Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-10-16
Copyright, 1895, by the Author.
CHAPTER VIII.

AS narrated III an Garner cnapter, !
left England two days before the first
lot of false bills was sent in. left Sc
rene and confident Of the future. My de-
parture was happy event in double
sense. All my negotiations had been
carried on at considerable expense OF
nerve, and in leaving I left everything
in such trim that success seemed GER
tain, with all chance Of danger ellml-
mated from the venture I felt that the
irving toll was now all over, with moth
ing for me to do but to reap the harvest,
and that without effort or care on my
part.
So when the late November sun look
ed down on mel crossed by daylight
this standing ON the deck Of that
same wretched channel steamer, it look
ed Oh a happy man. did not know
then that success in wrongdoing was ever
failure The anxious toll of the Lon
don and continental negotiations was
thing Of the past. Was not young?
Wealth was or soon would be mine
Was not in perfect health, body sound
and digestion good, and, above all, was
not the woman I loved awaiting me IN
Paris, to give herself to me in all her
youth and beauty, and then somewhere
across the western waters would I not
find in some tropic seas a paradise,
which gold would make mine, where 1
could bear my bride, and there, turning
over new leaf, live and die with the
respect Of all good men mine?
Here was stately structure 1 was 60
ing to erect, but how rotten the founda-
tionl I fancied, in my case at least, the
eternal course of things would be staid,
and that justice would grant me clean
bill of health. She did give me that,
but it was long years after and only
when she had had from. me her pound
Of flesh to the very last ounce.
I Joined my sweetheart and her fam
ily at the Hotel ST. James, Rue Saint
Honore, and our wedding day being
axed week ahead we all set out sight
seeing and having good time general
ly. now engaged the coachman l had
met before as my valet, and very good
all around handy man he proved to be.
OF course was anxious to hear that the
first coup on the bank had succeeded.
but was tolerably confident it was all
right Had it fallen through it would
have proved awkward for me.
Late one December morning on open
ing NV ewes my first thought was, it
will be hit or miss at the Bank OF Eng
land within the next 60 minutes. We
had engaged for q coaching party to Yer
sailles and were to dine there. I left
for the drive that day with dim fear
that before the sun set might be under
the necessity of leaving Paris in hurry.
When starting for Versailles, I left
my servant behind to wait for the ex-
pected telegram and to bring it to me
BY rail We were at dinner, and I was
just raising glass Of champagne to my
lips when I saw my valet, Num-, cross
ing the esplanade. He entered the room
and handed me telegram. Tearing
open the envelope, read:
"All we'll Bought and shipped 40
bales"
That meant the first lot for $40, 900
had gone through safely. 1t was GER
tainly great relief. Three days after 1
received $25, 900 in United States bonds
from George in London, my first share
of the proceeds. I sold the bonds in
Paris, receiving payment in French
notes.
On Thursday, the day before my mar
riage, I had telegram from Mac and
George to meet them in Calais, and to
Calais I had to CO. I arrived there at
midnight, just before the Dover steamer
got in, and was on the pier to meet
them. Wo exchanged warm greetings.
AS we did so Mac placed small but
very heavy bag in my hand, and they
began laug ling over my surprise. 1t
contained "a, 900 in sovereigns. We went
to hotel near by, and there they count
ed out to me the very nice sum Of $780,
900 in gold, bonds and French money.
AS they were going back on the same
steamer and I was to return to PARIS
by the train carrying the passengers Of
the steamer just arrived, we only had u
brief half hours talk. After giving me
the money we went out and sat down
on the pier, and that conversation and
scene are forever impressed on my men,
ory. Ishall make no attempt to describe
either, but could both be put on the
stage with the audience in possession of
full knowledge Of the enterprise we
were embarked in there would be seen
picture Of human life such as the nov
elist or playwright never had the imag
ination or the daring to depict. To the
earnest student Of human life it would
have been revelation.
There we We're, three earnest, ambl-
tious young men, enthusiastic for all
that was good and noble, I about to wed
pure souled woman, who thought me
al angel Of goodness, and about to fly
with my plunder and bride to Mexico.
My two companions were returning to
London to continue carrying out giant
scheme Of fraud against great money
institution, but there we were with
100000 at our feet, sitting under the
stars listening to the dash Of the waves
and talking not at all like pirates and
robbers, but much more like crusaders
setting out on crusade or like pill
grims going on pilgrimage.
told my friends I should go to the
City of Mexico for year or two and
then meet them somewhere in America
where we would unite our wealth tC
inaugurate some scheme that would
benefit thousands in our own generation
and millions in the generations to come
We would hedge ourselves about with
tipdlv deeds. so live as to win the re