Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1902-03-05
A FAIR F0RGER.

Hamilton" said Superintendent
Beaver, calling me into his room, 'as
you don't start for New York on that
extradition business till tomorrow, l
wish you'd just see what you can do in
this matter. Let's see. Here's the
cashiers sketch of the woman: Dress
ed in dark clothes, short and stout,
snow white hair, red nose, diamond
and sapphire cluster finger ring He
guessed her age at sixty-five, and she
led him to understand that the check,
indorsed Mary Wooler, was in pay
ment of some house property she had
engaged Mr.. Hewitt to SELL"
! tracked woman, answering to the
description TO Liverpool, where lost
her. The next day l sailed for New
York on the extradition case, and a
careful scrutiny of every passenger on
board the liner convinced me that she
was not among them. AS l. did not in
tend to let the disappointment interfere
with my enjoyment of the voyage, l
lost no time in making friends among
my fellow passengers.
| The next cabin to mine was that of
Mrs. Beslake and her daughter, Anne.
The mother was TALL fragile looking
lady, while the daughter, slim and
graceful, possessed as pretty face as
it has ever been my lot to look upon.
To while away the tedium of the long
and often cold evenings, when we could
not remain on deck with comfort, i'm
promptu concerts would be started in
the music room. and on these occasions
Miss Beslake sometimes sang. She pos
sessed rich contralto voice. which
held one entranced, the notes sweet,
sympathetic and mellow as a black
birds. Naturally when the great con-
cert was organized in the saloon, two
days before we passed Sandy Hook,
Miss Beslake was asked to take part
in 1t. She readily consented.
AS l made my way along the main
deck toward the saloon ! saw Mrs.
Beslake and her daughter just ahead
of me. Mrs. Beslake was reading
sheet Of paper she held In her hand.
Presently she tore it up and tossed the
shreds overheard.
A scrap of the paper borne upward
by the wind fell on the deck at my feet.
On 1t was Mr. Hewitt's name, cleverly
forged In the same hand as the check.
could scarcely control the cry that
rose to my lips. STOPPING, picked up
the fragment and placed it securely in
my pocket.
Immediately l thought of the captain
and cOnfided my suspicious to him.
'It's little more than conjecture yet"
l concluded. land l must ask you to
help me In confirming it."
Willingly" said the captain. ''How
can assist your"
"You have the keys, presume, for
the various cabinsY replied. Mrs.
Beslake and her daughter are now in
the saloon. The concert will last an
hour. In the meantime you and will
see what we can find"
In the cabin of the two ladies my APP
prehensions received abundant confir-
nation. With some little difficulty Isuc-
ceeded in forcing back the catch Of a
large portmanteau that stood in the
corner of the compartment. The first
object that met my eyes was wig Of
white hair. Beneath it lay a box of
grease paints similar to those used by
actors in making up.
At the bottom of the portmanteau we
found a pocketbook containing several
bank notes. the numbers of which
agreed with the list given me on the
spurious check.
! We had reached this stage Of our
search when the cabin door suddenly
swung open and Miss Beslake appear
ed in the entrance.
"What is the meaning of this-this
ungentlemanly proceeding" she cried,
not without a tremor of fear In her
voice.
1t is needless to describe the scene
that ensued. Even now cannot recall
it without pang Of sorrow. Suffice it
to say that on my return to England
had three prisoners under my care
Mrs. and Miss Beslake, as well as the
man, Tom Purdoe, whose safe custody
back to London had been the prime
object Of my mission. OF him it Is not
necessary to speak here.
Miss Beslake was identified by Mr..
Hewitt as former governess Of his
children, she having left his employ
ment month prior to the presentation
Of the check on the bank. In her conf
Dental capacity she had had no diff
Guilty in obtaining access to the library
aud so accomplishing her nefarious
purpose. She had stepped into the car
riage at Euston decrepit old woman
and issued from 1t a bright and agile
girl. At Liverpool her mother had met
her, Mrs. Beslake having reasons of
her own for not wishing to be seen In
London.
There can be no doubt that In reality
Mrs. Beslake was the prime mover in
the whole disreputable affair, for at the
trial before sentence was passed upon
them II was conclusively shown that
she had more than once served terms
Of Imprisonment for similar offenses.-
Woman's Life.
Just Once.
1t was Charley's first game of golf
His patient friend had taken him sadly