Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-01-24
CLEARS A MYSTERY
Finding of Missing Money Estab-
fishes Innocence of Young
Lady Teacher.
ORDERED FROM BOARDING PLACE
Sensation That Has Stirred Port
Byron and Vicinity
for n Week.

Port Byron Globe: The chief topic
of conversation in Port Byron this
week has been very unfortunate af-
fair that recently happened in this
vicinity, but the termination of
which, it is TO be hoped, has taught
Il lesson to- the accusers OF an inno-
cent person.
During the holidays Il young farmer
went to Cordova and sold some wheat.
and when paid he placed the proceeds
from his grain, about $40. i'll peck
etoOok and hid the wallet on a shelf
at home. No one knew of the loca-
ton of the money beside the husband
and wife and a young lady school
teacher who was teaching in the
ncighborhood and boarding with
them In few days the man of the
house was coming 10 town and
thought he would deposit the money.
He went to the shelf and took down
the wallet and opening it found the
money gone, except a silver dollar
and "a five dollar gold piece. He and
his wife could. not account Cor the
disappearance of the money except
that it had been stolen. and their sus-
picionS were directed toward the
young lady school teacher. They
came 40 town to see il she had depoS-
tied any money in the banks and find-
ing she had not. consulted Il fortune
teller, who. of course. knew all
about IL" and was not slow in telling
the man that 4 school teacher had
taken the coin. The teacher was then
accused of the theft. She stoutly
protested her innocence. but further
than this had no means to convince
her accuScrS that she was not guilty.
Her story was not believed bv them
and she WAS ordered from the prem
Uses. and she found quarters n
neighbours. Since that time the young
lady has continued her work as
school teacher. but net without many
Il heartache.
Picked To In Road.
Last Saturday young farmer told
Port Byron business man that ne
knew where the money was and said
that it had been picked up in the
road. Those who heard his story
babe him make haste tn the place
where the money was and have il re
turned to the owner, and see that the
Young lady was appraised of the fact.
He lost no time in doing this. for he
saw its Importance as soon as the
matter was explained to him. not I'M
til Il short time before having heard
that anyone was accused of its theft.
The disappearance of the coin was
easily explained when the finder re
turned it to the rightful owner. 1t
seems that on the way home the
pocketbuok was opened for the pur-
pose of paying bill, and when folded
up again was much leaner than be
fore, though it's owner did not dis
cover this. When the home was
reached the purse was carefully tuck
ed away. its owner supposfng that all
the money was there. but such was
not the case, for so dropped into the
snow while the bill was being paid
Shortly after, as several young farm
ers were passing. one of them picked
up the roll. and counting it, the young
man who picked it up said that it was
his unless the owner came for it and
proved the property. and thus he un-
| consciously retained the prize that
was necessary to prove to the young
| lady's accusers that she was wholly
innocent of the charge laid at heI
| feet.
| Accusers Censured.
! Not person in Port Byron believed
her guilty, for she has grown up in
| this village and graduated from the