Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-02-03


him. Couldn't you get rid Of some of this
money for me?o
Captain williams seemed for moment
amused at the offer; but presently. as
with any serious meaning, replied: mo
doubt, Mr.. Murphy, II you would like me to
do SO. Sometimes, for instance, when am
in foreign port, some OF my crew are laid
up in the hospital, and ] might provide many
things for them, and leave handsome dona-
ton toward the funds of the hospital when
we went away"
"Jist the very thing. Captain; that'n suit
me to t. Now thin, IN just leave you two
gintlemen to talk it over; and ii you will
kindly show me that you can each OF you
command considerable sum Of money-say
fifty or hundred pounds-just to carry out
the requirement of the Guild gintleman's viii,
you know, well thin, Patrick Murphy's your
man, and we'll settle the business, and thin
shall be happy and Free"
From very early point in our converse
ton had become firmly convinced that Mr..
Murphy was a swindler, and by no means
such fool as he looked; that his story was
concocted for the purpose OF getting money
and myself; and that he must have taken us
for very great fools indeed. Left alone with
the American, said: ''Now. Captain, what
do you think of this Irishn ans story! Is it
not one OF the queerest tales you ever
heardw"
"Well." he slowly replied-"I don't know.
1t does seem queer story; but you see
these Irishmen do queer things: have
known them make all sorts of curious wills,
and this young fellow seems as though ne
wanted to be conscientious. I think shall
take him at his word, and see what he will
do. don't care to show him what money
have just now; of course he's a stranger;
but tomorrow if he likes to come to my
or IN to1 civ
satisfaction. What will you do?'
81 scarcely KNOW" I said, new suspi-
cion flashing across my mind, and at the
same time desire springing up which did
not at once see my way to carry out. II
scarcely know. I have very little money
with me, and Mr.. Murphy wishes us to
prove that we are possessed OF considerable
amount"
"But suppose you could easily get fifty
pounds or SO by going to your banker or by
telegraphing home"
"By sending home, no doubt, I could;
but it would never do to telegraph. Think
what state my wife would be in if I were
suddenly to telegraph to her to send me fifty
"Well, suppose you were to write to her:
you might then explain, and she could send
the money by getting the bank to telegraph
tomorrow. Would that doH'
1t might" I replied; and my resolution saiIp,
in confederacy, and they must be made to
run into their own trap.
When Murphy rejoined us, the matter was
explained to him, and it was arranged that
after had taken my. boy to his ship we
home should there be written. Captain
Williams was for accompanying Us to the
docks, but to my great satisfaction Mr.. Muir
ply did not wish to go; and being strang-
er, and so very much in peril from rogues
and vagabonds, he did not like to be left
alone. Accordingly, the American agreed
to remain with him at the station until my
return; SO that 1 was free to act. The game
was becoming exciting, and although felt
that it was not without spice of danger,
could not resist the desire to carry it on to
the end. While absent from the two
men, 1 wrote and posted hur-
ried note home explaining that
another would follow, and. giving my wife
direction as to what to do. Then went
back.
On seeing me return they naturally infer
red that had no suspicion Of them, and at
once concluded that their fish was fairly
hooked. We went back to the hotel, and I
wrote the letter agreed upon, which they
to post with his own hands. In answer to
this letter they expected that a telegram
would be received at my hotel on the follow
ing morning, giving me power to draw the
sum of fifty pounds from Liverpool bank,
which sum was to be shown to MIR. Murphy
as guarantee of my responsibility.
1t turned out that the Berkshire Castle was
not to sail until the following morning. In
the evening, therefore, my son came back to
the hotel. Captain Williams went on with
his tales of the sea, put the boy through his
facings upon various nautical matters, ex-
planned in the most interesting way the
course which would be taken upon his an
ticipated voyage; told him all about the
winds and currents, the mode of taking OBJ
servations, the people whom he would see,
ho poc,1Iiar character and trade of the diff
ferent ports-and in short made it evident
that he was a seaman of long experience and
of considerable culture.
Mr.. Murphy left us about half an hour be-
fore the Captain, arranging to be at the
hotel in the morning at 10 O'Clock. The
American babe him goodnight, and subse-
quently took his leave of us, prOfessedly to
90 and sleep on board his ship, and saying
that he would come in the morning at half
past nine.
"Well, Hail." said I to my son as soon as
they had gone, "what do you think OF all
this"
"How, papa? What do you meanp'
"Don't you see that these two fellows are
doing to-day is the carrying out Of little
scheme for getting fifty pounds or SO out OF
us.o
The lad opened his eyes and for while
was incredulous. At last he said: 'But
you don't think Captain Williams swim
dIer?'' ~
81 am afraid he's the worst of the two.
Now I'll tell you what / am going to do.
Tomorrow morning before breakfast shall
go down the street to the Detective Office
and tell them all that has passed to-day, and
we shall see what follows"
Harold was not to be convinced, however,
about the American Captain. He would adj
nit that might be right so far as the Irish
man was concerned; but the nautical expert
ence and knowledge of Captain Williams
were, to his mind, utterly inconsistent with
the idea that the man was q swinder.
About half-past eight the following morn
ing, walked down Dale Street to the Detec-
tive Office and related my experience to one
of its chiefs. He smiled when had done,
as though my story were just what he had
been expecting.
"Ah, sir, it's an old trick; but we have
had nothing of this kind here for some years
-Brown!" A subordinate came forward at
his call. t'Hear what this gentleman has
got to say and then follow the case up"
Brown ushered me into small side room,
and repeated to him what had told his
chief.
ayes, sir" he said; 81 see what tits; but
you have made one great mistake. You
should not have come here.o