The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-24
Che Judge SGdveSdrcppif1g
"A Love Story and the Reward of Fidelity.

way they both made money and Rand's
share was a moderate fortune to q
man in his circumstances 1t wasn't
many years before Rand had lost his
money in foolish investments. Then
Hooper got him the position of cashier
in the bank where he was president. 1t
seems pretty tough for Rand to have
stolen all that money. The directors
asked Hooper for his resignation. of
course, and he was obliged to come
here and start fresh
Now this was a part of the story
that the judge had never heard before.
1t little agreed with his personal i'm
pressions. which of course has nothing
to do with the law and evidence" He
had an idea that Rand was not that
sort of man and. curiously enough.
he had acquired an antipathy for
Hooper.
That night he woke thinking of the
case. Gradually he found himself
forced to a conclusion for which there
was little reason. He somehow
thought that Hooper was the guilty
man and Rand the innocent. He had
known a few similar cases of quixotic
gratitude.
The next day he called at the bank
ing house of Hooper & Co. AS he was
leaving he met Hooper face to face
The man went white and staggered
against thu door jamb as if ne had
been struck.
"why-how d'y do? Why didn't
expect to see you" he stammered.
Anything we can do for you?"
The judge looked him square in the
eye and said: No Mr.. Hooper, moth
Ing you can do, unless-but never
mind now" and he gave him a peculiar
look under which Hooper quailed-
The judge had not gone two blocks
before one of the clerks came rushing
after him and said Mr.. Hooper wanted
him TO come back. He found Hooper
st-iSiTg the floor and mumbling to
himself.
...y God, judge, do you know" he
cried
4 know you are sooundrel."' the
judge replied. surprised out of his self
control.
Il did it, judge. 1 did it,
Il know it," calmly replied the judge.
II came to this city because I
couldn't stand meeting you. and l have
never had a happy or an easy moment
since. I've lived in constant fear of
apprehension"
The Judge looked at him and could
scarce restrain his contempt and indig-
nation.
Stepping back he turned the key in
the lock and put il into his pocket.
Then he went TO the telephone and
told police headquarters who he was.
and asked them to send him an in
spector at the banking office.
Now" he said. before either of US
leave this room you are going TO write
the whole story. You will sign il in the
presence of witnesses and inside of two
weeks Rand will be a free man. You
will be arrested at once. but for two
weeks, for my own reasons, you will
continue to conduct you business and
a headquarters man will be ALWAYS
with you You can explain his presence
in any way that you like Now sit
down and write"
Hooper shrank from the task. but the
judge insisted. When he had finished
and was ready to sign, there came
tap at the door and a stranger was
ushered in. He locked the door after
him and the judge had a low CONVEX
sation with him. The confession was
duly signed and witnessed
II set forth Hooper's necessity 10 Cd
tain funds further than those available
and how he had taken from time to
time showing Rand fictitious notes, so
that Rand had every reason to suppose
the bank was making loans In short,
he had made the entries in perfect good
faith and then when the stealing was
made known he had kept silence, re-
membering all the benefits received. 1T
was, of course questionable thing for
him to do, considering his family. But
there was no doubling the nobility OF
the mans character
That night the judge started for home
having disposed of the case. There the
next day he laid the confession before
the governor and his council, who took
the preliminary steps to release Rand
That evening Ned Grant called. say
ing he had failed to find the. judge at
home on the previous evening. He knew
enough of law to appreciate some
things the judge told him.
Now said the judge, this tangle
can be Strengthened out You bring
Alice here two weeks from tonight and
I'll try to change her views
At last the night came The judge
was decidedly nervous The bell rang
and in came Ned and Alice. He had
told her about the judge. and she
blushed prettily when he was intro
duced.
After he had explained at some length
that his eavesdropping was quite acct
dental. he began to argue again with
her on the matter. She took the same
high ground as before-that it was
doing Ned a wrong. And she had a
pretty good case. too. AT last he said:
$50 there is no way of turning you?
You would marry if your father were
not in prison for embezzlement?"
She nodded and the judge silently
handed her a long typewriter docu-
ment. 1t was the witnessed confession.
Rand had been living quietly with the
judge for the last few days and knew
the whole story.
Ned stood near carefully watching
her, and as the door opened noiselessly
he saw John Rand waiting for his
daughter to look up and see him.
She read it through without looking
up. Then as she lay back in the chair
she caught his eye and ran to him with
a cry OF Father, Father"
Hooper is still serving his time
Reparation.