Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-06-06

the thing was done, and when he was
finally informed in confidence that it
was mere luck be declined to credit
the explanation. 1t was too simple to
suit him."
"Coincidences certainly do play an
important role in every day life,"
commented another in the party, "and
1 dare say they have for the. pivot on
which many an event of the first mag
nitude has turned. One case of the
kind came under my personal observa-
ton when I first went into business
in New Orleans. At that time there
was large mercantile house in the
same block, that did an extensive bust.
ness with planters up the river. AS
usual in that trade, they operated on
credit basis, and occasionally they car
ried some formidable accounts. The
largest of these at the period at which
II speak was against planter who had
formerly been very prompt pay but
who haG latterly pleaded bad luck and
allowed the majority of his bills to run
over for several seasons. The firm be-
lieved him to be good, and although
the amount involved mounted away up
into the thousands they decided not to
press him, in full confidence that the
money would ultimately be paid.
"One day the planter came to New
Orleans on some business, and while
be was still in town member of the
firm chanced to 60 over to notary's
Office to get an acknowledgement on
some legal papers. AS he entered the
Office he overheard one of the clerks in
an adjoining room ask another whether
he had completed 'that plantation
transfer to Col. is mother. you
know he wants to take it with him
when be goes home tonight he added.
Col. - was the delinquent debtor,
and the accidental remark was like
the revelation of fash of lightning
on dark night. The merchant said
nothing, but transacted his own busi-
ness as speedily as possible and hurried
back. Then he wired his local attor-
ney to institute proceedings, and when
the planter arrived home he found
everything tied up with an attachment.
He was forced to make a settlement in
full, and doesn't know to this day how
his plans were SO suddenly checkmated.
Five seconds sooner or later in that
visit to the notary's would have made
a difference of many thousands of
dollars to the firm"
~ think I can tie that story myself"
said one of the party. "Do you re-
member the recent death of Lewis
Redwine, a noted bank defaulter of
Atlanta, Ga, whose case created an
immense sensation some years ago?
Well, when he was placed on trial,
Redwine maintained a stubborn silence,
and be was convicted and sentenced
to five years in the Federal peniten-
tiary at Columbus, O. 1t was gener-
ally believed that he would break
down when he actually started for
prison and implicate some people who
stood high socially, and the papers
decided to send reporters. with him to
the train. For some reason the author
tiles didn't approve of the plan and
arranged to slip him out of town a
day in advance of the time officially
given out. The train was to leave at
noon, and about 20 minutes before
that hour reporter out on other busi-
ness, happened to use telephone in a
downtown store. While he was talk
ing the wires became crossed and he
heard voice say: We have arranged
for the train to stop at the outskirts
of town today to take on Redwine.'
He recognized the voice as that of a
deputy marshal talking to the jailor,
and realized in a fash that a scheme
was on foot to get the noted prisoner
out of the city "a hours ahead of time.
He dashed away from the store, got to
his Office in time to draw some money
and caught the train. Redwine didn't
confess, after all but that doesn't af-
feet the marvellous luck or coincidence
of the 'phone episode"