The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-10
Tragedy OF a &6Nad5udo5ug

ance of the money to Mrs. Bott, so that
she could go home to the Fatherland
and live in comfort.
Meanwhile Mrs. Bott had searched
the city high and low and she averred
that on one occasion she had seen the
precious violin in the window of Victor
FLETCHER, a well known musical inStru-
ment dealer of Union Square.
Owing to her accusations Victor
Fletcher, much to the surprise of all
who had known him for many years
of an honorable business career, was
arrested for completely in the theft.
Bot meanwhile had died of grief
over the loss of his Stradivarius.
The case against Fletcher was push
ed with venom in inverse ratio to the
facts which inspired it.
The result was that Fletcher was con-
victed as a common thief and only
spared the ignoniny of a term in Jail
by the interference of powerful friends
who were convinced of his innocence.
For five years that damning accusa-
ton hung over Victor Fletcher's head
making him in the eyes of all but those
who knew him a criminal of the mean
est type-a man who would wrong
an aged couple on the verge of the
grave of their only inheritance.
Fletcher did not, however, give way
to morbidity under the strain. He de-
termined to establish his innocence
at whatever cost. He began by asking
every professional friend to look out
for the missing Stradivarius. Finally,
after years of writing and Wonderment
James c. Tarr,- violin maker of
Brooklyn, dropped in to tell Fletcher
of a wonderfully tuneful violin which
Mrs. Springer of Jay Street, Brook
lyn, owned.
Victor Fletcher watched the woman
take the alleged instrument from the
case. He was nervous as he saw how
carelessly she handled it. He carefully
examined it's markings. Still he was
Undecided.
might he try it?" Mrs. Stringer did
not object. Drawing the bow across
the strings there quavered a tone that
to Prof. Fletcher meant heaven born
music. 1t was the long lost violin.
Excusing his agitation on the ground
that it had been caused by the reviv-
ing memories of his art, he left the
house saying nothing of the violin's
history to Mrs. Springer.
I've got it, he shouted breathlessly
as he dashed into Capt. McClosky's Of
flee at headquarters. tits in Brook
lyn."
Fletcher was so excited that he talk.
en- incoherently.
Capt. McCloSky promised to investi-
gate. He sent Detective Price to
Brooklyn. The detective examined the
violin and compared it with the min.
ute description given by Mrs. Bot at
the trial of Fletcher. lie decided it
was the same instrument.
Mrs. Springer, who kept a small tai
or supply store at As Smith street said
she had bought the violin from a tailor
for $50. She did not know it's real
value. and had repeatedly offered to
sell it for few hundred dollars. Mrs.
Springer and her son thought it was
an old French instrument.
The end of the romance or tragedy
of this particular violin came when 1t
was handed back to Mrs. Bott recently
and the Indictment against Victor
Fletcher was dismissed.
Not long after the disappearance Of
the Bott violin Prof. Mollenhauer of
the International college or Music in
And street, lost a GuarnerIus, valued
at $4,000.
Shortly after this two valuable in
struments which were appraised at
81 900 each were stolen from the store
Of clean H. Dodworth in 125th street.