The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1858-11-04

Commercial Advertiser.


~fH4l-A u - CsosC8 NOSCs IM.r
By A RETIRED ATTORNEY.
Except that be INDUCED too freely in the use of thu
intoxicsting cup, Iobc Wallace was an honest, high
ninded and Exemplary man. His one great faul
hung like . dark shadow over his many virtues. HI
m0nt well, and when he was sober he did well.
He was . halter by trade. and by industry and
thSiff bad acquired money sufficient to build the house
in which he lived. He had purchased it several
years before for three thousand dollars, paying one
thousand down, and securing the balance by mortgage
TO the seller.
The mortgage note was almost due at the time the
circumstances made me acquainted with the affairs
% the fsmilyEEBut Wallace was ready for the day
he bad saved up the money; there appeared to be no
possibility u an accident l was well acquainted
With wallace, having done little collsctiDg. and
his daughter Anne came to my Office in great distress,
declaring that her father was ruined, and that they
should be turned out Of the house in which they
lived.
"Perhaps not, Miss wallace,'' said 1, trying to
console her, and give the affair, whatever it was, n
brighter aspect. " What has happened"
my hther,'' 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 2"
I" don't know; 1 suppose 50. Last week he drew
two thousand dollars from the bank, and lent it to
Mr.. Bryce for ten dayA"
"Who 10 Mr.. Bryce?"
"He is . broker. Ny father got acquainted with
him through George Chandler. who boarded with us,
and Who 10 Mr.. Bryce's clerk"
Mr.. Bryce refuse to pay itr"
"He ays he has paid it."
"Well, what il the trouble then 2"
Father says he has not paid it."
"Indeedl But the note will prove that he has not
paid it OF course you have that noie."
No; Mr.. Bryce has it" E AA
"Then Of course he has paid it."
81 suppose he has, or he could not have had the
"what does your father saw q"
"He is positive that he has never received the
money The mortgnge,i he says. must be paid to-
"Very singular, Was your father-n
I hesitated to use the unpleasant word. which must
have grated harshly on the ear Of the devoted girl
"Mr. Bryce says my father was not just right
when he paid him. though not very bad"
90" will see your father"
HE is coming here in a few moments; 1 thought
l would see you first and tell you the facts before be
came"
note, unless he paid the money. Where did your
father keep it 2"
He gave it to me. and l put it in the secretary
in the front room"
"Wh were in the room when you put it in the
secretary"
NJ Bryce. George Chandler. my father and NY
self"
The conversation was here interrupted BY the en-
trance Of Wallace He looked pale and ~haggard, as
much from the effect of anxiety as Of the debauch
from which he was just recovering.
She has told you about it, l suppose said he,
in ssry low tone.
7 pitied him., poor fellow, for two thousand dollars
Was q large sum for him to accumulate in his little
business. The loss of it would make the future look
like . desert to him. 1t would be q misfortune which
one must undergo TO appreciate il.
what do you think about it!" asked he, very
gioomily. 81 know he never paid me. l was not
much in liquor Mt the time. 1 remember very well
Of going home as regularly as l ever did in my life.
I could tell how I passed the time"
what passed between you on that day.
We'll. l merely stepped into his of6ce-it was
to have the money for me by tomorrow. He took
me into his back Office, and as I sat there he said he
would get the money ready the next day. He then
let me and went into the front Office, where I heard
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"
And when George came in, he went to the front
Office again and took the money. Then he came to
me again, but did not offer to pay me the money"
Had you the note with you 2"
"No; now 1 remember he said he supposed 1 had
not the note with me, or he would pay it. He told
me to come in next day and he would have it ready
that was yesterday. When 1 came to look for the
note, it could not be found; Annie and l have hunted
the house all over"
You told Bryce SO .'
"I did; he laughed and showed me the note, with
his signature crossed over With ink, and a hole
through it,"
SIT is plain, Mr.. Wallace, that he paid you the
money, as alleged, or has obtained fraudulent posses
sion Of the note, and intended to cheat you out of the
amount"
"He never paid me-" replied he firmly.
"Then he has fraudulently obtained the note.
What sort Of a person is that Chandler who boards
with you 2"
"A fine young man. Bless you. he would not do
anything OF the kind"
81 In sure he would not, repeated Anne, earn
estly.
"How else could Bryce obtain the note but through
him What time does he come home at night"
Always at tea time He never goes cut in the
evening" answered Wallace.
" But, father, he did not come till ten o'clock the
night before you went to Bryce's. He had to stay
in the ofhce to post books, or something Of that
kind"
How did he get in!'
"He has q night key"
81 must see Chandler" said I.
No harm in seeing him." added Mr.. Wallace.
{" will go for him."
In q few moments he returned with ~theyoung man.
Chandler, in the conversation l had with him., mani
tested q very lively interest in the solution of the mys-
terry, and professed himself ready to do anything to
forward my views.
"When did you return to the house ON Tuesday
night" l asked him, with the intention Of sounding
him q little.
"About TWELVE
''T.elve.'' said Anne. cit was not more than ten
when I heard you
"The clock struck twelve ~ 1 turned the cornerof
the street. /, replied Chandler. positively.
81 certainly heard some one in the front room at
ten" added Anne, looking with establishment at
those around her.
Doors, Window Sash, Blinds.
<hf.9 TO ARRIVE.