Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-05-30

NEW YORKER AND THE STURDY
 FENTOM" could find them. Having settled this point had no trouble in ascertaining that pair of these arcties had gone to the office of Col. Franklin. Then [ took that unidentified watch and went from jewelry store to jewelry store until at last I was fortunate enough to find the man who had sold 1t. Again I ran across Col. Franklin As the purchaser. The unidentified diamond pin was also traced to him. A good deal of minor information was incidentally picked up, which hasi been found to fit in the case. paid a visit to Uncle Dick Norris, and again crossed the trail of Franklin, learning that he had been in the Bayou woods on the day of the mur der. In the meanwhile I studied at odd times the lives and careers of Old Tom, Bob Padgett and the red flannel shirt man, and learned that all of them were in communication with the man whose presence seemed to pervade the case from end to end.
 Having gathered a great deal of evidence here and done all that could be done for the time, it was decided that I should go to Colorado and find put the actual facts about the min ing tract. I made my way to the mine adjoining the Wright tract, and there found a horde of miners wait4 Ing hungrily for the signal to begin work in the new field. A great stony wedge which marked one of the boun- diaries of the tract had, by some up heaval centuries ago, been thrust straight across the vein of gold. This doubly rich vein, it had been found, extended into the Wright tract. Old gold hunters told me that it was probably the most valuable piece of land in the state, and that it would make it's owners fabulously rich.
 'It was my good fortune while I was loafng about the mine to become acquainted with MT. Frederick Meri- vale, the chief stockholder in it. He had come out from New York some time before, when the report reached him that his vein had run up against stone wall, and that the jig was up. The object of his journey was to make thorough investigation, To- cate the severed thread of gold, and purchase the land that continued it. A very, casual examination convinced him that just over the wall of stone lay the biggest bonanza in the state. The next thing was to get hold of it. It was registered in the name of the Diamond Mining company, of which Franklin was apparently the presi- dent and chief stockholder. We'll, Mer- ivale wrote to Franklin and asked if he wanted to sell. He did not get an l answer for some time. Franklin was l evidently Investigating through other sources to see what was up. Finally came the answer, which I have here and will read:
 "I would be willing to sell pro- viding you can meet my price. The tract referred to being now the most promising gold land in the west, I do not propose to part with it for a song.'
 Several letters passed between them, and finally Merivale made a proposition that they should open the mine as joint owners. He would put in all the necessary appliances, which he had near at hand; would stand all the expenses, take all the risks, and give Franklin half net of the gold output the first year. After that they were to share expenses and profits together. A letter to this effect is also in my possession.
 Finally there came a hitch in the transactions. Wright had learned something of the value of his tract
 through Moses Dennison, formerly
 of this part of the country, but who had moved to Colorado years before
 and who had purchased this very
 tract for MT. Wright. MT. Dennisor
 rather plumed himself in his sagacity
 in having picked out such big thing
 20 years before, and he wrote tt
 Wright in very enthusiastic man
 ner. Merivale got wind of the fac
 shrough Dennisop that Wrigh