Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1893-04-12

been teetotaler from childhood, he
informed me. That did not prevent
me from helping myself, for my
nerves were somewhat shaken at
the narrow escape had had OH this
my very first journey, and that
night slept the sleep of the just.
drove into Edinburgh next
morning. left the horse and trap
at the livery stable Naismith had
been in the habit of using, and be-
took myself to hotel in Princes
Street. Thence ! wrote to nv
principals, inclosing the notes that
now seemed doubly precious. / re-
tanned one of ten pounds, as | had
still IA day or two to spend in town
before my return to Birmingham.
| happened, however, to get
through all my business that after
noon, and on the following morn
ing prepared to leave. had not
left myself much time to catch the
train, and was chaing in the dining
room at the waters delay with the
receipted bill and the change for
my ten-pound note.
| was trying to solace myself
with the view of the Waverly mon
ument, just in front of the hotel,
when heard some one enter the
room, knew by the step it was
not the waiter, 50 | did not turn
my head. The party, whoever it
was, however, came up to me, and
touching me on the shoulder, said:
will you be good enough to
come this way?"
mo, I can't; / shall be too late
for my train as it is"
Your train will have to wait
some time"
."What do you mean, and who
are your"
"Dinna craw so cruse"-he meant
Don't crow so loudly" 1T means
that I'm a detective, and you must
60 with me to the police Office"
1t was useless to resist.
Anything you say may be used
in evidence against you," he warm
ed me.
On our way to the station he
told ME that my ten-pound note
was forgery, that others of a SIM
liar kind had been placed in circu-
lation, and that suspicion pointed
to me as one of the gang uttering
them. My southern accent was, in
his eyes, enough to justify any sus-
picions of me, as notes We're impor-
tations from the other side Of the
Border.
told my story to the chief po-
lice official, the Procurator-Fiscal,
but | could see | was not believed
Inquiries would, however, be made
at Birmingham and Stirling. The
magistrate before whom | was
brought in the course of the morn
ing remanded me for Il week. did
not apply for bail, as | knew nc
one in Edinburgh, except one OF
two customers of our house, and
they had only my word for my
identity.
On the fifth day of my incarcena'
ton | was told that some one haC
called to see me. In waiting.
room | found MIR. Hinde, young
Mr.. Macgregor, and an old gentle
man whom | did not know. He
turned out to be the young mans
real father, not the venerable
swindler of Linlithgow.
Mr.. Hinde informed me that ]
had sent him nearly eight hundred
pounds worth of forged notes, ant
that he had narrowly escaped arrest
himself on seeking to get change
for one at Warwick, but fortunate.
ly the inquiries from Edinburg had
helped to explain matters.
He further told me that two men
had been apprehended in Falkirk,
one Of whom had sought to pass
one Of the genuine notes Of which
/ had been swindled, and payment
of which had been stopped by young
Macgregor. A solicitor was en-
gagged to appear for me and / was
allowed out on bail, the two Mac
gregors, who were well known, be-
coming responsible for nv appear