The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-04-01

because he could offer no satisfactory ex-
cnse. by. some Ill, chance he. became 5ac-,
anaintedx with Gordon .irr--4s,- +
Would he lend Mr.. Hastings $500? Ger
tainly he Weuid-delighted- for how
long a time? Three months-certainly-
but what security could Mr.. Hastings Of
fer? His note? Yes? But did Mr. Hast
ings own any real estate? No? All! that
was bad-it was tieklish business lending
large sums on, no security-he would be
Obliged to ask a little higher interest If
ne decided he could afford to take the
risk Would Mr.. Hastings kindly call in
couple of days?
Young Mr.. Hastings did call in two
days time. Meanwhile by what Satan
only knows, Gordon had learned all. about
his prospective clients difficultieg-who
his father was, what he was worth and
his character. In fact, at the time Hast
ings entered Gordons office the money
lender could have told the young man
about what he owed, how the debts were
contracted and-if he had wanted to
that he would have very hard time in
deed before the debts were paid.
To skip the preliminaries and get at
the bare facts, Gordon was willing to adj
vance Hastings $500 for three months at
40 per cent. Hastings rejected the offer
with an attempt at scorn, went home and
thought the matter over and the next
took the proffered loan and gave Gordon
his note. Foolish man!
Thrice foolish he was, indeed, because
he might have borrowed the money in
smaller amounts from friends had he
dismissed his pride, and as 1t was he
might have saved the S700 within the
three months following, by economy, had
he not so conducted himself that at the
end of the day of grace he not only could
not meet his note, but he had other debts
besides.
Gordon accepted renewal of the note
with seeming reluctance, but perfect will
ingness, on the condition that the inter-
-G200-should be paid. This money
Hastings borrowed from three friends
Another three months and the story was
repeated. There was further payment of
interest and the note was renewed again
this time for 5000, in spite of the fact
that there had been no increase in the
loan.
At the END of nine months Hastings
found himself cornered, Every effort he
had exerted to make and to save money
seemed to have gone wrong. He had
paid Gordon e400 In interest on a loan
of but $500. Then he made the mistake
of trying to argue with Gordon. NO
one ever gained anything by that, al
though 1t served to amuse the money
lender.
s'Either the money tomorrow or the
note goes to protest" was the only sat
isfaction Hastings could get.
In these straits Hastings went to an
other loan Office. 1t was owned by Cor
don, though the unhappy young man did
not know it. BY dint OF entreaty and
| promising to get an indorser of his note,
Hastings managed to raise the money
necessary to take up the paper held by
Gordon.
It was at this point that Hastings made
the greatest error of his life. He forged
his fathers name to his own note. When
1t became due he went to the loan office
to negotiate another extension. He was
told that the note, In the course of bust
ness, had been transferred to Gordon.
Gordon was the best handwriting ex-
pert in England. He seemed to scent a
| forgery the minute 1t was In his hands.
| Many a false signature was offered to
| him, but he never made a mistake.
Gordon not only refused to grant an
| extension of time, but he told Hastings
| that he knew he had forged his fathers
signature, and that unless an accounting
| was had within three days he would cause
| his arrest.
| 1t so happened that the father of the
| young man was away on business for
| three or four days. He had left a signed
| check, with the amount not specified, In
| case money should be hurriedly needed
| in business affairs. The panic-stricken
| son filled out the check for sum suffi-
| Client to pay the last note. This saved
| him from Gordon's clutches, but left him
| in predicament almost as bad. He had
| not the courage to confess everything to
| his father, and an hour before the latter
| returned the son blew out his brains.
The whole story came out at the in
| quest. Memoranda of the young man s
| earlier dealings with Gordon were found.
| together with the note bearing the forged
| signature. Those who were in the cor
| oner's court will not soon forget the
| fathers bitter denuncintion of the money
| lender nor his dramatic announcement
/ that his own name on the note was q
1 forgery.
The tragedy wrecked the fathers mind