The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-26
WAS ALL A MISTAKE
Mr., Randolph Arrives in City
With Large Draft.
OFFERED IT TO PAY BILL
Had a Varied Experience With
Everybody He Met.

When the Rock Island train from the
south arrived in the city last Friday night
small man with a shabby looking valise
in hand, wearing clothes that had seen
better days. stepped from the rear end
Of the smoker and wendell his way west
on Dougles until he got 10 Main, when he
turned north, going along as If he was in
very little hurry and was not particular
where he stopped or where he went, until
reaching the Occidental hotel, when he
dropped in, set his valise down and reg
istered his name He strolled around the
hotel office for while and then went out.
He was gone about a half hour and re-
turned 10 the hotel, going TO bed. In
the morning the guest left the hotel for a
while, and during his absence. probably
had one of the most varied experiences
that ever fell to the lot of man. The
stranger walked to the Fulton clothing
store and went in. He made several pur-
chases, including a new suit, a hat, fur
nishing goods and several other articles
Offering in payment draft calling for the
payment of a sum Of money that startled
the clerk who waited upon him and which
made Mr. Fulton wonder if he looked like
a bank president, for the denomination
was unusually large to take out about 800
and hand over 1864 in change. The draft
called for 1854, and as there had been sew
eral check transactions brought to the
notice of Mr. Fulton since he has been
-, h.
Guided to bring the gentleman's attention
to the police. Officer Stewart dropped in
on the stranger and asked him if he
would walk over and call on the chief of
police, saying that the chief would like to
make his acquaintance. The gentleman
went and was interviewed by Chief Jones,
who supposed he had a case of trying TO
pass a spurious check or draft upon his
friend, Mr.. Fulton. and Immediately in
vestigated the supposed large transaction
man, for the sum of 1854 was not to be
laughed at. Matters around the station
were kept very secret by the officials,
though it was rumored by person who is
friendly TO the reporters that a mysteri-
Gus case was being worked up and a big
sensation would soon be sprung. The
case Ndo lOllON0u anu wien dli the 1dClS
are told it will develop into one of those
cases that no one would care to have
much said about. One of the inveshga-
lions led to the fact that a return tele-
gram from Pond Creek, o. T., was receiv-
ed in the city from the Pond Creek bank
stating that r. L. Randolph was all right
and good for ten times the amount of the
draft he had. 1t was also learned that
the stranger was a big cattle dealer and
owned several hundred head of cattle in
the territory. 1t need not he said that
apologies were plenty. Mr.. Randolph
took the whole matter as a huge joke,
saying: Il presume 1 did look a little
rusty for a fellow to be carrying around
five or six hundred dollars among stran-
gers Mr.. Randolph got his draft cash
ed, paid for his purchases and made a
change in his appearance, going back to
the hotel where ne was registered and not
being readily recognized by the clerk was
asked to sign his Hdize again. He pro-
tested at first, saying: Does a man have
to register every time he goes in and
out?'' The clerk said he did not know
he had registered before. and when mat
ters' were satisfactorily explained things
were made quite laughable. Mr.. Ran
dolph spent little time in the city, tell
ing of his first experience in visiting
Wichita. and said he could not feel other
wise than that the joke was on the other
fellows. He paid his hotel bill last night
and left for home, feeling that he had
really had a most amusing time during
his stay in the city.