Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1898-06-16
From Clue to Climax.
BY WILL N. HARBEN.
copyright 1896, by J. B. Llppincott Col
CHAPTER xvII.-CoNr1NUED.

CHAPTER NVII.-CoNTNUED.
The woman stroked her sons head
thoughtfully for a moment, then she
went on: 81 really believe this Richard
y. Strong did my brother a great
wrong. They were equal partners in
several small mining ventures in Col
orado 20 years ago and seemed to get
along pretty we'll together, but it hap
pened that just at the time they were
trying to get possession of a certain
tract of silver mining land which my
brother was confident would enrich
them both Tom was compelled to re-
turn to New York on important busi-
ness of his own. Now, my brother,
Thomas Farleigh, was known to be an
exceptionally good judge of mineral in
dications, and it often happened that
when he showed interest in property
the owners would refuse to sell at any
reasonable price. So, in this case, Mr..
Strong proposed to him that he be not
known in the transfer at all, but that
he leave in his handshis part of the pur-
chase money and let the property be
made over to him while Tom was in
New York. My brother thought it
good idea and consented, leaving all his
savings, something over $4,000, with
Strong, simply on the assurance that on
his return he should have "a deed to a
half interest in the property.
Strong no doubt meant to be honest,
and I believe only an accident to my
brother prevented him from being so.
On Toms way to New York he fell from
a train at Cincinnati, struck his head
against stone and was taken insensi-
BILE to a hospital. The doctors said his
skull was fractured and he became in
sane. From the hospital ] had him
taken to a private asylum, where l re-
manned with him as long as | could.
After l left Cincinnati Mr. Strong heard
of the accident and went to see him.
Ny brother did not recognize him, and,
believing that Tom would never be re-
stored to his right mind, Mr.. Strong
said nothing to anyone about the money
put into his hands by my brother. He
went ahead and organized big com
pany of eastern capitalists to operate
the mine. They struck rich vein, and
Strong became wealthy at once.
aAbout five years afterwards a skill
fuf surgeon trepanned my brothers
skull, relieved the pressure on the brain
and restored his reason. Tom, of course,
remembered the last transaction with
his old partner, and, hearing of Strong's
- -,A 81, f-v~f
10 recover an interest in his fortune.
Mr.. Strong was not, I believe, very bad
man, and he would have been willing
to undo what he had done, but to divide
his profits with my brother would have
been an open admission of guilt, so he
disputed the claim.
TON told me often that Strong pri-
vately offered him at one time $4,000
as a settlement of all claims against
him, but that he had Indignantly re-
fused it. Another time Strong offered
him $4,000. They were alone in my
brothers room in a hotel in Denver.
Tom answered the proposal by strik-
ing Strong in the mouth and shooting
at him as he ran downstairs.
Strong escaped unhurt, but my
brother was arrested and tried for at
tempting manslaughter. At the trial
Tom made o statement Of his wrongs,
but Mr.. Strong brought proof that the
claimant had been in on insane asylum
and testified that he had never been
wholly restored. He even pleaded for
Toms release on that score, and was
praised in the papers for so doing. Ny
brother was let of with a small iuc, but
the wrong rankled in his mind, and for
the past Is years he has thought oi
nothing but getting even with the man
who had wronged him.