St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-31

now, sir, you must devise some means
OF making him ungloge his right hand.
Ii the tattoo mark is on that, we may
arrest him at once"
A meas was soon devised 70 accom-
plish this object. As the delay grew
longer, James Walter Q9elch had grown
more and more pressing in his demands.
Indeed, he had lately declared that, if
ne We're not paid within a week, he
should take legal proceedings. Mr.
Haddem resolved to take advantage of
his thereat for his own purposes. He
wrote to j. W. Quelch asking him to
come to the Office to take steps for set
Element of the claim. Quelch cheer
fully accepted the invitation.
He arrived at the office at the ap-
pointed time, excited and elated. When
he was shown into Mr.. Haddem's sane
tum, however, a change came over his
spirits. He saw there not only the sec
WYlie and another person, both of
whom his quick eye saw to be detect
ives. Mr.. Haddem, too, instead OF
being conciliatOry, as he had hoped,
was stern.
"Mr. Quelch," he said. Gin what 1 am
going to say to you, l shall speak plainly
and without reserve. From the first l
doubted whether you were really the
late Mr.. Quelch's brother, and l doubt
so still. However, as Pm not sure of it,
and as probate of his will has been
granted to you, | have resolved to pay
you the claim without going to law, but
only on condition that you sign this af-
fidavit declaring that you are the broth
er of the late Mr.. Quelch. This gentle
man is solicitor and commissioner of
oaths; he will swear you. Now, re-
member, if you are not really Mr..
Quelch's brother, you are liable both
for fraud and perjury"
II am his BROTHER" replied the claim
ant nervOusly.
VERY well; swear him, Mr.. Hawke"
The gentleman who was seated beside
Walter Quelch the book. He held for
ward his gloved hand to take it.
NO" said Mr.. Hawke, that won't
do. Take off your glove"
The claimant, whose nervousness was
getting more pronounced every moment,
began to struggle with his glove. He
Pulled at it, but it seemed as if it would
never come off, while he got more and
more excited and confused.
Eagerly and keenly Mr.. Haddem and
the detective watched him while he
fumbled over his glove. At last, with a
jerk, it came off. A look of deep disap-
pOintment settled on both their faces.
The claimants hand was without a
mark! The whole theory, which they
had spent so much time and money in
constructing, was overturned entirely
by that little fact, and they were COM
pletely nonplussed.
The claimant nervously took the oath,
and then bent down and hastily scrubbed
his name.
The solicitor lifted the affidavit, and
after signing his own name, handed it to
Mr.. Haddem, who received it with
gloomy, disappointed face. The mo-
ment, however, his eyes fell on the
paper he grew pale with excitement.
ARREST that manr' he cried to John
Wylie and the other detective.
"What do you mean? What for?"
screamed the claimant, turning CHASTITY
with fear.
ARREST him." said Mr.. Haddem,
speaking now quite calmly, "for the
murder of Joseph Corser at Amiens in
France"
He had not done speaking when the
claimant made dash for the door. Be-
fore he reached it Wylie and his man
were upon him.
"Too late. my boy" said Wylie. quite
coolly, though he was dumfounded
privately at the turn affairs had taken:
"What's the meaning of all this?"
asked the solicitor in amazement.
"Why, this is the meaning" said MIR.
Haddem, quietly, "this person has in
advertently signed his own death war
rant. All! sir, it's bad plan to do
things in hurry. Here you are claim
ing the life assurance on William John
Quelch. while your signature shows that
you yourself are that very person."
He held up the paper; it was duly
signed William John Quelch."
At the trial everything came out.
James Walter Quelch had. as was re-
ported, long been dead. William John
Quelch, having happened to meet poor
Corser and being struck by his resem-
blance to himself, had devised the plan
of numbering him, dressing the body in
his own clothes, and then claiming the
insurance in the character of his own
brother. He might have succeeded but
for the little blunder in signing his
name.