Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 198, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 August 1911 — FOUR BITES OF A CHERRY. [ARTICLE]

FOUR BITES OF A CHERRY.

By George Folsom.

How a Genins Collected $40,000 At the Rate of 810,000 a Clip —and Kept IL

Copyright, The Frank A Munsey. Co. ——o BITE ONE. The Assault John Fenton, the well known criminal lawyer was seated at his desk, poring over a mass of legal documents, when his servant, after knocking at the study door, entered and handed him a card. ' “A gentleman, sir,’’ said the servant. “He says that he must see you tonight, if possible.” The lawyer glanced at the clock on his right. “Half past nine,” he murmured. “Rather late for a business call. However,” raising his voice, “you may show the gentleman in.” In a few moments the servant ushered in a tall, athletic-looking man of thirty or thereabout. “Mr. Henry Linden, I presume?” said the lawyer, rising and moving an armchair to a position beside his desk. “<on’t yftiuait “Thank you,” replied his visitor, sinking into the depths of the cushioned chair like a man who needed rest. In the pause that ensued, Mr. Fenton noted that his caller was very neatly dressed in a closely buttoned black sack coat, gray trousers and black shoes. In his left hand, its edge resting on the arm of the easy chair, was a black derby hat. The third finger of the hand which held the hat was crooked, and discolored as though by iodine. For the rest, Mr. Linden’s face was regular in contour, but pallid; his short hair a glossy black, and his eyes dark and sparkling. He wore no mustache, nor did his upper lip look as though he had recently worn one. Altogether his face was a strong one, the prominent chin suggesting great determination. f ... „ “I must apologize,” said he, “for so late a call, but, as your servant doubtless told you, my business is urgent.” Mr. Fenton was about to make a polite response when his visitor went on: - - _ “What are the necessary formalities when one wishes to engage your services?” The query was rather abruptly put, and the lawyer Imagined that he could detect traces of strong excitement.

I “I am a criminal lawyer,” said Mr. Fenton, after a slight pause. “Do you wiph to engage my services for some friend? If so, would you permit me to suggest—” “Pardon my interrupting you,” said his visitor, straightening up as though to pull himself together. “You would, of course, prefer that I call at your office during business hours. But the services are for myself—and—another, and I am fully aware that you take criminal cases only. I beg that you will accept or decline my case at your home, and, if possible, now.” “But, Mr. Linden,” said the-lawyer, glancing again at the card before him, “I don’t know of any man of your name who is at present under indictment You mystify me.” “Do you never engage to defend prospective criminals?” replied the visitor. “I don’t know anything about law, but I desire, if I do get mixed up with it, to engage a man who has nothing of its intricities to learn,” bowing as he spoke to Mr. Fenton, who acknowledged the compliment with a polite smile. “This is all so irregular,” said the lawyer, after another pause. “I caLnot see my way. Please oblige me by being more explicit.”

me, then, a criminal,” said Mr. Linden, “whether I have achieved the notoriety of an indictment or not. Whether I am innocent or guilty of the crime with which I will charge myself can make no difference to my legal adviser. There are few innocent men called to the bar. Did not a recorder on one occasion compliment a great criminal lawyer—yourself, sir—on* an ingenious defence which gained the acquittal of a prisoner who was caught, practically, red-handed? “Ordinarily, the recorder, purely in his capacity of judge, would, desire that justice should be done. But, as a lawyer who was perhaps to remain a judge for only five years or so, did he not really admire the legal tricks which he would undoubtedly practise under like circumstances?”

“It is evident,” said Mr. Fenton, flushing slightly, “that if you do not know law, you know something of lawyers. I will consent to take your case, conditionally, and we will, therefore, go back to the initial question. The formalities are a retainer, and a frank statement of your trouble. “After hearing your story I may act for you or not as I see fit. A man’s guilt would not of itself prompt me to reject the case. As the guilty must have lawyers, lawyers must engage to defend the guilty. But —there are often good reasons for declining work. You will understand my reasons, I hope, if we do not come to an agreement. But every word you have spoken since you sat down will be treated by me in strict confidence.” “Will five hundred dollars be sufficient?” said the lawyer’s strange vls-

