The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-04-06

also the Chief of Police-about a dozen
persons in all-requesting and receiving
from each a promise that no intimation
of my character or business should be
given 10 any one else. / soon discov-
cred, however, that so far as related to
the mysterious Dutchman that promise
had been Immediately dsregarded by
SOME one. He was evidently watching
me, and giving me a wide berth at
| every turn. On two or three occasions,
when accidentally approaching me, he
| had changed his course, evidently for
| the purpose of avoiding me. The looks,
| however. that he turned upon me. even
/ from distance. showed plainly enough
/ that he was cursing me in bis heart.
=" Well, Mr.. RulisOn," said the Presi-
| dent Judge of the court, about a week
/ after l made his acquaintance, ''have
| you seen or heard of any one yet whom
/ you suspect?'
| ''Who is that Colonel Won Schroeder,
Judge" 1 asked, ''whO is dropping in
and out of the city occasionally, in re-
! gard to whom almost every one seems
to know something, and yet there is a
mystery about him that impresses me
unpleasantly?'
scarcely know what to make Of
him" was the Judges reply. Il have
seen him two or three times, but | have
never spoken with him. Sheriff CrOs-
by, | suppose, knows more about him
than any one else in the city. He be-
came acquainted with the Sheriff soon
after he came here, and. | believe, fire.
quently calls at his residence and leaves
packages of goods, also money there.
when he is away; but he is evidently a
feeble and harmless old man. You,
surely" added the Judge, with a laugh,
edo not suspect the old Dutchman oil
being the man you are trying to find!
Sheriff Crosby, if you speak to him in
regard to the old man, will, l think, re-
move any suspicion of that sort at once.
He told me on several occasions of his
perfect confidence in Won Schroeder,
and that he knows him to be a worthy
and honest man,
/ had already seen and talked with
the Sheriff, and taken him into my con
fidence, but without limiting anything il
regard to the Dutchman. Now, how
ever, l determined to do so at once.
My first intimation of suspicion was
met with derisive laugh, covering, a
l thought, a malignant sneer.
Colonel Won Schraeder," said the
Sheriff, lis as honorable a gentleman a:
there is on the continent. He is wOrtl
/, twenty thousand dollars, at least; there
is nothing wrong in regard to him. HI
often calls at my house, and has, in fact
a small room there, in which he deposit
packages of jewelry, and ANYTHING h.
may be disposed to leave. No, SIR
added the Sheriff, after giving these anC
few other explanations which seemed
] easy and off hand, there is nothing il
/ that man to justify a suspicion OF wrong
= He is honorable and upright pursuing
u Fl&~
him with my life"
: Strangely enough / was not satisfied
) In my thoughts | reviewed and compared
, every word that the Sheriff had uttered
and my suspicious, instead of being al
: layed, were strengthened.
/ Intent upon discovering some ciew t.
that mystery, / was continually on TIL
+ alert for any information or suggestion
that might possibly help me.
. Do you know Colonel Won Schraed
: er?'' l asked of an old German woman
who had been doing some washing TO
: me.
''Once 1 see him on the street ant
speak to him. she answered. 81 asl
l him about the old country. He try t
answer me a few words, but he no speal
German right. tell him he no German
he one made up man."
The manner in which the old woman
spoke convinced me that she knew wha
she was talking about. Here was ;
feather, and large one, and yet con
2 tinued right along at that case for three
, weeks more without finding any evi
dence that q single dollar of counterfeit
: money had passed through the hands o
: the mysterious Dutchman, or that tn
goods in which he had been dealin,
: were anything else than what they hat
| been represented to be. Although feel
= ing thoroughly convinced that the OLE
man was the very person who was car
. ryiDg on that nefariOus business, | ha
t not thus far been able to lay my finge
= on single point of positive and relabl
2 evidence bearing in that direction.
4 l was growing desperate, and begin
e ming to feel as if | would like to max
. the matter either better or worse i
o some way. Calling again upon the Shel
if, said:
$ = am not satisfied, Mr.. Crosby, wit
5 the explanations you have given me /
regard to Won Schraeder."
7 ''Then to the dickens with your wa
: his unguarded reply, as he glared upo
: me with a savage fury, in which / SAL
an expression about which 1 could nc
be mistaken. In that look there wa
i murder.
n We were alone at that moment in hi
private office. l felt conscious of bein
5 Il full match for him if he was dispose
e to do anything desperate, but graspe
Z my revolver, without, however, draw
ing it, and. as / believed, unnOticed b
II him. From that instant l knew, whs
e / had already suspected, that in the Pc
:; son of the Sheriff himself | had fen
, to deal with l Immediately said:
: Mr.. Sheriff, l am an officer of tn
- United States Government, and am 6
y deeply interested in the public welfar
II as YOU are. l must insist upon meetin
7 Won Schraeder and having a persona
= interview with him the next time h
! comes to the city"
: And do you claim, SIR said tn
= Sheriff, with a look of defiance, . ths
4. it is my business to find him for you an
IL bring him to you?'
4 q claim, sir, - said, that it is yoU
4 duty to render me every reasonable a;
y sistance in discovering the man who i
as | believe, the leader in the manufact
/, uring and distributing of counterfe
: money i'm this vicinity. / shall civ
g myself no rest until I know the flu
N truth in regard to this matter"
> And again | received another of thos
murderous looks. 1t seemed useless
Is pursue the matter any further at TIL
> time, and l withdrew my ey,
however, upon the Sheriff until / w:
n out of his reach.
.e My next visit was to my friend Jude
Il Blanchard, to whom l related exact