The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1902-12-11

saw, too, that he meant to tell what he
knew about 1t. looked at Mrs. Law
son, and there were tears in her eyes.
'"That old woman" began the man,
"said moment ago that she had in
her pocket the tags taken from these
clothes. Show me the tags. and I'll
talk fast enough, for the law can't
touch me for what l did"
I handed the tags to the officer, and
he let the proprietor look at them, be-
ing careful to keep one hand on them
all the time
"Yes," be said. defiant-like. 81 did
sell this suit to young man matter
Of three or four weeks ago. But before
that and on the same night sold then,
to another man. who never lived to put
them on"
Mercy said 1. "Why didn't he live
to put them ONT"
"All in good time, old woman" was
the impudent reply. You'll soon know
all about it II you'll give me chance.
This first customer bought this suit
and paid for 1t. Then he went to the
back end Of the store to put it on.
saw him sniff some articles. such as
a knife, bunch of keys and a little
change, from the pockets Of the pants
he had on to the pockets of the new
ones, but he seemed to change bis
mind, for he took them out again and
asked to have the new suit done up,
saying that he'd wear the old clothes
home. But noticed that he put u little
slip Of printed paper into the watch
pocket Of the new pants and didn't
take it out again when he shifted She
other things. remember thinking
about 1t at the time and intending to
call his attention to 1t, but another
customer came in just then. and for
got all about it. From that day up to
a week or so ago l never once thought
of the matter, though I've been sorry
enough for my forgetting that little
slip of paper"
THAT must have been the lottery
ticket" gasped Mrs. Lawson. And
VIII has been telling the gospel truth
word, poor boyw
YES" said the man, II guess it was
the lottery ticket I've been reading
about in the papers-No. 9S567-that
drew $4,000. l was fool not to have
my mind about me and take 1t out Of
the watch pocket when got the clothes
back on the shelf again. They wouldn't
have traced 1t to me, can tell you, and
I'd have been $4,000 better off now"
II wish you had" said Mrs. Lawson,
with a sob. ~ wish to goodness you
hadw
The rascal glared and went on with
his story.
about two minutes after the man
went away with the clothes there was
a hue and cry in the street, and went
out to see what was up. leaving clerk
to wait on customers. When got out
side, l heard people saying that a man
had just been murdered at the mouth
Of an alley not far up the street, and l
went there, curious to see who 1t was.
As soon as l came up to the place
where the crowd was l saw that it was
nay customer that had been murdered.
He lay upon the stones Of the alley,
with q knife wound In his breast and
the blood all about him on the frosty
ground. This suit of clothes that had
Just sold him lay there by his side just
as l had tied it up for him. Then the
thought came to me that might take
the mans clothes and no one would
lose by it, for you can't rob Il dead
ha -,ox al n
l picked them up and hid them under
my coat, and no one saw me, so great
was the excitement. | got back to the
store as quick as my feet could carry
me and put the clothes ON the shelf
again, never once thinking Of the little
printed slip In the watch pocket Of the
pants, worse luck"
The officer laughed at the shameless
scoundrel's changed tone and manner,
but didn't feel much like laughing,
can tell you. with poor Will lying there
In prison, his neck almost into the
hangman's moose.
"Then In half an hour or So" con-
tinued the man, this young fellow
that's been arrested for murder came
in. and l sold him the clothes. l sup
pose the lottery ticket was still In the
watch pocket, and he must have found
1t after he got home and presented it
for payment"
"Im the one that found the ticket"
broke in Mrs. Lawson. the tears Of Joy
running down her face, land I've al
ways thought he lied to me about how
It came there. I'm glad he hasn't got
the sin Of lying to answer for even If
we can't prove that he didn't kill the
man."
I'VE can prove that fast enough
now" said the officer. Then he turned
to the storekeeper again. why didn't
you come forward and tell the truth
when you saw the danger this inno-
cent boy was in?" he asked. But for
this remarkable wOman"-he really
said remarkable" and nodded his
head at me, though l think Mrs. Law
son deserves most Of the credit for
what was done on account OF her
thinking about the tags-'but for this
remarkable woman he might have