Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1894-02-10

eouiu prove an atlD1 AZ the trlai-Dut,
in the meantime, what was to be
done to keep'out Of Jail.
! accompanied Bill-aquletly,s as
Bill had suggested-to the Sheriff1s
Office, there we waited until the next
train left for San Francisco.
Bill proved to be rather an enter
tanning companion. The first half of
the trip he did his best to convince
me that I ought to make full! COO
fession to him of all my various
crimes. When we arrived in the city
we went direct to the Sherifi's Office.
The Sheriff dispatched messen-
ger after some or the complain
ing witnesses, and then proceeded to
interview me. / told him my name
and explained that ! was q tourist
from Cleveland. He nodded his head
and announced that the Jig was up,
and that I might as well confess, for
they had q very good case against
me. Presently two well-dressed men
were ushered into the room.
"This is the man." said the Sheriff
"He acknowledged 1.-THE name at
least.n
HE is not the man, said one OF
the newcomers, emphatically.
HE lsn'tl" exclaimed the Sheriff,
and Bill made . hasty reference TO
the internal regions.
NO. cried the gentlemen, II
told you the fellow had a blond mut :
tache, blue eyes, thick set and wore
his hair parted nearly in the mid
dle.n
aYelverton," exclaimed, spring.
ing up.
"That's one of his names, /" said the
Sheriff. "He went under the name
of Elliott Bonworthy and he had an
armful of letters ofintroduction with
which he worked the town"
"What do you know about him?'
"He stole those letters from me at
Denyer.n / said.
ooh, then you are the simon-pure
Elliot Bonworthy?' said one of the
gentlemen.
II can prove it readily enough il
necessary" 1 said.
The Sheriff and Bill began to make
profuse apologies, 10 which / paid
little attention, as / was anxious to
learn of Yelverton and his perform
apces.
"He arrived here nearly q month
ago." said one of the gentlemen,
and began Immediately TO make ac-
quaintance by means OF these letters
Your letters, It appears. They
were TO many OF the finest people in
the city. So We took the man right
in, for be talked and acted the per-
feet gentleman.- Well sir, I don't
suppose any man that ever came TO
this city got more elegant treatment
than that fellow. The best private
houses and the clubs were sllopen 10
him and he received every possible
attention. Several men know gave
him wine suppers. There wasn't q
social event Of importance to which
he failed to have an invitation. And
he wound the thing up by getting the
names of three or four good business
men on spurious drafts and then sud-
denly disappearing frsm view"
s'That was when / telegraphed him
that I was coming" / said.
swell" observed the speaker in
conclusion @if you have any more
letters of introduction bearing the
same name, / would not advise yoa
to present them, for you are liable to
get arrested every time you try one
on.p W
/ explained that Yelverton had
captured the entire pack. The COM
planning witnesses then shook hands
with me and departed. The next day
the newspapers contained the whole
story-the theft of the letters, Vel.
yerton's performances and my arrest
The account Of the brief but glor.
ious career Of my proxy--the spur
ious Mr.. Elicit Bonworthy-con
WINGED me that the gentleman l had
met at the Sherifi's was quite right
in saying he had enjoyed a large
time" As Tread of the suppers, din
ners, fetes. balls, excursions, honors
attentions, etc., my senses fairly reel
ed with anguish. Alfthis good time
really belonged to me and / bad
been cheated out oft, partly through
my own stupid misgiviBgs and part.
lY through the shrewdness and in
dustry OF this earlier bird.
Fell bead.
These words are very familiar to
OI1r readera as NOT a sfav r,aaeas