Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-03-02
Sic was abous 70 repIy when the judge

I -
madam, but you may come up here and
tell mo what you know about this man.
You may be able to clear up this mat
ter"
Tho young lady, blushing rosily and
! smiling at the thought of being able to
give somo assistance to her benefactor,
| stepped before the judge and was sworn.
She gave her name, but in spite of all
attention Lawrence missed it in the con-
fusion attendant upon tho bringing in
of several new arrests. He began to see
the end of his difficulties, and Joy pos
scssed him as the Judge listened with
evident belief to the young lady's &C
, count of the park episode.
! 'And what is the gentleman's name?"
asked the judge when she had finished
her little story.
| "Mr. Thomas JONES'" replied the
widow promptly. 1t was the name she
had heard Lawrence give at the police
! station.
| When he heard this answer Drane
groaned audibly. The impostor's face
! was lighted by a triumphant smile
lady saw that something had gone awry
! and she exclaimed Historically:
! "Oh, dear! Have 1 done any thing
wrong?"
| Nothing whatever, madam" said
the Judge. ''You may step down. Now,
Mr.. Thomas Jones, you told me en-
phatically but few days ago that your
name was Jones. Have you any thing
| more to say?"
"Your honor" and Lawrence's voice
was ragged with emotion as he spoke:
81 see that have been continually be-
set with my own blunders. / Numbered
in lying about my name, which is really
Drane; since then I have Numbered at
every step until committed the last in
declining to explain myself. will
| gladly pay the expense of telegraphing
to Kansas City. My friends there will
reply to your satisfaction"
1--WE will let you do that, JONES'" said
the judge, ''bat meantime shall hold
you, and If reply does not come before
we adjourn you will have to remain"
There was nothing for Lawrence to do
but acquiesce and write his telegram as
fast as possible. This, after some judi
cial editing, read as follows:
SANFORD DRANE-I am held in court
on suspicion of stealing my own clothes
and my name. Please wire the court at
once full description Of my appearance
and history. L. d.
Then his own statement of his adj
ventures was taken down. If this
should correspond to the account to be
telegraphed he would be free. Con-
fident of the result he followed an Of
ficer to the prison, leaving the pretty
widow sitting on a front seat tearfully
listening to a whispered lecture from
that expert character reader, Mrs.
Bowers.
~ fol c1,
his case before reply to Mr.. Drane's
telegram should arrive, hurried from
the court accompanied by an officer.
They went to a Broadway hotel and
marched straight up to the pompous
clerk.
''Do you know this manP" asked the
policeman.
"Know him?" returned tho clerk,
scornfully, 81 should hope not!'
"But you remember" cried the i'm
poster, ''that came here this morning
and took a room, don't you? 1 am Law
renee Drane, of Kansas City. You'll
find my name on the register"
The clerk examined the big book.
"There's Mr.. Drane here" he said;
81 remember him. He was we'll
dressed man, and you-why, he wouldn't
let you in at the door if you didn't come
with policeman. Besides, this Mr.
Drane came from New Haven"
''Oh, Lord! forgot thatr' exclaimed
the impostor; ''you see, 1 came down
from New Haven on an early train.
Why, was married in New Haven yes
terday!'
The clerk turned away with a sniff of
disgust.
"Come now, whatever your name ISL
81.
time. March back to court"
So bach he went, regretting at every
step tLR4 Ais sudden prosperity had SO
enlivG1Ca h.s respect for cleanliness
THAI had ventured to take bath.
.: Irst Two taken for years." he NUT
- I'd, land it serves me right. Got on
we'll enough without before"
There were lot of late arrivals at
Jefferson market that day, and it was
six o'clock before the court was ready
to adjourn. Mrs. Bowers and the fail
widow were still there, the former stay
ing against her will at the earnest solic.
itation of tho latter. She was sadly
disturbed at having failed so signallJ
to aid her benefactor, and was anxious
to learn the result of the inquiry. Just
in the nick of time, as it seemed to her
a messenger boy crawled into the room
and demanded with amazing indiffer
ence:
!, us de Judge here2"
Z The Judge relieved tho boy of his dis
patch and addressed remark to hin
which sent him out of court several
> thousand times faster than he came in
> The two claimants to the name of Drane
; were already at the bar. The Judge reat
tho telegram silently, coughed, read 1
, again and remarked:
l "This does not seem to help matter:
for either of you"
; Then he read the dispatch aloud:
1.-THE JUDGE, Jefferson Market Court
Neao Tork-If Lawrence Drane is il
your charge please hold him. He is un
doubtedly insane.