The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-03-12

CUT MY ARM.
yet met. We found a rough crowd
| indeed, and the evening was not half
over when burly big fellow deliber-
ately picked a quarrel with me. was
| giving him the worst of 1t when he
drew a knife and rushed upon me.
Duchene, who was standing quietly by,
knocked the scoundrel senseless, and,
to my surprise, we were not molested
by the half dozen friends of the. vic
tim who had been urging him to fin
ish me. came to know later on that
the whole thing was put up job, but
looked upon it then as a brave action
on the part of my acquaintance and
gave him my gratitude and friendship.
had never questioned him as to why
, he was in Paris, where or how he
lived or what aim he had in life, and
he had never dropped hint. had
secret belief that he was gambler
and sharper. but to me he was as
straightforward as could be hoped for.
About two weeks after the event at
the dance hall Duchene told me his
story, or a part of it. He was a pro-
fessional gambler, or had been up to
few months before he met me- Then
his eyesight had gone back on him and
he had been obliged to abandon the
business. l had observed that he was
nearsighted and had been obliged to
favor his eyes.
A year before meeting me Duchene
and partner had "roped" rich young
fellow into a game and skinned him
out of what would be about $4,000 in
American money. They were then &C.
cupying rooms in q certain house he in
dicated, and, fearing trouble from the
victim, who had declared himself de-
frauded, the money had been hidden
under the floor. Trouble came. Both
men were arrested, and. while Duchene
got year in prison, the other man died
of pneumonia while waiting his trial.
On leaving prison Duchene at once
took steps to secure his money, but
found the floor in possession of an ar
tificial flower maker who held a lease.
The place could not be entered and
searched, and the $4,000 still rested
beneath the floor of the front room. 1t
would take $1,000 to buy the lease and
GUST the flower maker and another $500
to put in stock of something to throw
the police off the scent, Duchene could
not raise the money, nor had he yet
met man be dared trust. His propo-
sition to me was that furnish the ST.
900 and receive $4,000 of the hidden
money as my reward. Had he offered
to ,so halves | think should have look
ed upon K Cs ''plant" and thrown 1t
over, but in offering me sixth portion
he seemed to show good business tact.
1t was big return on the investment
big enough to satisfy any one-and
gave him a favorable answer at once.
He had already sounded the flower
maker as to the lease, and If my mon
ey was raised the papers could be sign
ed three days later. l had good bit
of cash at my bankers, and on the sec
ond day after hearing Duchene's story
drew out $1,000 in gold and placed
the bag in my trunk. Next day the pa
pers were to be signed, and week lat
er the floor would be in our possession.
That night the two of US attended
the theater and afterward had supper,
and l haven't the slightest doubt that
my wine was drugged. While l was
not made helpless, my head seemed as
big as a barrel 1 could hardly keep
my eyes open, and II Duchene had not
put me in a cab and instructed the
driver / should never have found my
way to the hotel. l had to be helped
to my room, and / fell upon the bed,
dressed as l was, and was instantly
asleep. l had been asleep two hours
when l awoke as keen as fox. The
effects Of the drug had vanished, and
as got out Of bed to undress found
my legs all right again. was fully
undressed and ready to get between the
sheets when my ear caught a sound
from under the bed. / at once stopped
down for look, and my eyes rested
upon a man lying on the broad Of his
back. l had him out In second. 1t
seemed to me as if | had five times
my ordinary strength. and, though the
fellow struggled furiously and cus my
arm with knife, l grasped his throat
and choked him till he lay like one
dead. 1t was only when l had struck
light that 1 found the intruder to
be Duchene. He had come in through
the window which opened on a We
randa. He had been working at the
lock of my trunk when / made some
noise on awakening, and he had rolled
himself under the bed. He had come
for that bag Of gold, and he had meant
to do for me IL necessary.
1 alarmed the house, the police were
sent for, and the fellow was taken
away. but it was good hour before
he recovered his senses. His story was
entirely false, and he had put up q
Job to rob me, It was my testimony