Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-06-12

The srst MIN ~roks tcsfh ut CLIFTON
tooeed md q" ne elie for IA instant.
In the month OF April, eighteen hun
tred and SEVENTY, | was employed ON
the New York city detective force.
Early one morning not far from the
middle OF the month | received orders
20 turn the case upon which was then
employed over To an associate and re-
port at headquarters. In the inspectors
private Office met Mr.. Charles Gates.
.The Inspector has been kind enough
70 place one Of his men at my disposal"
he said, land | see that he is resolved TO
place me under double the obligation Of
giving me the best man ON his whole
force"
1 pat down his exact words. Under
stand, if you please. that l am not re-
sponri bic for Detective Gates opinion of
me. made my report NJ the office, re-
ceived my formal Instructions and went
away with Nr. Gates. At his Office door
he asked me an abrupt question:
Can you prepare for long journey
and q months absence from the city in
two hours"
l could prepare myself for both in less
time than that, and | told MIN SO.
Then make your arrangements at
once" he said. and come here in two
hours time for yoar Instructions"
/ had served on the city force with
Mr.. Gates. and | knew his ways. l
wasted no time in asking questions. In
one hour and forty minutes was back
in his Office prepared for years absence
or journey 70 the end of the earth.
You are 20 leave the city In half an
hour" he said when we were alone, land
proceed TO the state of Maine on diff
cult and delicate mission. \ Mrs. Mag
gle Winters, at present resident of New
York city, Acknowledges the state of
Maine as her birthplace. She receives
letters bearing the Clifton postmark.
want you 10 so there. expect you to
return with a complete history of the
life of Mrs Maggie Winters from the
time she cut her first tooth until the mo-
ment Of her arrival in New York.
''Mrs. Maggie Winters in New York
may be Mrs. Maggie Jones or Miss Anas-
tasia Smith at Clifton. Go at the mat
ter in your own way. Clifton is small
place. IL won't take you long to ascer-
tain TIE whereabouts OF every person
who has left there during the past ten
years, so the name doesn't matter. Ii
you get in pinch go TO some out-of- the
way telegraph station and ask for in
structions.T
lie concluded by handing me a roll of
money and photograph q Mrs Maggie
Winters.
Now you know how came 10 take a
hand in the celebrated Melville murder
case. Atthat time was entirely ignorant
Of the importance of my mission. The
man under whose orders I was acting de-
sired accurate information regarding the
previous life of one of the inmates of Mrs.
clark Melville's house. That was su.ti-
cient. Ny place was TO do my work and
ask no questions. and that is exactly
what tried TO do.
The first man spoke with ut Clifton
looked me IN the eve for an instant and
reached for my hand. No wonder. We
had slept together many night in tho
Army of the Cumberland. with only a
ragged blanket between us and the skv.
/ found him with pension. n postoffice
and-a pair of crutches. The brave fell
low hal deposited ono of his legs "a
guarantee of his devotion to his country
at Lookout Mountain.
As a soldier my friend was man TO
DO trusted. As postmaster ne was a
man to be studied. spent three days
in hrs company md found him true "a
steel. When told him what wanted
he laughed at me for not telling him be-
fore.
We'll. know how il Is with you New
York detectives" he said: "you all have
cipher trademark. Study il out and
you discover these words, Never trust
any one.
he said it in a laughing ofrhand way,
but be hit the nail square on the head.
That night ho put me in possession ~
important information. Onfy two persons
ia the village knew Mrs. Maggie Win
terS Every man. woman anil child in
the place knew Mrs. Caroline Green.
They not oaly knew her, they piticd
her. The persons who knew Mrs.. Mag
gle Winters were Mrs. Caroline Green
sister and my friend. the postmaster.
Mrs. Caroline Green had not been alb
sent from Der native place SIR weeks
when her sister opene s correspondence
with Mrs. Maggie Winners in New York
The letters we're addressed to the street
and number where Ms. Clark Melville
llS~i. Mr.. 6stss WIS right when 10 said
that the naule did not matter in place
the sire Of Clifton he did not reckon.
hswevsr. on ny fiB.ling an old eomrade
N the Clifton postmaster-the only per
son IN the village of whom the desired
information couh have been procured
without great trouble ard DELAY.
When | mad located Mrs. Mwzie
Winters IN Ms. Caroline Green | went
- The postul.sSfpr's wife for Advice.
fsund her - BE- sn intellizent woman.
m every wav worthy - tae noble man
wso had done her fFe honor 10 make her
k's wife she readily PROMISED me all
tie seSetance in her power, and s~sesl
-. a