itor. As he spoke he took a package of bills from his coat pocket “Ample,” said the lawyer. Then he took from a drawer a blank form and wrote upon it "August 10-19—. Received from Henry Linden, Esq., five hundred dollars as retainer for legal services.” This he hahded to his visitor. _ “There is another concerned,” said Mr. Linden, "but we will leave him out until later. Now, Mr. Fenton,” die went on, “you may perhaps reMember the case of Cossett vs. Cossett Mr. Simon Cossett the well known financier and promotor, is a distant relative of mine, though I believe that he does not know me. By methods which have never come to the surface, he robbed three members of the Cossett family of an inheritance of forty thousand dollars. "The Cossett suit, as you know, was won by Mr. Simon Cossett, the defendant. As trustee for a property which, at one time, was badly tangled —I will send you various documents bearing on this—Mr.- Cossett managed to acquire everything. His three cousins are practically penniless. v I need not go into further details with regard to Cossett’s action and the outcome of the suit

“I am interested in the three Cossetts who were robbed, and I have decided to right their wrongs by such methods as I find most practicable. The fruit of Mr. Simon Cossett’s cleverness is a cherry worth,, forty thousand dollars. The proverb says that it isn’t worth while to make two bites of a cherry. Mr. Simon Cossett secured the fruit, and I intend to make two, three or even four bites to get 1 tawayfromhim. Wenyotrall this in order that you may use it if you are ever called upon to defend me.” “Then you are only a prospective criminal after all?” exclaimed the lawyer. “If I may advise—•” “Don’t,” said Mr. Linden. "It Is too late. I have bitten the cherry. At five minutes' before nine, tonight, I took from Mr. Crossett, by violence, but without injuring him physically—ten thousand dollars.” “And you were recognized,” cried the lawyer, excitedly, “and escaped?” "I escaped,” said Linden quietly, “but I was not-recognized. I stood by and saw another man accused, but I think he proved his innocence to the satisfaction of the police, at least” “Tell me about IL” said the lawyer grimly. “I seem to be an accessory after the fact, but I am anxious to hear the details.” “To begin,” said Linden, who had, by this time, recovered from the slight nervousness he had betrayed

when he entered, “I am familiar with the greater number of Mr. Cossett’s business enterprises.. Such matters were gone into pretty thoroughly during the suit I also know, through the other Crossetta, that he transacts a great deal of his business at home and that he frequently has large sums of money in his safe for days at a time. My assistant in this matter was able to discover that the financier had in his safe at least ten thousand in bills. “At twenty-five minutes to nine I called at his house, dressed as you see me, except that my hat was a soft black felt. I wore an ordinary darkred wig, and a small red mustache. In my hand I carried a yellow paper box with a tape-string or holder; such a box as you get at an icecream saloon, or at an oyster house. “This box was what stage folks call a ’prop,* and I meant that the servant and his master should note the unusual combination of a well-dressed stranger and an ordinary-looking icecream box.

“Whan the door was opened by the servant I noticed that the hall light was turned very low. I asked to see Mr. Crossett on important business, and the servant, as I expected, glanced at the box before he went into the front room which If knew to be Mr. Crossett’s office. In a few moments the man returned and said that Mr. Crossett would receive me. “I laid my soft hat on the hat-rack, which was directly opposite the office door. This rack contained two other hats, one a black derby, and the other a high silk hat. The servant went upstairs, but left the door more than half open, so that I could hear each step creak as he ascended, slowly, to the second story. Mr. Crossett asked me to sit down in a chair which was as near to his as mine is now to yours. “By the time I Was seated, the servant had reached the floor above, for I could hear his tread as ne walked along the hall or through one of the rooms. I then rose, and, explaining that my business was such that 1 would prefer to be alone with him, I closed the office door. I resumed my seat, and, as I did so, I noticed that the safe door was tightly closed. Mr. Cossett was now looking at my box with some curiosity. “When I first sat down I had laid it

cn the table directly in front of me. I now laid my hand upon it—the discolored one—and I saw him glance at the stained finger. “There was a lamp on the table, and this lighted up my hand and the box very clearly, but the room, outside of the radius of the lamp, was rather dark. “I had known beforehand what the lighting arrangement would be. I now began to talk about a certain Colorado mining stock, and, in ten minutes, Mr. Cossett had opened his safe to. get his lists and certificates. It was but natural that I should rise and go to his side of the table when the-papers were spread out before him, and I did go there, and at his invitation drew up a small chair beside his. “Mr. Crossett is a smaller and older man than myself, and when he sank down in his chair he was at my mercy. I took from my pocket, unseen by him, an ingenious contrivance which Dumas, in ‘Twenty Years After,’ calls a ‘poire d’angoise.’ 'This is a pearshaped gag that is thrust into the mouth by means of a spring which distends the jaws to their greatest width.

