The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-10-26
JUST HOW 1T WAS DONE.

| down the floor of Max Llzotte'S ONCE
| in Lewiston Wednesday morning. His
hat was on the floor in a corner, and
he Rugged little tin box with q
brick in it under one arm, and good
round Aroostock adjectives came In
between every few words of hot old
English that came from his lips He
was a friend of Mr.. Lizotte's, farm
err from the land of big potatoes and
the sunrise, who had dropped OIL at
Lewiston on his way home from New
York, where he had acted as the con-
fidenital agent of three or four OF his
friends. After considerable soothing
from Mr.. Lizotte he stopped walking
long enough to sit down and tell over
his story to a newspaper man, who
transcribes it here.
This Aroostook gentleman is the
town clerk, or was a year or two ago
of an Aroostooltown.
1.-TWO years ago." he said, IT sot a
letter from a New York man who en-
closed Il dollar bill which he said was
a counterfeit. He and his friends We're
making them in New York, and he
said that this bill had been in circu-
lation, and that l would have no trou-
BILE in passing it. He warned me not
to answer the letter. In a few weeks
he wrote again and this time he sent
me five-dollar bill which he said was
also a wrong one I passed both of
them at the bank and found no trou-
bic. Acting upon the advice of the
New York man I talked the matter
quietly over with three of my neigh
bors and after a While they decided to
send me to New York, after some of
the money.
THE folks up there were giving ST.,
600 for %100, and we raised $1,000 in
cash to buy lot of it with. l was to
go to New York to a certain hotel and
occupy a certain room. At a certain
hour a man would call with card,
and I was to admit him, and take his
guidance. ] was in the hotel at the
appointed time, and at the hour exact
ly the recognizable knock came at the
door.
II admitted the man and he told me
more of the plan. The money was all
like that which we had received
through the mail. 1t could be passed
and looked all right, and had been
passed, but was net all right.
He was minute in his explanations
and gave me lot of advice. I had
never been in a city before, and was
not sharp enough to keep my mouth
shut. We got into cab and rode
about for an hour, and then stopped at
a restaurant. There were two other
men, who took me and carried me
away again to Jersey City. At 10
o'clock that night we found our way
into a yard with a high brick building
and a good big brick wall around it.
Here two more men met us, and the
others went away They escorted me
into a room, where they explained the
system more carefully. They acknowl-
edged that they were doing wrong
and that they knew it, but it was their
business, and if they were caught /
should not suffer, but they would
'In another room, where there We're
four or five men around table they
showed me the money, about $4,000, I
should think 1t was all good money.
1t looked WELL was worn by circulation
and had all the appearance of good
In fact I now think that it
was good money. | was a little scared,
though, and l said that I would take
only $500 worth of it. They counted
out $1,000 and handed it to me for in
spection. 1t was all right.
''Then I handed it to them, but they
held out the tin box for it. and | put |
II in, and they sealed the box up be- !
fore my eyes and handed it to me. AS !
was going out the door my courage |
again rose, and I went back, and said,
Darn it all, | guess I might as well |
take it all. l have 81 400 to invest in |
it., At that they grew excited and |
said of course you want to invest it |
ALL and fool-like I did. They took the |
box and put the money into it right |
before my eyes and again handed it to |
me, and I went out with two of them.
was conscious of good trade and |
was happy. | Rugged that darned old |
in box for dear life, and was as happy
as if ! hal sold a pair of steers for
loube price. 1t was a wonder The
.wo men told me that now there was
hanger that I might get caught and
hat the thing was for me to buy a
ticket to Bangor at once They went |
With me to a restaurant and we ate
'dppSI, anu lI&ll Welt Jul dilu SOl
me drink of beer around and they
vent with me to the depot I didn't
know just where I was, but one man
bought a ticket for me, and gave it to
ne. 1t was from Jersey City to Ban
,or, Me. and took it and got aboard,
till hugging the box. On my way
through | remembered that l had a
in Massachusetts and
bought ! would stop off there and get
look t him and at my money at tbs
anne time
II went to a hotel in Lawrence and
Tired room. \ was hungry and tired,
nd needed shave and wash, but the
Irst thing / did was to sit down on
he bed and undo the Wrappings of my
eavy tin box. | found that it was
ocked and that I had not the key. :
hey had not given me any key, and
or the first time | felt 1t was little
rocked. | burst open the iron lock of
he box and in a lot of tissue wrap
rings was a one-dolar bill on top, and
nder that-a common red brick with
issue paper all around it to keep it
rom rafting.
My heart oozed out my boot heels
Il sat down on the bed and stared at
ne brick, and then | rushed out to
7lesraph to New York to set the police
work. 1t was wicked old sensa-
e.,