The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-01-21

SuUStauLldl CueCk III luS uauo3 Va Jul
friend, and we were all sorry that we
might never meet him again.
I fingered few days to gather my
things together, and was spending my
last hour with my uncle and his family,
when our friend, the Professor, came
suddenly in the room with dazed look,
saying:
General Randolph's check has been
returned" !"
We could not believe our ears. Gen.
eral Randolph dishonest Impossible !!
My uncle telegraphed at once TO his
clerical friend in the East. Alas DR..
B. knew no such man. He was blind
and wrote by means of secretary, 80
that bis signature had been easily forged.
l vas crazy, maddened Alice had
gone with him Where oh, where? l
took a detective and started in search of
her. | gathered my own savings, the
bank furnished more money, and | de.
termined to find him and bring him back
to justice dead or alive.
We followed them to New York, but
they had left the day before. We traced
them by means of small cane which he
had left to be marked at jewellers
store. 1t was to be engraved: From
Randolph, of Virginia, to Bush, of Ken.
tucky," and was to be sent to Lexington,
Kentucky. We followed them to Cincin.
natl. recognized his handwriting on
the register of one of the hotels in an
assumed name. AS pointed to it the
clerk laughed and said:
"I'd like to collar that fellow. He
played US the neatest bit Of roguery that
I've seen for many long day. He went
to the theatre one night and brought
back with him chap that he picked up
there. They were as thick as hops.
They must room together. bad charge
of the safe, and as they came to the desk
to get the key, your friend said to the
other in the arrest tones-you know what
a way he had with him: (Yes, knew
'Now, you must excuse me, sir but of
course we never met each other before,
and I think it would be better to leave
our yaluables in the safe over night. |
have package of papers beside me that
is worth good deal, and with your per-
mission I'll take check for it, The
other chap did the same, leaving watch
and quite sum of money. Now, what
do you suppose that internal rogue did +?
Early in the morning, before the other
fellow was awake, he slipped bis hand
into his pocket, got out the check, dressed
himself, came down and handed it over
to the clerk Ia different one in the morn.
ing, you know and received the watch
and the money, leaving his friend his
package of papers, worthless, of course.
You may be sure we haven't seen him
since."
We then visited the chief of police,
who conducted us to the rogues' gallery.
I hate to live over again the d!strust of
human nature that entered my soul that
day when in conspicuous place saw
the handsome face and brilliant eyes of
our friend Randolph.
"He is one of the biggest rogues in the
country" said the chief. "He has been
in prison twice for forgery, and has done
more petty crime than any man know
Of"
We traced them, in one slight way
and other, to Buffalo. There, in one Of
the first class hotels, to my joy, foand
Alice. She siad that General Randolph
had gone out for few minutes, and they
were to leave that evening. He had
taken her even to the town where she
had expected to go; showed her the
house of Mrs. B., but regretted to 6nd
that the lady was still in the North on
her Summer trip. Alice had been treated
with perfect courtesy, but rather by the
power of his magnetism than in any
other way he had got her on the cars and
taken her to Buffalo. We subsequently
concluded that his purpose in taking her
was to make her of use in counterfeiting.
She was fine penman, and that was one
of his diversions.
She promised the officer to board the
train that evening, as had been agreed
upon, and, after it was in motion, to point
out General Randolph. She did so, and
thus was be delivered up to justice. On
the return home he escaped once, but was
recaptured.
Alter he was fairly locked in the Jail 1
went to see him. He looked haggard,
but met me with all his polished ease of
manner
at is all mistake" he said; call a
mistake. 1t will be righted soon. l
heard you were searching for me, and
was travelling to find you"
"Strange," 1 answered, "that re were
looking so hard for each other end
couldn't come together. I hope the
matter may be righted, as you say"
But it never was righted. He was
tr;od aud sentenced IN Charlestown State
Prison for seven years. have heard
since that be played insane aud was
released, and that he was afterwards feted
in one of our smaller cities as Governor
of Arkansas.
Perhaps one of the few truths that
General Randolph ever told was that his
brother had "a felon on his hand" The
many questions that will arise in the
minds of my readers cannot answer. l
have given the facts you must form the
theories.
= One of the most felicitous illustra.
tions of that evangelistic oddity, the Rev.
Sam Jones. is that i'm which he likeus