Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1872-05-03
SELECTED STORY
From the Saturday Night
THE DETECTIVES STORY.

i
follows:
A man, coming through on the Western
train, stopped III our city. Nothing re-
markable alb ut that; neither was there
anything remarkable about the man. He
was dressed in loose, dark clothes; wore his
hair and beard long, and broad Mexican
hat on his head; in short, had just the ap-
pearance of what he protested to be-a Cal
ifornia miner, washed up, and just out from
the 'diggings"
He took lodgings at quiet hotel, book
ing himself as James L. Snyder His man.
ners were unobtrusive. and everything con-
nected with him SO perfectly commonplace
as to suggest the idea expressed by the land
lord:
"Clever fellow enough But as to smart
ness-between you and I, he'll never set the
river on fire !"
Well, Mr.. James i. Snyder fingered,
and looked about for upward of a week. and
then announced his intention of 'settling
down" He made partial bargaia for
some real estate; had some talk of taking
shares in railroad just going through !;
and thus it transpired that he was man of
means.
About this time he took the landlord SO
far into bis confidence as to impart little
anxiety he felt respecting his capital His
'pile" was just as he had made it, being all
in "dust; - and as the amount was consid-
cradle, he doubted being able to exchange
it at any of our banks.
The landlord, who was good atured
fellow, and withal man of some influence,
offered to 60 with him to the principal one.
which he did, Snyder carrying specimen of
his ''dust" in a small bottle
The cashier, who was attending to bust
ness during an absence of the president,
gave great encouragement respecting the
exchange, but as he felt great rsponsibili-
ty devolving upon himself, wished to retain
the specimen, and postponed his reply until
the next day.
Snyder readily complied with this propo-
sition and expressed deal of quiet satisfac-
ton at the prospect Of so easily changing
his ''dust" into available capital.
The specimen being duly tested, and
proving to be pure article, the cashiers re-
ply, next day was favorable one and
Snyder, going directly to the hotel, brought
back the dust in chamois skin bag, and it
was counted out at its market value in bank
notes and coin, to the amount of eight thou.
sand dollars
While the ''dust' was being weighed.
Snyder reeollected that be had promised to
send little of it, as curiosity. to his
brothers living out in Indiana, and asked
for small vial to put it up in, whereupon
the cashier returned him his own specimen,
its contents untouched
A little later in the day, one of the pro-
fessors of our University, who was quite q
noted chemist, happening in at the bank,
heard Knox, the cashier, speaking Of his
speculation in gold dust.
"Gold dust!' he said 'Have you any
objection to showing NC the color of it p
Certainly not. Oh, it's all right! I had
a specimen thoroughly tested before bar
gained to take it."
Half an hour aferward, Knox burst
into my room. like man bereft Of hi
senses
''For Gods sake, Pm, get up here
and help mel If you don't, Pm ruined
ocoPolo.o nioA
"In Heavens name, what have yol
been doing, MANI" asked in astonish
ment.
'Pve been fooled. seduced, swindled j
I've burst the bank I've ruined myself ant
everybody else!'' s.
Come, GOMEZ" I said scothingly
saw be was quite wild with excitement"
: am sure it isn't 60 bad as that. I am read
and willing to help you, but you must coo
down, and tell me just what's up, and al
: about it,"
Partly by persuasion, and partly by force
| got him down In chair, and managed t
y pump the whole story out of him.
st Tcbadd bad been testing some Of tn
"dust," and the test failed he tried agai
g. and again. and then the secret came out
1t the whole lot was worthless, tinseled dross
l. "How many people know of this ?"
"Only Tchadd, myself, and you"
e ''Then keep quiet and tell him to. Pre-
:, ident Brown will not be back until ne1
= week Keep your own counsel, and bav
presentiment we will straighten out tb
, tangled snarl before then"
l. sauntered around to the hotel, and II
quired for Snyder He had not been ba'
since be went down to sell his ''dust.'
did be leave any luggage in his room
asked.
'tNo; he brought only valise, and ca
ried the gold in it to the bank.
made various inuuiries about town al