The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1900-08-30


them.
Greatly puzzled and surprised was
Draper at this state of affairs. Two
theories presented themselves. Either
Filley had met with foul play at the
| hands of some one who witnessed him
draw the money or else he was pursu
ing some Interior plan of his own. But
among the letters and dispatches wait
| ing for him Draper found the follow
ing telegram, dated New York, Tues
day. from the cashier Of the Grain Elk
change National bank:
| Notes for fifty thousand drawn by B. K. Filley,
favor of Cutting & Cutting, Endorsed by you, pre-
sented payment No funds Filley's account.
| Shall we take up? Answer.
The language of the dispatch was ex-
plicit enough-notes drawn by Fflley
| for $4,000 What had he been up to?
To say that Draper was indignant is to
put it very mildly. He was simply fu-
rious. In all his long business career it
had been his proud boast that no com
mercial paper bearing his name was
ever protested. Even when he was
struggling merchant doing a big bust
ness on a small capital his name al
ways stood high, for he had always
protected his signature.
He knew that at the time he had no
paper out His private means were
ample, and there was no need for him
to raise money in that way. None but
Fi1ley could explain the mystery. How
ever, one thing was certain. He, John
Draper, had never appended his name
to anything of the kind. Suddenly it
| flashed across his mind that there was
q curious coincidence between the
| amount of the notes and the sum
which FiIley had drawn out of the
bank. What treachery was afoot he
could not tell, but it began to look
black for Master Reuben.
Selling a telegraph form, Draper rap
| idly indited the following reply to the
Grain Exchange bank:
Endorsement forgery. Do not honor. Return
| New York Immediately.
The next step was to endeavor to
trace or find Filley. So to keep the
matter from the ordinary police chan
nels the Pinkerton agency was called
| in and the case placed in it's hands,
with a full statement of all the facts
And as Reuben Filley will not figure in
these pages again it may be stated
here that before leaving Denver John
| Draper had sufficient evidence to con-
vince him that his trusted secretary
was not only a forger and defaulter,
but treacherOus villain.
b W.T.
thence to San Francisco, where the
trail was lost. 1t was supposed that
he caught an outward bound Pacific
mail steamer for China and Japan,
from whence it would be easy for him
to reach India or Australia. Where he
| ultimately fetched up" was never def
initely known. John Draper declined
to continue the search. preferring to
pocket the loss. Neither the bank nor
Cutting & Cutting cared to prosecute.
The money secured on the forged notes
for the partnership interest was re-
funded, and hence the matter dropped,
a result which the astute Fflley prOba-
bly foresaw. The world of New York
knew him no more.
appear at the meeting Of the railroad
magnates occasioned no surprise at
first, as it was expected that he might
arrive at any moment Then came the
tidingS of the mysterious disappearing
Of part of the express train, and the
widest conjectures became rife. Ev-
cry foot of the railroad between Colo
RADIO Springs and Denver was searched
again and again during the daylight
hours of Sunday and Monday; but, as
we have seen, it was not until Tuesday
morning that the forgotten and disused
railroad spur was thought Of.
The news of the rescue was tele-
graphed into Denver from Castle Rock,
and so when Draper appeared at the
session of his confreres on Wednesday
morning they knew all about his ad-
venture and it's happy termination.
Much of the routine business had
been dispatched, and only a few
weightier matters demanding unani-
nous action remained to be acted up
on Consequently by o'clock the con
clave adjourned sine die, and Uncle
John hurried back to the hotel to an
nounce that he was at the service OF
the ladies.
Chester Ives had improved the oppor-
tunity to change his clothes, and after
bath and shave and good nights
rest he was none the worse for his noe
turnal adventure. Nor did the ladies
show any marked effects of the strain
of the last two days beyond some natu-
raj laSsitude and nervousness. But a
quiet night went far to repair the
shock and strain.
Draper found all the party assembled
in the hotel saloon. 1t had originally
been planned that a couple of days
should be spent in sightseeing, but the
adventure with James Dallon, Esq.
and their enforced stay at his hosiery
naturally interfered with this.
''Now, children" said bluff Uncle
John, speaking to every one In general,
but to Florence in particular, what
10 on1 vrhoy>o oh xx,o on