The record-union., 1893-10-21
A MISTAKEN ARREST
Thwarts the WeII-Laid Plan of a Gang
Of Sharpers.
How the Robbery and Probable Muir
der of Virginia Banker
Was Prevented.

About three months ago an old farmer
named Davenport, who lives near Knox
vile, Tenn, was beaten out of $1,000 by
the old swindle of the gold bricks, and
few days afterward the police of Bristol
arrested two men who were suspected Of
being the sharpers who did the old man
out of his money. They were released
the next day, Chief Atkins OF knoxville
having come to Bristol and failed to
identify them. 1t has been learned by
Globe Democrat man that, while the two
men arrested here were not the parties
wanted in Knoxville, they were crooks
of the first water and were playing for
bigger game than their pals found IN the
Tennessee granger. The lucky accident
of their arrest saved prominent banker
OF Lynchburg, Va, from being done out
OF 100000, and perhaps losing his life
One day last spring Misunderstanding,
unsophisticated old countryman stepped
hesitatingly into one of the leading banks
Of Lynchbarg, and inquired if Mr.. -
giving the name of one Of the leading
officials of the bank could be found
there. On being answered in the afirma-
tive he asked to see him alone for few
minutes. On being ushered into the Of
ficiaPs private room he said he was from
the Indian Territory, where he was the
confidential scout and agent OF the chief
OF one OF the smaller tribes; that the
chief, who was now very old, had heard
the name of the bank officer from some
traveller, and that il was the same as that
OF partner of his long years ago, who,
with the aid and protection OF the chief,
had discovered a very rich ledge OF gold
md off nrt
awhile had been accidentally killed; that
the chief had sworn to his partner that he
would never revaal to any one but some
OF his people the whereabouts of the
gold, and that, the man being dead, the
chief had kept the secret through all these
years and, having only lately heard the
name of the Lynchburg man, had sent
him up there to see him and talk TO him
about it, Offering to reveal to him the
whereabouts of the rich gold mine, and
take him in as partner to work 1t, II he
cared to do so, and turned out to be really
kin TO the Indians old friend.
The story was told with such an air Iof
innocent and guileless frankness that the
banker swallowed it all down, expressed
great interest in the old chief, and was
not only willing but anxious to go into
the development Of the great mine. Hear
ing this, the old scout revealed to him the
astounding information that the chief
nessee line and was now encamped in the
woods not far from Bristol and had with
him two great bars of gold weighing
eighty-five pounds each; that he was dis
trustful of paletaces and had a tent
stretched out in the forest, where he was
awaiting his return. The old miner
showed the banker bar of gold weigh
ing half pound or more and asked him
to take it to a jewelers. and have it
tested, which he did, finding it to be
really gold. The banker took the old
miner to his home as his guest. Then
the old fellow was completely captivated
by tue beauty and grace of the bankers
wife, and as a token of his regard he cut
oil about an ounce of the gold bar and
gave it to the banker to have his wife
ring or brooch made.
The banker was now ready for work at
the great mine, and the old fellow dis
closed to him what the chief wanted to
do. He only wanted the banker, ii he re-
ally was of kin to the chiefs old partner
(and the banker was satisfied he was, to
furnish about $4,000 to buy machinery
needed and develop the mine: that he
did not want the mOney-he wanted
partner who had money, and the partner
could keep the money and expend it him
self, and all the gold mined should pass
through his hands, he keeping one-third
as his share; that they had five bars al
ready worked out-twO of which the
chief had with him at the tent near Bris-
tol and would turn over to his partner as
soon as the partnership was formed that
all that was necessary was for the banker
TO take $4,000 and go out and show the
chief that he had it and was acting in
good faith, then he could bring the money
back and along with it the eighty-five
pound bars of gold, and that the other
three would be shipped to him at once.
Strange as it may seem, the banker be-
IL -1,.z1-
$4,000 IN cash IN his grip, he went to
Bristol with the old miner, the miner
paying his way. When they got here
they went out TO the country. and sure
enough, in the depths of the forest some
miles from town, they found q tent and
in it an old Indian decked out in all the
gaudy feathers and hnery of the rude
tribes of the frontier. After much palaver
the old miner doing the part of inter-
preter-the chief was satisfied with his
proposed partner and produced the two
great shining bars of solid gold. The
miner gave the banker a small auger and
told him to bore into the bars anywhere
he pleased and they would take the
shavingS TO a jeWeler and have them
tested. He did so. Boring several holes,
and gathering each particle Of the precious
dust in an envelope, he brought it to
Bristol, where the most expert jeweler in
town examined it and pronounced it
complete the transaction-to show the
old chief his $4,000 ready cash, and
make the treaty Of partnership, and carry
back to his bank vaults the two bars Of
gold.
The plot was complete up to this point,
and the banker was eager and ready to
drop into the arms OF the swindlers, but
Just at the crucial moment two of the
party were arrested by the Bristol police
on suspicion OF being implicated in the
Knoxville robbery and the others took
the alarm and fled. The banker waited
for the return OF the old miner, but ne
came not. He took gentleman of Bris-
tol with him and went to the old Indian
Chiefs camp, but he had folded his tent
and silently stole away. Looking around
the place they found, in some freshly
disturbed leaves, the two bars, which the
banker nabbed and brought to town. He
consulted a lawyer about his right to
keep them, and, on being assured that by
the terms of the agreement they were
properly in his custody, he carried them
back to Lynchburg with him. thinking
all the time that they were gold. be cut
of piece and sent it to the Mint in Phil
adelphia, and when he received the re-
turn his dream was shattered. his gold
was brass. The banker is ahead OF the
game to the extent of $40 given him by
the miner for expenses and the brass IN
his possession. But for the lucky accl-
N HEALTHY EXERCISE