The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-09-01
A LORD AND T
TWO LADIES ;
Cyrus Dericksor

o*O*o+o+o+o+oo&o&o%oxo4o46
Scotland Yard had n case on hand
that needed TO he handled with the ut
most delicacy, and IL was handed over
to Inspector Jones. Jones was a red
headed, homely looking man. seeming
ly more fitted I'm every way to handle
q crowbar In a quarry than to work
up a delicate case in police matters,
but as matter of fact he was all
finesse TO his fingers ends This case was
one wherein Lord Baltimore refused to
pay his just debts to certain tradesmen
Some lords refuse to pay their debts
because they can't raise the money to
do IL. but Lord Baltimore refused to
because he denied the bills, though
they were sent In by some of the most
prominent jewelers. in the trade. Not
only did the young lord deny the bills
and damn the people who sent them.
but the daughter OF Lady Jane Sy-
monds and the wife of Sir John Bevis
likewise denied certain bills incurred
| at the same time and while I'm the CON-
pany OF the lord.
When Inspector Jones came to inter-
view the six anxious creditors. each Of
whom had been let i'm for at least
f1.00O. and some of them for three
times that sum, they told plain,
| straight stories. Lord Baltimore had
called in company with the ladies at a
certain date. He needed no introduc-
ton. as he was well known, but he had
Il trafr rods nd sh...s ~
ladies. In each instance they had been
searching for birthday gifts, and moth
| ing but the choicest and the best
| would satisfy them. That three peo-
| pie OF title should call at once was
enough to make a shopkeeper gasp for
breath. and that the trio should con-
| descend to select liberally of his stock
and bear their purchases away with
them made him weak I'm the knees for
an hour afterward. Lord Bathmore's
credit was good for 100000 at any
shop In London, and It was really too
bad that the trio could not be induced
TO purchase three or four times what
they finally selected.
The bills had not been sent until
three months later, and they were al
most year old before the various
firms dared to add that part payment
would be a source of qualification
Then II was that the denials We're
made. and those denials put the credi-
tors In hole. Ii isn't considered
proper form in England to serve a IT,
tied debtor as they serve a delinquent
malefactor. He or she must he treated
/ In a erfro h.. A.. \. L..
gone. 1t was the fiat denial of each
one of the trio that sent the case to
Scotland Yard and put Inspector Jones
TO work. II looked like conspiracy,
and II was possible that a trick had
been played on the jewellers. 1t was
four weeks before Inspector Jones
made his first report. and IL ran as fol-
lows:
81 find that all the purchases were
made in the same week. though on diff
ferent afternoons. have had an in
terview with each debtor. and all deny
the purchases. Indeed l have proofs
that Lord Baltimore was In Paris all
that week and that at least one of the
ladies was out of town for the whole
month. We must either believe that
these three persons are liars and con.
spirators or that there has been series
Of queer mistakes"
1t was far longer before a second and
final report was sent in. Inspector
Jones did not believe the trio to be
liars and conspirators. and he ran w
against stone wall at once. In eaci
and every case my lord and his lady
friends had been waited on by the head
salesman or one Of the house, and IL
each and every case was we'll known
by sight. The jewellers couldn't bs
sure Of the Identity of the ladies' bu
that 1t was Lord Baltimore who hon
ored them with his presence they wer,
ready to take their affidavits. Inspector
Jones begged to differ with them, bu
he realized that he had work on hant
before he could prove his point.
made the case all the more difficult be
cause 1t was year old. As a begin
ming he visited the pawn shops, ans
after long hunt he had the good lucl
to turn up string OF pearls that ha,
been included among the purchases
But in the end ii led to nothing, for tn,
description furnished by the pawn
brokers failed TO tally with the person
Of the three accused
Inspector Jones, without being able +
advance anything but general reasons
got further stay of proceedings. III
had an intuition that he would drop ol
the right clew IL given time, and tn
creditors reluctantly conceded that /
they went to law and were beatel
they stood n good chance of bein
mulcted in heavy damages. A yea
went by and the inspector seemed n
VI nearer the end OF his case. Then luc
stepped i'm to - him. Business of an
other nature called him over TO ireland
e and one night he found himself hun
up I'm a small town with only one thin
e to do to pass away long evening
That was TO attend a play TO be give
8 at the town hall by n second rate pre-
u vincial theatrical company. Two shor
y plays We're billed. and between theT
n Professor Fairfax was to perform wor
derful feats of Juggling and impersoI
4 ate many well known characters.
y The inspector attended. and his II
k terest was only so so until the impel
j. sonations began. Then IL quickene,
n and by the time the professor had turI
h ed himself into Lord Baltimore the d.
he tectice was enthusiastic. There wer
the dress. gait the voice and the gei
Dr lures Of my lord TO T. as any on
Is who knew him must say. and the NJ
Dlaus.s that followed was all that coul