"For a moment I hesitated to go on, but, remembering the impoverished country Cossetts, I jumped up, pushed the gag into his mouth and pinioned his arms. In a few moments I had tied him securely, and then, going to the safe, I picked up a package which I knew to be, from its markings, a large bundle of bills. While I was securing the money my victim was writhing in his chair and trying to make some sound which might reach his servant I now touched the bell on his table, and immediately heard the creak of the steps as the servant descended. “When he had reached the bottom step, I called out, in a tone as much like that of Mr. Cossett as possible, ‘William, show the gentleman to the door.* I had put the bills, divided into two parcels, in two capacious hippockets built for the purpose., I had also picked up my paper box, and when William arrived at the half-open door I stood in the opening, prepared to knock him down if he attempted

to enter. *’JHe did not stop, but walked to the street door, six feet away. When he had passed me I picked up my soft hat and tucked it behind the hat-rack, taking, at the same time, the black derby. This I held behind me until I passed through the door. The instant that the servant closed the innei door, I dropped my box behind the vestibule door, tore off my wig and mustache, and. with the speed of an antelope, turned my coat inside out “The coat as you see.'* unbuttoning it as he spoke, for Mr. Fenton’s inspection. “is a double one—gray on

one side clear up to the selvage. It fits ao snug when buttoned that the joining of colors does not show unless one looks very closely. “I was on the sidewalk in an instant dressed in gray, smooth of face, with short black hair, and a black derby hat. The chances were ten to one that there would be a hue and cry, for William would probably go into the office before returning upstairs. I had walked two doors below the Cossett house, when I saw, on the asphalt pavement six feet from the curb, a bicyclist. He was astride the saddle, with a foot poised on the high pedal, ready to push off at a second’s notice. p “In the hand nearest the curb he held a paper box just like the one I had carried. He was dressed in a black coat, gray trousers, and a soft black hat At this moment I heard the violent opening of the Cossett door, and, at the first sound, the wheelman pushed on his pedal and flew up the street, the yellow box the brightest spot in his whole outfit “William and Mr. Cossett sprang down the steps just as he passed them. ‘Stop thief!* cried both the men, as they saw the swinging box. William sprang after the flying wheelman, shouting at the top of his voice, while Mr. Cossett sank trembling on the steps. Then he saw me. "Help catch that man,’ he cried, ‘he has robbed me!’ I ran after William, mingling my shouts with his. “At the second corner an officer, who had heard the shouts, called upon the wheelman to stop. The man came back willingly enough. By this time a small crowd had gathered, and in the hubbub which followed the wheelman’s arrest I slipped away and came here. I turned my coat in your vestibule, rang the bell and here I am.” “Leaving the wheelman to his fate?" queried Mr. Fenton. >• “He was very unlike me in height and build,” returned Linden carelessly. “I guess he got away easily enough.”

“And your pear-shaped gag?’\said the lawyer, after a moment, “you had that made for you, for such things are not on sale, I believe?” “I had it made by a mechanical-toy dealer,” returned the visitor. “And the police have it now, and will go to every man who could be expected to turn out such an article.” “When they find him he will describe a man dressed as I was when I called on Mr. Cossett. He will also say that I had a crooked, discolored finger.” “And what do you mean to do about the finger?” asked the lawyer. “It is a dangerous thing to have at this time.” “I will take it off, as I did when I stood in the crowd before Cossett’s house,” said Linden, slipping a celluloid case from a straight white finger. “That is one of my tricks. It is a little bit on the spectacular order, Mr. Fenton, but I consider that false clue very useful to my interests.” “You have certainly given this matter an exhaustive study,” said the lawyer dryly. “I have been planning for three months,” returned Linden, as he, Sfter asking the lawyer’s permission, once more turned his coat “And now,” he went on, “I shall go home and destroy Jhe ‘props’ and Mr. Cossett’s hat. In the morning papers we shall both find many things that I could not tell you. And I will call on you again in a few days.” “I hope,” said the lawyer, severely, “that when you do, it will be to tell me that you have returned the money and abandoned your present plans.” (To be continued.)