The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-01-22
AN uNsoLvgD PROBLEM.
impossible to Determine which OF tn,
Two Women Was Guilty.

impossible to Determine Which OF the
Two Women Was Guilty.
An old resident OF Rochester recently
related al experience which illustrates
in a rather striking fashion the mean
ness and dishonesty which persons es-
teeIned by the community viii descend
to when they consider themselves Sc
cure from discovery, says the Roches-
ter Union
Some years ago. he said, "I re.
ceived a note from a young woman, the
daughter of a friend of mine, which
puzzled me greatly. She stated that
she had run in debt to considerable
amount above her allowance and that
several shOpkeepers had threatened 10
send their bills to her father unless
settlement should be made within q
certain time. She said she had been in
siI1ilar difficult 'es several times before
and that her father had satisfied the
creditors on her promising 10 incur no
debts il the future. HIS anger on the
late occasion had been SO great that
she feared to confess her straits and
turned 20 me as a family friend for
temporary assistance. The amount she
asked for was one hundred dollars
She begged me to put the money in an
envelope and place il in q book that
used 10 stand on a table in the ladies
waiting-room of Powers hotel at
eleven o'clock on the following morn
ing.
1.-The request annoyed me exceeding
" and | was In doubt whether IL was
not my duty to inform my friend, who
was a wealthy merchant. of his daugh-
tcr's indiscretion- However. decided
TO comply with her request and give
her LITTLE good advice at the hrEt OPP
portunity.
The following morning drew the
money In ten-dollar bills and vas on
my waF to the hotel, when met Miss
X On the street. 4 received yeur
note / said. My note, she exclaimed
IN aStonishment. i have written YOU
no note. But that reminds me that
was going TO write you. NY mother
wishes you 20 dine with rs next Mon
day I turned the matter or, and 10
this day Miss K Is ignorant Of the
cause Of my strange remark.
L thN Ht once Luat some one H&d
been forging her name. and stepping
into private detective agency stated
the facts 20 detective. lie advised
me TO put some slips of paper in the en-.
velope and place II In the book as d.
rected. This did, and the officer took
a position where he could note every
one who entered or left the room
During the next hour two women
ent0red the room at different times,
both of whom were known TO me. One
was the wife Of an intimate friend, who
held n high position in the social life of
the town, and was generally noted tor
her Rberality and generous disposition.
The ether was an unmarried woman
bordering on the thirties. who was con.
spicuous for her zeal IA charitable
works and her energy IL educational
bach OF these women was
alone in the room for some minutes,
and when they both had departed the
envelope had been taken from the book.
One Of them was guilty % as mean and
al act as can readily be
conceived Of, an act which but for
lucky chance would have put an inno-
cent girl in a uloSt trying position. I
often meet these women, bat which "a
was who wrote the letter have never
been able 20 determine nor even suspect
IN my own mind"