Omaha daily bee., 1901-01-31
BACK AT THE OLD STAND
Tim Ormsby Returns 90 Omaha
and Discusses AZ
fairs.

After an absence Of nearly three months
Tim Ormsby strolied into the police station
yesterday and asked the desk sergeant for
a chew OF tobacco lie said he'd been down
in Arizona. but beyond this declined to
speak Of himself.
Have you found Ray Birum?" he asked
by way OF steering the conversation away
from a more personal channel
Ray Birum!" exclaimed the desk sergeant
why, he amt one-two-three with us-not
when there's kidnapers to be caught"
Tim betrayed not the slightest en-
thusiasm. He took It for granted there had
been an abduction I'm Omaha during his
absence but didn't care for the details.
"Humph!" he said, are your kidnapers
here the kind that gifts themselves kot?
Down IN Arizona where I've been its as
safe as three card monte and twice as
profitable
ITS bad business" said the desk
sergeant, shaking his head and looking
solemn.
"Oh. I don't know. It's better'n bank
wreckn' and safe BLOWN, and for dis
tribuun' wealth It's got the graduated in
come tax beat by a neck. Why, down there
in my town was a lot Of old hard -shelled
crabs that you couldn't get a nickel away
from 'em with a pair OF pincers. Every one
Of en- had the first dollar he'd ever made.
Times was hard. but these old skinfints had
their dough salted and the banks all had
cold feet"
cold feet? How's that?"
why, there was no circulation. The
coin OF the realm didn't have as much
circulation as an oyster. Then pretty soon
there was four or FIVE kidnappin's In quick
succession, and the next week real estate
was on the boom"
"Did they catch the bandts?"
"Ketch EN-! My friend. the cops down
there couldn't ketch a cold"
They offered a reward, OF course"
"Oh, yes. they offered a reward all right
but It didn't attract as much attention as
a sheriff's sale. You see It was like this.
A few days before the kids was gobbled a
business like lookin chap named Moloch
set up an office Just across from the Greasy
Spoon restaurant and hung out his shingle
as a lawyer. He had lots OF the long green
and bought regular, so he was all right.
We'll. everything moved along serene
until the fourth kidnappn', and then It
seemed that the wrong set OF men got the
ransom, for the crowds In the saloons
talked lynchin' pretty strong. and that night
Moloch wanted the town council to offer
another big reward.
THE next day fly bob gets wise and
calls on Moloch.
THE marshal wants to see you at the
station he says.
what for? says Moloch
He thinks you're the man that's 'naped
all these kids say the fly bob.
"'Well. | don't mind losin to you that
I am says Mooch, but | amt got no
business with the marshal You'll do just
as we'll and save time. You want to get
your hooks on the reward; amt that right?'
:" L amt runnin' away from no reward
you've got a brat or two yourself amt
YOU?
Three says the bob.
That's what | thought. You see, I'm
interested in child study and have en-
gineered several fresh-air excursions for
them into the mountains. Perhaps your
kids would
We'll. they had chewn' match like this
for few minutes and then the fly bob made
up his mind to stick TO faro and not try
to get rich quick
a fight between two gangs OF kidnapers.
with the sheriff on one side and the town
marshal on the other. and business was
rushin.' Every time a miner made a KILN
something OF his would be kdnaped-mebby
a burrow and mebby grub stake-and he'd
have to divvy. Lots OF money in crcula-
tion and everybody happy"
Then why didn't you stay down there ?"
asked the desk sergeant.
II was afraid they'd find out | owed
third interest in the Greasy Spoon" said
Tim