Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1874-09-10
AsrRANGE PERSEVERANCE.
ny A DETROIT REPORTER.


have knocked around the world 0
good deal for one having no claim to be Q
professional traveller, but I never saw but
one man who looked so near like me as tc
deceive those who knew him well.
found such man once, and II. tell you
about it,
In "trampiug" through the West, ]
one day found myself at St. Joe, Missou'
ri. was not clean broke. but / had nc
great surplus ofmoney, and was bit dis,
couraged, having failed to strike a job at
any of the newspaper Offices. l was al
the depot half an hour before dark of an
October afternoon, wondering whether ]
had better go toward Chicago or Leaven'
worth Walking up and down the plat.
form, man suddenly approached me,
thrust package into my hand, and whis,
pered; m
"l'll meet you at Peoria, to morrow
night, and we'lldevide; Bill has got the
rest of the swag.'
He was gone in an instant, and it was
some time before could comprehend what
had happened. The package was quite
heavy, and my curiosity led me to exam
inc it / found its contents to consist Of
three fine gold watches and package OF
bank notes which amounted to four hun.
dred dollars. 1t fairly took my breath
away as | made tue discovery and | soon
realized that a burglar or highway lob,
Der had taken me for his confederate, and
had passed over his plumber for fear that
he would be captured " it'll it in his DO,
cession.
What should / do? There was but
. /.
one honest way--to go to some depot OF
police official, tell him what had occurred
and hand over the plunder. l frankly
own that was sorely tempted by o.d Sa.
tan to keep the stuff, especially the money,
but conquered the feeling and entered
the depot. saw no police officer, and
was heading for the ticket agent, when a
dozen people swarmed in to purchase tick
cts and drove me back. stood there
waiting when the Leavenworth train thun.
dered, up. aud it was hardly moment
before wiry little fellow had pair .ol
handouts on my wrists.
"Come, Joe, no fuss now! p he said, Ia
king my arm. 's aat'i 9. o'3a
"Do you know what you are doing?"
asked just then finding my voice.
81 should calculate / did," he replied
laughing. "Don't try that game on me,
Joe, I'm too old, you know"
81 am not Joe, John, or Jack I" ex
claimed, resisting his efforts to drag me
along.
"l ou have made some kind of a mistake =
81 guess not! he said, beckoninc to a
man who had just entered. II beliey,
that my eyesight is good yet"
The other man came up and they hat
me out doors and in hack before | had
time to kick twice. ! heard several per.
sons talking about burglary, but receiv
ed no explanations from the officers un
til we reached to the city Jail. | was ta
ken into the Sheriff's office, the handcuff
unlocked, and then one of the officer
SAID
Now, Button, she'll out the swag, an,
then be white about telling who your pal
were. It's a bad job all around, as tn,
man will die, but if you do the right thin,
now we'll ask the Judge to 60 easy o.
you
"Now, gentleman, if you'll go aheat
and tell me the story, and then explai,
why have been rrested. I'll be ver,
much Obliged" said in reply.
He won't squeal, remarked the iai
lor, might as we'll lock him up."
Two of them held my arms and thir,
searched my pockets, He found tn
watches and the money. of course, and O
course | saw that / had got into ba,
scrape. My name was not Joe Button o
they insisted, but if a burglary had beer
committed, as they said, the finding of
part Of the proceeds on any person woul,
have bad look for me.
you'll swing for it if he dies.p sal,
the officer, as he finished searching me
YOU'D better come out and do the so lsr
thing and save your neck T.
sat down in chair and they let m
60 on for fifteen minutes without a breath
told them my right name ; where my re
latives lived ;whereI I had last worked
and just how l came by the plunder, bu
all the time | was talking l could see in