Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-06-17

sources to see what was up. Finally
came the answer, which 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, 1
do not propose to part with it for a
song
Several letters passed between
them, and finally Merivale made q
proposition that they should open
the mine as joint owners. He would
put in all the necessary appliances,
which he had near Mt 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 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 Mr.. Wright. Mr.. Dennison
rather plumed himself in his sagacity
In having picked out such big thing
20 years before, and he wrote to
Wright in very enthusiastic man
ner. Merivale got wind of the fact
through Dennison that Wright
claimed the ownership, and he wrote
to Franklin to know whether he
could give clear title. By various
misrepresentation, which the letters
in my possession set forth, Franklin
managed to get considerable sums
out of Merivale, and with the money
thus obtained the work of thievery
and assassination was carried on.
Il found Merivale to be very good
sort of fellow, and straight as that
kind of man generally is. He was
tricky and cold-blooded when it came
to the manipulation of stocks. He
didn't care where he hit provided he
had his own way, and he was not tho
kind of man to stop and shed any
tears over the corpses cast along the
shores of finance by the flood Of
speculation; but he wasn't thief, a
murderer or an assassin, nor know
ingly partner of one. He received
me very cordially, and when had
got fairly acquainted with him I gave
him an inkling of my business, and
then l began to stuff him full of my
suspicious and surmises regarding
Franklin. satisfied him that Frank
lin had been using his money for
criminal projects, carried out to Sc
cure unlawful possession of the prop
erty. l persuaded him that Franklin
was deceiving him in most indie
feasible manner, and that he was
doing himself an injustice in further
ing his schemes.
Merivale. I told him that I would
alter my appearance and go back to
Nilus, taking his name; and that by
pretending to sympathize with all of
Franklin's schemes should get into
his confidence and worm from him
the truth. In return for this priv
lege, L promised Merivale that 1
would use all the influence 1 had, re-
enforced by Mr.. Everett, to induce
the real owners Of the mine to con-
sent to the proposition he had made
to Franklin. He studied over it for q
while. could see that he rather
enjoyed the idea. 1t would be a rare
joke and rare revenge, but 1 could
see that he hesitated. Doubtless he
was little apprehensive as to what
use would make of his name; so
told him that he could write to Mr..
Everett, and that gentleman would
stand for my doing nothing that
would bring discredit on his name.
AT last he consented, and at my sug-
gestion he wrote letter to Col.
franklin stating that he would be in
Nilus in short time. He then made
arrangements to depart for San
Francisco, where he had some inter
ests demanding his attention. Before
l left he placed In my possession all
of Col. Franklin's letters to him, as
well as copies of his letters to Frank
lin.
'In order to personate Me1ivale, a
transformation was necessary. had
my hair cut as close as if it had been
shaved, and then purchased blond
wig, which I mutilated and trimmed
SO that when put on appeared to be
growing bald rapidly. Then had
my beard trimmed and parted, and in
this shape blondined it. With red
dye frightened my cheeks, and with
pair of cloudy spectacles dulled
my eyes. And 80, armed with Frank
Inns letters and Merivale's name, l
came to Nilus as an eastern
capitalist and took the best room
in the best hotel. Before I relate
what happened in Nilus, i will first
read the letters that passed between
Merivale and Franklin"