Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-06-26
Caught Per Telephone.

II
! IN said Inkster, my detective friend,
49, did ever tell you how l
caught one with the assistance of
girl? Well, here is the yarn:
Ring r-r-r-ring! goes the telephone
bell in a Liverpool bank.
/, well. who are you?" asks the at
tendant clerk.
Mr.. Silverton, of Silverton, Sons u
Co., Princes street, London, comes the
answer. lis Mr.. Golden in?'
EYES," says the clerk.
Then ask him to speak to ME Mt
once, please" requests Mr.. Silverton.
Are you there? All. how are you,
Silverton?''
/, "Dreadfully worried and annoyed,
and want your assistance. One of
my most promising men, Cecil Hamp-
ton, has gone away on his holidays, and
MS large number of notes are missing,
fear lie has absconded."
WE'LL" queries Golden, '.how am
likely to be Of any use in the mat
terS''
Among the notes. answer the Lon
don banker. there are two thousand
pound notes, and, as expect lie has
some relations in the States, that will
be his destination. 1t is quite likely
that lie will call at your bank with the
notes and plausible story. and ask
you to cash Them"
Il suppose ! am to have him arrested
out of hand, them" interrupted Mr..
Golden.
i No; nothing of the kind" testify an
swered Sllyerton You must get him
Into your office and give him a thorough
good lecture and $500. Please do not
interrupt. Tell him to go out of the
country and begin an honest life. Tell
him also that 1t is entirely owing to the
position his father holds in the world
of politics. and my respect for him as
man, that i give him this chance.
will net blast the lives of his father
and his family for the sons peculatlon.
Don't talk to me about condoning n
felony. or give me any ethical detini-
tion. l consider that, apnrt from Civ
ing the youngster another chance after
his first misstep. 1t is infinitely prefer
able to marking the family with shame
for the rest of their lives"
SIS this the opinion of your part
ners?" asked Mr. Golden.
NO" answers Silyerton; "tlley know
nothing of it as yet; but, If they did,
am convinced they would agree with
me. l will remit the $500 to you. and
you will then send the recovered notes
by trusty man, whom will recoup
for his out-of-pocket expenses"
Very well; l agree" said Golden, at
length. "And If, as you suspect. he
comes to us, will do as you desire.
But give Inc description of the man,
so that there can be no mistake, and
will instruct my tellers how to act.''
.Thank you, Golden" said the Lon
don banker; II knew YOU would help.
The lad stands about five feet ten
inches tall. % years old-but looks
more like 30-rather sallow skin, with
eery dark hair and short. pointed beard.
He has very slight limp, owing to
some accident to his left ankle when
boy"
..That is n very good verbal por-
trait" said Golden. land think we'll
not mistake him. I'll ring you up after
he has been here, and report progress"
.Kindly do nothing of the kind"
said Silverton, las am going to
Brighton this afternoon. and will prob
ably be there week or two. l will
telegraph to you either tonight or to-
morrow morning, telling you where
nm staying, as the place is pretty full
up, understand; then you can write
me Mt the address given. Thank you
very much for falling in with my view
Of the case. Good-day"
"Good morning" answered Golden,
and the conversation ended.
Mr.. Golden proceeded to describe
Hampton to all the clerks Mt the coun-
ter, and ordered his luncheon to be
sent in in order to be ut hand If the
thief turned up.
At luncheon time, when the bank
was very quiet, Hampton walked in
and boldly asked a teller to change the
two notes.
II am one of Silverton's men," he
said, land on the firms business"
"Certainly, sir" said the teller. "Will
you just endorse them as usual?"
AS Hampton was writing his name
on the notes, the teller gave sign to
the watchful commissionaire. and also
sent a Junior for his principal Mr..
Golden was soon behind the counter
and addressing Hampton across the in
tervening mahogany.
please walk into my office. Mr..
Hampton; wish to speak to you. Don't
attempt to escape, as the commissions
aire will prevent 1t at sign from
me-"
Once inside the office and the door
closed. he dropped into the first chair
and shamefacedly buried his face in
his hands.
is"Well, young man." said his captor,
you have soon launched yourself on
the sea of iniquity, and in a most skill
full manner. When you gave way to
the temptation and purloined the notes
you did not think that they would be
SO quickly missed. Nor did you think
that shrewd business man would be
quite likely to hit upon the route you
would take, and by telephoning yes,
you may well start!-to the bank you
would probably call at to change the
notes, have you arrested, and your
father, brothers and sisters disgraced,
within very few hours of your theft
being discovered. 1t is entirely owing
to the latter contingency that Mr.. ST.
verton has instructed me to hand over