Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-12-08
Not Quite so Green.

JED. While. on his way from Vermont
% the wllds Of Colorado, stopped at Chiea-
~ iol day and night, and somehow he
loo l. out IN the office Of the hotel that he
Mas gong TO take up land. Of course. if he
"ae SCILS on business of that kind. so far
away rom nome, he must have money with
MN; at least so scanned to think two Vor-
thy gentlemen who interviewed him N, bis
way to his room. 0i- LIS
Ihey Were3tWo very gentlemanly looking
men, albeit little Overmuch beieweiiaJe
They met Jed, in the hall, and took him
gently aside.
my dearest sir, said one of them. in
the Politest manner possible, your name
is Whif1e?"
"Jeduthan Whifie, sir, from Vermont. +"
''Ah-well-yOu will excuse US for what
may appear to be an unwarrantable liberty.
We are United States detectives. sir. in the
employ of the Treasury Department. OF
late much counterfeit money has been cir
eulatlng hereabouts, and our orders from
headquarters are, to search every stranger
coming into this city. You will have TO he
one OF more than hundred that we have
been obliged to examine within three davs.
Let US step into private room, where the
J..lng can be done quietly and sub rosa. If
Will take but few moments"
jed thought it might be all right. At all
events ne did not care to get into a scrape
by resisting Uncle Sans officers. so he fol-
lowed the two gentlemen into quiet little
parlor.
Now, Mr.. Whifle, if you will rallow us
10 look at your money"
Jed pulled out his old pocket book, in
winch were one thousand dollars in bank
notes. Inc gentlemen took the money, and
carefully examined it. Over a few of the
notes they hesitated; finally one said:
''The clerk of the hotel has Bristow's de-
scriptiOn of the counterfeits. l think I
will go and compare these. They are evi-'
IDENTIFY all right, but it is best to be on the
safe side"
And thus speaking, the man with the
bank notes in his hand went out to find
the clerk.
After time the gentleman who had been
left behind, said,
81 think the major is gone longer than is
necessary. Wait a moment. Mr.. Whif1e.
and l will bring him back"
Jed had evidently not been quite salts
fed from the first; that he was entirely
dissatisfied now was most clearly apparent
from his next movement. Quietly placing
himself against the door, he drew a heavy
revolver and cooked it.
Now look here. Mister-yOu NAV be an
officer. If you be, you mustn't lose sight
OF me till my money is all right. ANYHOW.
shan't lose sight of you"
The gentleman attempted to expostulate.
''Shut upr' cried Jed. ''I'm cooked and
primed for them thieves out West. and if
I've happened to fall afoul of a pair of 'pm
here in Chicago, l guess I'll try my hand.
So, Mister, Just you make move to leave
me afOre I've got my money back. and off
goes the top of your head, Just as true as
fate!'
A look at the Vermonter's face, and at
the unfinching hand that held the pistol
told that he was in dead earnest. and the
pretended officer caved in. He went with
Jed to a neighboring drinking house where
they found the other sharper and also the
money, all safe and right.
Jed allowed the rascals to 90 free on re-
gaining his funds, simply because he could
not possibly stop over to prosecute and give
evidence; but he told his story to such a
purpose that the shsrpers did not venture
to try their littly game again in any of the
Chicago hotels.