Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 February 1920 — SAYS IT WAS HIS PARTNER. [ARTICLE]

SAYS IT WAS HIS PARTNER.

“On complaint of Arthur Corbin of Norwalk, 0., detectives from headquarters late last night arrested Renfrew Burns, a real estate dealer of this city at his home in Norwood. The charge is grand larceny, and the complaint states that Burns sold property on Vine street belonging to Mr. Corbin to the value of $6,500, and that when Mr. Corbin arrived at the city yesterday and asked Burns for his money the latter told him his partner had absconded with it. “Subsequent to his arrest Burns admitted that he had handled the property of Mr. Corbin, and that knowing Mr. Corbin was coming to the city yesterday, he had drawn the proceeds of the sale from the bank and put the package into the safe in his office. “He says that Alexander Stewart, who as a partner conducted a branch of the real estate business in Cleveland, and who was at the office to meet Mr. Corbin, whom he had never seen, and to discuss an extension of their business, took the money. “He claims that when he went to lunch he left his partner looking over some papers in the safe, and that upon his return he could find no trace of either Stewart or the money. “Burns describes the man as being tall and large in figure, with dark hair, beard and eyes, and of a swarthy complexion. but as none of his associates had ever heard of Burns having a partner, ana as he can produce no witness to bear out his story, the police are inclined to doubt the Identity of this Stewart, although upon Burns’ description a general message was sent put for his detention. “Burns said he never mentioned Stewart here, as their idea was to interest more capital separately in, each city and to publicly consolidate afterward,” - By telephoning to police headquarters he learned that the complaining Mr. Corbin was at a near-by hotel. The getting rid of $6,500 proved to be an even simpler matter here than at the race tracks, to which Mr. Burke was accustomed.

Burns’ fervent “God blegs you, sir,” was worth a great deal to Burke, but it didn’t help much when, on account of his straitened circumstances, he had to tell the hotel clerk that he would give up his room. These reflections were permanently interrupted by what he saw on entering his room to gather together his belongings. There on the table in the middle of the room was a familiar looking white envelope. fat and bulging. Burke jumped for It, and sure enough it contained his money just as he had left It. He sat down thinking he must be crazy. At that instant a knock sounded on his door, and in answer to his “Come in” a maid appeared. "I stumbled over some loose boards in the floor here this morning, and when I was fixing them I found that under one of them,” said she, pointing to the big envelope, which had fallen to the floor. “Does it belong to you?” “Yes,” answered Burke. “How many loose boards did you say there were in the floor?”

“Two. This one and this one,” she replied, picking up the rug and Indicating thp board Burke had lifted and the one next to it. When she threw the rug back into place a corner rolled up, and it appeared as it had when it startled Burke upon his coming in and noticing it the night before. He took one of the notes from the roll and gave It to her. saying: “Take this and get something nice to make up for hurting yourself on the floor.” “But—” the girl started to say, gasping in amazement at the denomination of :the bill. “That’s all right. Don’t say any more about it,” and she left with profuse expressions of gratitude. It was very easy to understand. He had picked up the first loose board he had come to, and of course there was nothing under it, because the money was under the next one. Ten minutes later, to Scarlet Burk* the adventure was a matter of ancient history, for as he slung on his fieldglasses and whistling with characteristic optimism of his class, starts*! sot the elevator, be was thinking of Matthews’ tip that Invincible had been saved for the day’s stake race and would surely be In at a good price.