy, can come back to us. You understand?” “By—yes, .1 understand. Bnt—but—pray who was present aside from yourself and the teller when this package was made up?” “The teller, Mr. Earl Kellogg, Banker Kellogg’s nephew, was standing here at my elbow as he now does. The bookkeeper was stationed at his desk where you see him. The porter was near the outer door.” “Earl Kellogg, the banker’s nephew. This, then, is the young man who bears such a striking resemblance to the supposed robber?” “Well, so the collector thought.” “Yes, I have visited the express office. He doubts if he could identify the man.” Here Earl glanced up and his eyes met those of the newcomer, who seemed to be gazing at him intently. “Yon—you are the banker’s nephew? Your name is Kellogg?” “Right, in each case,” said Earl, who felt extremely nervous under the piercing gaze of the questioner’s black eyes. “Yon more resemble a Southerner than

s&jkl Kfl y) “Ah, thataceounts for it! Wen, I most be By the way-Mr. Terry, I be- “ Yes, I see yon remember names well,” said Lawrence. 'f “Not only names, but faces as well I never forget a face. Never, even though the yean from infancy to manhood may have intervened.' But are yon quite certain, Mr. Terry, that none of the biUs making op that package were the bills of defunct banks?" “Why, certainly I am. That money was shipped to satisfy the demands of a draft. Each bill was carefully inspected when received in this bank, and as carefully scrutinized by both the express collector and myself when the package was made up. Not a dollar was there but would stand at par with coin. But why that question? You have a schedule of the banks.” “That question? Oh, I ” The eyes of the gentleman in navy blue were again on the face of the teller. Earl abruptly turned from his desk and approached a window facing the street. “I—l thought that perhaps if there was but one, and that one found its way back to the bank, it might prove of assistance in this case.” “Why, man! The collector being robbed, those bills not reaching their destination, even admitting that there was such a bill, how would it ever be returned V ‘True, true;” quickly exclaimed the gentleman. “It will prove a difficult case; but I have fathomed deeper mysteries. I have been working on one for years, with never a clue until to-day. Many thanks for your information. Good evening.” “You are welcome, sir, and I hope you may win the ten thousand reward. Good evening.” The gentleman in blue passed from the bank. (To be continued.)

Receptions at the White House. There is perhaps no time or place In which there Is such urgent need of quickness of wit and kindly tact as art: the public receptions given by the President of the United States and his wife. When a queen receives her subjects, the etiquette is fixed and inexorable. No one speaks unless addressed by royalty. But Americans of all classes crowd into the Blue Room, many with a question or a joke which they have prepared to fire at their unprepared ruler, and they judge by the fitness of his reply whether he Is competent to hold his office or not. * Many otf them, too, through sheer embarrassment make foolish remarks, the memory of Which probably causes them misery afterward. One frightened lady assured Mrs. Cleveland: “It is a mutual pleasure to meet you,” correcting her mistake by calling out as she was passed down the line, “I meant to say the pleasure is al on your side.” A group of students out from college on a holiday, were presented to the same lady just after her entrance to the 'White House for the second time. One 'lad, a Freshman, pale with diffidence, heard 'himself to his horror saying In a loud, squeaky tone of authority: “Madam, I think you have just cause to 'be proud of your husband.” The other boys stared with amazement and delight, storing up the “joke on Bill” for all future time. But there was not a flicker of a smile upon the sweet, womanly face of the first lady of the land. “Ah!” she said, gravely, still holding his hand, “you bring me the verdict of posterity! I thank you.” The Freshman’s comrades were delighted at the reply and at the opportunity given to chaff Bill upon the awkwardness of his address, but Bill only knew that he had seen what seemed to him the kindest woman in the World.