The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-29

la drug merchant took up mules He was
S. A. Byrne SIN, and had a good story,
as usual. He was buying the animals
wherever he could az reasonable prices
he said. and selling them TO the army at
a smart advance. He had found the New
Orleans market, only little while before
completely stripped the agents Of the
British war office having got in ahead of
him and bought up every available piece
of flesh and bone to send 90 South Africa
But in and around Memphis he had done
very Wen, indeed, and was then carrying
in his wallet a government check drawn
In payment for the last shipment to San
Francisco, for 1924. He felt uncOmfort-
able about keeping IL in his pocket and
since he intended making Memphis his
home as long as the mule trade continued
good, he believed he would like TO open
an account at some bank and deposit IT,
One of the local Institutions welcomed him
as deposition. but il was suggested that
as none of the officers knew him person.
ally, and as abe amount was large IL
might be well to let this first check be
collected before any more business was
transacted. lie readily assonted and went
away Two days later he came running
into the bank in hot haste. He had Just
learned of a new lot of mules which he
could gee dirt cheap for cash; would the
cashier let him check against his deposit
to the extent of 500? With some slight
misgivings permission was granted, and
the money was forthcoming. The next
day he had heard of another bunch OF
cheap mules-could he draw out $3.50 more?
Again doubts were expressed, and with
some show of impotence Grimmell ex-
claimed: IF you are not satisfied why
don't you telegraph TO the dishursing Of
fee In San Francisco and find out wheth-
er | am all right? DO so at my expense"
This certaily seemed as fair proposal
as could be made, and out came the
ftTinmqll MOI Ff4ai thaA bs
must move quickly. He went to his hotel
put into a Valise what he needed for his
next stage of travel, and was about going
out to do a last errand when a messenger
from the bank met him, and showed him
dispatch which had just come from San
Francisco saying that no such person as
Byrne was known a the pay office
"Oh, pshaw! cried Grimmell, with every
appearance of annoyance, Mai. Smit hers
must have been out of the office. He Is
the man with whom I do business Wire
them back to find the major and let you
know the result at once"
As the messenger disappeared the forger
caught a porter outside the hotel and
gave him a half dollar to slip in and bring
out his valise by a side door, as ne did
not dare show himself in the lobby lest
somebody should be waiting there TO
pounce upon him. The bag was sent to
the railway station at once and as the
next train for New Orleans pulled out
the young man boarded il and got away
before the explosion came.
In ALL GrimmelPs forgeries reached
face total of about $4,000, though actually
he realized less. If he had NOT fallen into
a secret service trap in Philadelphia, there
is no telling to what figure they might
have mounted. Chief WAxie went over
and had a chat with him the other day.
He did not seem to pay much attention
to the moral side of his career of mis-
wears a pretty threatening aspect just
now.