The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1876-06-22
SOLD FOR A SOLDIER.
An Iowa Story and True One.
BY J. NJ. Nc.

We manufactured the pumps and
sold them at wholesale to pedlars
and also retailed many ourselves BY
fitting out wagons and employing
men to travel through the country
and sell and put them in the wells.
Some of our teams fitted out at the
shop and secured the country tribu
tary to our mandatory, and wher
sold out would return and get anoth.
er load. Others we would send fal
into the interior of the country and
ship the pumps to the nearest rail
road station, where they would be
taken by our pedlars, and when the
adiourning country had been
thoroughly supplied would move to
another locality.
With only one OF these salesmen
has our story to do. We employed
smart, energetic, hardworking, fine.
spoken young man, about twenty
three years Of age, to take one Of our
teams and 60 to Montezuma, in Pow
shiek county, and work the pump
trade in that vicinity. Brooklyn, on
the c. & r. l. r. r., twelve miles
distant, was the shipping point.
Our instructions to him were to re-
port sales and send the receipts ev-
cry time on ordering new supply.
He met with very good success, and
reported promptly for several weeks,
then wrote us that he could sell a
great deal more pumps if he was al.
lowed to take notes and live stock in
sxchange-could often trade for a
fine COW when the farmers had no
cash. We ordered him to sell on
time to good parties and take notes,
and also trade for good cows, but
leave them on the farms until such
time as we called for them.
It was our intention to have them
gathered and shipped to Chicago as
fast as we obtained car loads. The
notes we ordered him to draw payable
at the Montezuma Bank and deposit
there for collection when due. His
weekly reports to us were about one
third cash sales after deducting ex-
pense account, and balance for stock
or sold on time. The value of the
cattle and amount of notes were al.
ways enumerated, and the figures
showed very satisfactory returns for
our pumps.
Thus matters went on for several
months, and all seemed to be going
on well, when one morning we receiv-
cd letter from Montezuma, saying our
agent had left the locality, and under
such circumstances as would justify
one of our firm coming on and look
ing after our interests, and in way Of
reply the first train going west con-
tained myself, with deputy sheriff's
appointment in my pocket.
On arriviving at Montezuma, | as
certained that our man had, during
the FIVE or six weeks, been "going it
high" He had formed the acquain-
tance of a farmers daughter living a
few miles from town, and as the intl.
macy deepened, he had neglected his
business and devoted his time and
our money to their mutual enjoyment.
Presents, jewelry, livery turnouts,
visits of several days to Oskaloosa
(25 miles distanD to attend circuses,
and expense of horse and carriage
during the time, and railroad visits
to Grinnell to see the soldiers camp,
as that town was the military head
quarters for that section, etc. In fact
he had cut such large splurge as
made the village folks wonder. He
had reported that he had got "wind-
falP' from q deceased relative, which
probably was the reason we were not
informed sooner.
In very few hours l found out
how matters stood. The cattle he
driven to the railroad station and
sold to shippers; the notes had been
discounted at the bank, transaction
he as cur agent had no difficulty in
doing. The last three shipments he
had sold at wholesale, and had given
fictitious reports to US. In fact he
had made complete clear-up, and
had taken our team and left.
/ was quite surprised in talking
with the villagers to see how much
sympathy was manifested for him in
spite of the plain evidence of his
guilt. They said "Jim was whole
souled, generous, good fellow, any
how and had been the life of the
burg" and some of them were 10th
to give me any information they
might possess as to his doings or
probable whereabouts.
l attributed this sympathy to his
lavish generosity in use of money,
and bis winsome, pleasant and agree
able ways.
Although he had three days the
start, ] determined to track him to
his lair if possible; and thinking l
might get some clue to his wherea-
bouts, visited his ''girl,' but could
elicit nothing from her. She denied
knowing anything of his intentions,
and cried bitterly at the knowledge
Of his guilt. He had told her that
he had made his ''raise" from de.
ceased relative in St. Louis.
While she was out of the room /