The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-07-10
A MIDNIGHT
TRAGEDY;
iTl1 Crime Of The
Brokers Office.
w. e. MOTT.
w. e. MOTT.
CHAPTER TX.

Jason Garrison's intense excitement
was occasioned by the perusal OF brlel
article in the evening paper, which an
nounced that James Sanborn had died
suddenly at his residence In Albany, at
ten o'clock that very morning.
It was certainly something more than
mere coincidence, but James Sanborn
was the man with whom Stuart Harland
claimed to have had a business engage
ment on the night Of the murder.
II am saved! The death Of James
Sanborn renders the discovery have
dreaded scarcely probable. What a
weight is lifted from my mind! Now, l
will see Stuart, and we will come to an
understanding, reflected the broker.
But it was too late to visit the prison
that day, and so he was obliged to defer
his call until morning.
At the earliest hour on the following
morning at which he could gain an en-
trance to the prison the broker visited
Stuart Harland.
The young man greeted his employer
in q rather reserved manner, but he
eagerly inquired as to how Edna had
received the news Of the misfortune
which had so unexpectedly befallen him.
GSSulSu l1dllinu VA eAAS
faith aud confidence Of his betrothed,
and then he said:
u will not conceal from you, Stuart.
that understand why you persistently
refused to explain the real motive OF
your midnight visit to Albany"
Il was aware that you could not be ig-
norant Of the consideration by which
was actuated. I had determined to
shield you from the deplorable conse-
quences Of an act Of criminal folly.
cannot comprehend, however, how, If in
the possession of your senses, you could
have been guilty of such a deed. 1t
seems to me that you must have known
that, in the ordinary course Of events,
discovery was inevitable" replied Har-.
n IIwas driven to desperation. I was
mad, if you will, and then, too, count.
ed upon redeeming the cheque, and
squaring the matter by the payment OF
an extra thousand or So"
so you relied upon making terms
with James Sanborn. Where, may l
ask, did you expect to procure the
money!"
you have heard me speak Of my Col
orado property? Very well; have put
1t up for sale. My agent announced
that I could rely on receiving the price
for which he had agreed to sell it-SSO,-
900 by the 23d instant.
Il begin to comprehend how you reas-
oned in the desperate extremity to which
those scoundrels, Pratt and Weeks, had
driven you, and yet would never have
deemed it possible that business man
like yourself would have resorted to such
q desperate expedient as forgery"
Hush! Some one may hear US. I
confess all, I forged James Sanborn's
name to the cheque for S7S,000," said
Garrison, dropping his voice to whis-
per.
Il knew that I had 30 perfectly imi-
tated his signature that it would be i'm
possible for any one except James San
born himself to detect it, and think 1t
probable he would not have suspected 1t
had he seen the cheque, except for the
fact that he would know he had not
given paper for any such amount.
Il knew that Sanborn would not see
the cheque until he called on his banker
to balance his account when it would be
returned to him. I was also aware that
he seldom had his account balanced and
his cheque turned in more than once
month. believed I should have ample
time to fix mattors with him even if my
remittance OF the purchase money from
the sale Of the Colorado claim was de-
layed. Yesterday I received the news
from my Western agent that the prop
erty in Colorado could not be disposed
Of now-that the proposed sale had
fallen through"
Then discovery Is inevitable and you
are lost. I am sufficiently well &C.
quainted with James Sanborn's char
acter to comprehend that he will exact
restitution or place you in a criminal
cell. When I visited Albany on the
night OF the murder l WAS on my way to
see James Sanborn in your behalf. You
know he Is an old and devoted friend Of
our family. But let me explain how
discovered that the cheque for seventy
eight thousand WAS forgery despite
your conviction that it could not be de-
tected. AS you know was James San
born's private secretary for year, and
consequently I am more familiar with
his signature than any one know Of.
examined the forged cheque after John
Oakburn received it from you, and my
suspicion was aroused, but l was not
sure, for as you have said the imitation
Of the signature was wonderfully per.
feet. But chance decided the doubt.
Half an hour later I met John San.
born in the street in company
with friend. We talked for
few moments and he mentioned
that you had importuned him for q
iHrge loan, but he assured me that he
had declined to advance you any money
whatever. Twas shocked and confused
and the presence OF Sanborns friend
prevented me from speaking then.
fastened back to our Office determined
to reveal my discovery to John Oakburn
and prevent his presenting the forged
check at the bank. But fate was against
me. When I arrived at the Office Oak
burn was not there, and l was informed
that he had gone to the bank. l started
In pursuit of him but did not overtake
him as I hoped I should. On the con-
rary I met him returning with the
money which ne nad received for the
check. Il would have been useless to
tell Oakburn then, and so l held my
peace. But l had resolved that Ednas S
father should not be disgraced, and de-
termined to see Sanhorn and pledge my
prospective fortune to pay The amount OF
the forged draft, and win his promise to
keep the secret Of your crime. counted
on Sanborn's friendship, and the fact
that since he is a millionaire he could
wait for his money without inconven-
ieuce. But eNcw Sanborn was no
longer in the city, for when I encounter
ed him on the street he was on his way