Ellsworth American., 1903-01-07
THE NUDGE Y
MINING COMP PANY
rorlginal.l

Sllas Nudge, farmer. hearing that
an uncle had died in Colorado and had
left him a small mining property, con-
cluded to go out and look after it, But
the hay had to be got in and the fruits
shipped, and it was three months be-
fore Silas started
In Denver he fell in with a drummer
who was inclined to make game of the
simple farmer. One evening the drum
mer, being asked in the rotunda of the
hotel where Silas was staying. who's
your countrywide friend?" replied:
THAT fellow? That's Pinkerton's crack
detective. He's on the track of some
big rascality. What do you think of
his makeupT
A man sitting near heard the words,
started and walked quickly away.
That night, as Silas was going to
bed, there was a knock at his door, and
a man followed the knock.
I'm on to your game" he said.
Reckon 1 don't understand you,
stranger" said Silas astonished.
81 know what you're here for. It's
a certain mining company"
"WellT' exclaimed Silas, with eyes
and mouth open.
You can't fool me with that farmer
business. You're Pinkerton man out
here to look after us fellows who are
getting up the Nudge Mining COM
pany. Now, you're off your base The
thing isn't swindle at all, but a bona
fide transaction. The only weak spot
in it is the Nudge property, which isn't
worth SO an acre. The other proper
ties are all right. We got our deed to
the Nudge land from a rascal who
personated the heir. He fooled us
beautifully. But we don't want any
suspicion cast on our company. and
we're ready to do the right thing about
this Nudge property"
How much did you pay for it?''
Give hundred dollars. We had to
have it to carry our ore through
There is no other exit for road from
our other property. What we're afraid
of is that if the transfer of the Nudge
property to Us in fraudulent manner
becomes known it will prevent our
floating the stock of our company"
You mean you're ready to pay me
somethin' fur goin' back home an max,
in no inyestigashun."
"We'll take you in on the ground
floor If you can engage that the real
Nudge heir. whom l suspect you repre-
sent, will give us a quitclaim deed TO
his property. There's $3.0O00O0 of
stock, all of which we own. We're
going to put 100000 of it on the mar
ket at dollar n share. Wen give you
$4,000 more stock for the same pur-
pose"
Nudge was no fool. He thought for
some time and finally closed with the
man. y contract was drawn, a notary
was routed out of his bed and all was
made complete.
Il see" said the promoter, glanclng
over the paper, that you have put
everything in the name of the heir"
"Jcs' So" replied Silas.
"Well, then, he'll have either to call
for the stock or send you power Of
attorney"
"Jes' So"
"Come to my office tomorrow and !
will have deed ready to be signed,
also a receipt for the stock. Nudge
will have to agree not to sell any of his
stock till the 1st of January, when
ours goes on the market, and then only
at the rate of a thousand shares a
day"
"JeS' So"
The promoter gave the supposed de-
tective a curious parting glance, as
though he wondered at his motive for
keeping up his country character, then
left him.
When the promoter entered his Office
the next morning at 10 o'clock, Silas
had been waiting for him three hours.
The papers were ready.
"Send these papers to Silas Nudge
said the promoter, "and when they're
presented here, duly executed, Wen de-
liver the stock"
Silas took the papers and studied
them for a long while. Finally he
asked:
"Hev you got the stock ready?"
"It's in that safe"
"Git it out"
But you don't expect US to deliver
it till you produce Mudge's receipts:'
"Git it out" repeated Silas.
The promoter brought out the stock.
"What'n you give fur it in cash?"
Cash? Why, let me see-5O per
cent of par"
"I'll take it,"
The promoter. still believing that
for some purpose of his own the sup
posed detective was keeping up his
character of countryman, drew check
for $4,000.
Don't want that. l want the
money"
81 can have it certified"
Don't want nothin' certified. Gimme
the bills"
The promoter went to the bank him
self and brought back twenty-five one
thousand dollar bills. Silas put one
hand on the pile and with the other
CT tho nprS