The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-05-13
HONESTY AND MEMORY.
1T LOOKED AS THOUGH THE MAN
WAS GUILTY OF A CRIME.

! A Case Which Shows That Circumstantissl
Evidence Is Not Always ConclasiSe
Proof of Guilt-A Woman Makes Up in
Forbearance Her Loss of Memory.
| Two weeks ago family of two per-
sons-husband and wife-rented small
apartment up town and proceeded to
furnish it. The carpets were supplied
and laid by reputable house. Some
thing about cne of them was unsatisfac-
tory, and man was sent to investigate.
| The wif,-Mrs. L.-was on her way out
of the building to post a letter vnen she
encountered him. Recognizing him, she
said: Here Is the key; will be back in
five minutes. Go up and see what can
be DONE
No sooner had she got on the street
when she thought suddenly of a roll of
bills, nearly 500, which she had care
lessly left in glove box on her dressing
table. There was nobody in the apart
ment, as no servant had yet been en-
gagged, and she was tempted to return at
once to look afte, the money esBut
| surely" she Thought, that man is hon
est; / need have nt- fear" and she hur-
ried on.
In less than ten minutes she was back,
and met the carpet man just outside her
door. He stopped and spoke with her
concerning the troublesome carpet, and
promised speedy remedy. They sepa-
rated aud she entered her apartment.
Almost mechanically she went to her
dressing table and raised the lid of the
glove box. The money was not there.
DAMAGING EVIDENCE.
! Without delaying an instant she hur-
ried into the hall and down the stairs,
overtahng the carpet man as he had
reached the street.
viii you come back a moment,
! please" she said.
| He did SO at once. When they were
again in the apartment she faced him.
"a curious thing has happened. When
| went out this morning left a roll of
bills-$90- that box over there It is
gone now"
The man did not seem to understand
for moment. We'll" he said unmean-
ingly.
well" repeated Mrs. L., there was
nobody in the apartment but
The man interrupted her .sGod,
madam" =" he said earnestly as the signifi-
canoe of her words dawned upon him,
You don't think took your. money!
II don't know what to think" replied
Mrs L.; 1.-THE money was there and now
it isn't
But I'm an honest man." he went on.
I've got little girl. Do you think I'd
steal? Why, I've been eight years with
So-and-so. They know my character
Look around for your money. Perhaps
your husband. took it."
THAT is possible, y said Mrs. L. "win
you come with me to his office and find
out?''
He acquiesced and the journey down
town was made. Mr.. L. had not taken
the money. The man was greatly dis
| turbed.
You can search me" he said. ssThere's
my own money" producing small wad,
left from my last weeks wages. l
haven't another cent about me-" And
he turned his pockets inside out.
! Mr.. l.. was impressed with the mans
appearance and earnestness. Mrs. l..
was puzzled and her money was gone
A CASE OF POOR MEMORY.
However, nothing further was done at
the time, and the man went back to his
work asking only that he and not they
report the occurrence at the carpet deal
er's shop. Mrs. l.. went home and ran
sacked drawers and boxes, moved fur
niture, and opened trunks in a vain
search for the money. Several days
passed, when, on going to an upper
shelf in a wardrobe. Mrs LIS attention
was attracted to a towel pinned in roll
What was that? she wondered. She took
it down and opened it. Inside was
discarded wallet. and in the wallet the
missing bills.
And they had been put there by Mrs.
L. herself. She recalled, on seeing them,
that the night before the man came she
had thought, just before going to bed
that IL was careless, with so many per
sons coming and going in the course of
the settling process, to leave money loose
/ in a box on the table, and she had elabo-
rately thought out this hiding place.
Then she had slept, and by morning had
lost all recollection of what she had done
| 1t was late Saturday afternoon when
she found the money, and storming, but
it must be related to Mrs. LIS credit
that she did what she could. She sent
dispatch to the man in care of his firm
stating that the money was found. On
Monday she went to the shop and ex-
planned the matter to the superintendent,
asking that the man be asked to come
TO see her. He did SO and received an
apology for the inputation on his honesty
| Then Mrs. l.. tried to reimburse him
for his ''loss of time;" this he would not
permit. The money was found-that
was all he wanted. So it all ended hap
PLY. But the story may be taken as
forcibly illustrating the uncertain value
Of two things-a woman's memory and
Eircumstantial evidence.-Her Point of
View in New York Times.
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| Miraculous.
"Bre'er Johnsing. does yo' b'1ieve in,
miracles?''