Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-04-28

Dy tannln2 OF DS an mpOolCE.
The letter" said Friend, was GER
tainly written by some n who knows
something about Fanning's business,
and it even has a resemblance to his
handwriting, but it is not a close resem-
blance. and if you will notice there are
two errors in spelling in it. Now DR..
Tanning is a highly educated man"
s.Yes, | noticed that. said the lawyer,
pluming himself on his own a~stuteness,
and so this trihe helped to lock the pris-
on doors on an innocent man.
Now what on earth can that Cor
kins be thinking Of TO send pe to New
York on such an errand as this" thought
Playfair as be left Wall street. He saw
no more Of Friend, and did not for a mo-
ment suspect that that reputable looking
man drank much more brandy thar was
good for him that afternoon.
Twill go to DR.. Sandringham though"
said Playfair to himself. "Corkins pays,
and I'll do what l agreed to. Besides, it
Is interesting"
DR.. Sandringham ~As n extremely
busy man, but very Conscientious. Yes
he knew Farming, but had not seen him
very lately. A most promising young
man, who stood well in the profession.
What In prison In Illinois, ~Impossiblel
OH . man there who claimed 70 be Fan
ming. Well, that could be easily settled.
Fanning's Office was right around the
corner. Most remarkable thing
And the doctor called his secretary,
and asked him il he would go to Fan
ning's Office and ask that gentleman 10
step around al Once on important bust
ness. It was done. and the secretary
presently returned saying that DR.. Fan
ming had sailed for Europe about a
! month ago"
What the servant at the door had said
to the secretary was. Sure, he left here
a month gone, an / behave he whit to
Yarrup." The secretary's u~nintentional
lie. however, tailed with Friends fend-
ish one. and together they seemed to be
proof absolute.
DR.. Sandringham hesitated. He was
bewildered. and had Playfair produced
Fanning's photograph he would certainly
have investigated further, but he was
/ expected at two deathbeds, and when
the lawyer gave up the case, as he did on
the moment. the physician assumed that
it must be one of attempted imposition,
and straightway forgot all aboutit in the
multiplicity of his W affairs.
Playfair was also very busy. he did
not write to Tanning because he had no
time to waste on a hopeless case. He did,
however, meet his obligations so far as
to return to Bloomington in time to see
his client get a fair trial" And his client,
with a policy mare cautious than wise,
refrained from upbraiding him lest he
should be angered and % slight the case.
The result of tins was that PlayfAir wa
confirmed in his opinion Of Fanning's
RnIt and more puzzled than ever to &C
count for his clumsy attempt to prove
himself somebody else.
As for Tanning, the announcement by
his lawyer on the very OF the nal
that he, the real Farming, was In Europe
was so SIMPLIFYING that he could not de
eide what to do. The whole affair seemed
90 mOnstro1sly impossible that he actu-
ally found himself wondering whether
he might not be insane. Then he checked
himsef, remembering that insanity often
begins that way. The only thing TO do,
30 far as be could see at the moment,
was to 20 into court and tell his story
clearly and calmly and rely on his law
yer. It was weposterous 10 suppose that
be could be convicted.
he had a fair trial; fnir, that Is. in the
hearing and consideration Of all that wa
presented. 1t was proven that the burg
lazy bad been committed. and that Be-
yond reasonable doubt John Corkins had
committed IT, And The prosecution pre-
sautsd him a John Corhdns-
Then Tanning was sworn and told hta
story. He explained ms puasossaon Of
the amount Of money In question and ms
presence in the city a. they have already
been explained in this story, and assured
the court that he could easily be iden6-
fed in New York.
As against this the prosecution pro
duced the three policemen already men
toned and the warden Of the Illinois
state prison, who all swOre positively
that the prisoner was John Corhns be
yond the possibility Of a doubt. Tho
warden presented the detailed written
description of John Corkins taken down
when he had previously been sent r
prison for a similar crime, and it tailed
exactly with Fannings appearances, ever
to the location of a small mole on I'M
neck.
To do Playfair justice once more hc
fought hard for his client ON technicah'
ties, and insisted that the identification
was a mistaken one; but the proof
was too conclusive. Judge and jun
alike believed that Fanning's story wa,
q bold and by no means an ingeniOui
lie. He was found guilty and sentenced
10 ten years Of hard labor in the stat
prison.
i CHAPTER III.
DISCOVERY.