The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-07-03

IF notes aud gold as the sum left With
he commissionaire, and the date up
ID which they were paid correspond
I'd with that OF the mysterious depos-
L. The unfortunate hiatus 10 the
chain Of evidence was that nobody
the number Of the bank notes
had formed part Of it.
What do YOU think, SIR" conclu-
led Copp.
/ replied that ] thought the solu-
ton quite probable, bat that we
proceed with caution in the
testing Of every proof.
After turning over the matter care
il my mind, l came to the con-
clusioa that the only means Of idesu-
flying the sum paid to Thompson with
that leit with Sergeant Copp would
be q comparison Of the numbers Of
notes In each instance.-Bnt then
came a formidable dificulty.-The
foreign firm had been dissolved, and
its members had left England. They
had also informed Messrs. Smith and
Jones that they had omitted 10 take
the number Of the bank notes, which
had Just been RENTED to them from
the continent.
The plan | ct last hit upon was as
follows: When the $3.50 were paid
into the deposit account, the notes
which formed G portion Of the sum
were sent by Us 70 the Bank Of Eng
land in the regular course Of business,
and there were Cancelled. ascer-
tanned st the Bank Of England the
name and address OF the notes as they
had been first issued, and then traced
them through the several hands
through which they had passed.
Following up the clue, | discovered
that some Of them had been sent to
the bank Of Paris. l wrote this bank,
inquiring to whom they had been
paid, and, 10 my great qualification,
was informed that they had been sent
10 the very firm 10 London q few days
before they had handed them over 10
Thompson.
Here, then, was the missing link,
and | had no longer any doubt in my
mind that the money paid to US was
the same as that which had been lost
by Messrs. Smith & Jones.
Honest Sergeant Copp was over
ljoyed, and wished TO 60 al once to
Mrs. Thompson and give her the
good news. This, however, | would
not permit, az | thought it would be
better to endeavor, in the first ia
stance, to ascertain the fate ofthe poor
foreman.
l called upon Messrs. Smith 4
Jones and informed them tina. ! had
Obtained certain information which
led me to believe that a sum OF $50
paid into the bank was identical with
the loss by them, but that the only
person who could satisfactorily prove
the fact was Thompson, and that be
might therefore be found-They
promised to do their best to aid my
inquiries. and employed a detective
for the purpose. Ia the course Of 0
few weeks they were able TO inform
me that Thompson had been discov-
cred in Paris, working under ar as
sumed name, and that on being in
formed Of the discovery, he at once
came over to his family, who were
overjoyed at his return.
On the following day, Thompson
called at the bank, and was recogniz-
ed by Sergeant Copp as the indi-
vidual who had left the money with
him.
The explanation given by Thomp-
son Of the transaction was that his
coffee had been drugged at the house
where he slept and bis watch stolen
from him.
He had, however, nerved himself
by a violent effort the following NOR
ming to be at his post On the lighter,
and though half supplied, had with
some difficulty received and counted
over the money; that on going ashore,
be had repaired - a public house
near the docks, in order TO get soda
water: that after il be had rembled
through the streets on his way 10
the workshop. His mind, however,
was a complete blank as to every
thing which occurred afterwards, IN
I'll be found himself lying in a mar
row alley, surrounded by Unlocking
people.
When be came 20 himself be was
paralyzed with fear, on finding, as be
thought, that be had been robbed Of
his bag.
His brain was dazed with the
thought of the fearful accusation
which would most certainly be brought
against bin.
Who would believe that he wa;
guiltless of any crime when appear
ances were so much against him !
How could he explain away his seem.
ing state OF intoxication when be
went on board the ship in the morn
ing! And above all, how could be
explain the loss of the bag? He
could remember that up 10 a certain
time after leaving the public house,
be still had the bag safe in the breast
pocket Of his coat, for he had a dis
tinct recollection of keeping his arm
tightly pressed against it. He had a
dim recollection Of finding himself
amid streets OF tall stone houses, and
Keeling against several people on the
pavement, but after that bis memory
was altogether blotted out. All was
darkness and vacancy until be awoke.
Then the feeling Of blank despair
took possession of the mind. Hog
could be eve again show himself
among his friends, be who had held
his head so high and been so forward
IN denouncing vice and drink? He
would be a laughing stock to the
eorld; then the stain upon his hon
estyl Messrs. Smith and Jones be
knew to be very hard people they
had never spared anybody in their
business dealing and they would GER
tai0ly bring a criminal charge against
him. The idea was horrible. He
would rather die than submit; to such
indignity.
Pondering these thi ngs over in his
mind, be had wandered heedlessly