Evening journal., 1903-01-24
THE MAN WHO
HAS MY NAME


ward Allen Mills. He is a disreputable
character, always getting into trouble,
and, as we are both known as p. A.
Mills, 1, being the better known, usu-
ally get the credit for his misdeeds.
His father many years ago was proml
nent and was presented with a silver
service. The son pawned 1t, and It
was soon reported that my fathers
testimonial was to be seen In the win
dow Of a pawnshop. This alone cost
me hosts of friends. The only business
Mr.. Edward Allen Mills followed was
that of detective, at which he was very
expert Being dishonest himself, he
knew how to track dishonesty.
One afternoon a messenger came into
my office with a note for e. A. Mills.
which opened. 1t read:
Call at once at the Bingley hotel
p. Y. BROWN.
1 knew the man to be a large real es-
tate operator in a neighborlng city and
hoped for an important order. Going
to the hotel, l found Mr.. Brown. who,
upon learning that l was Mr.. Mills,
told me that during the preceding
night his room had been entered and
he had been robbed of $1,000 in bills
which he had with him to make a ten
der for a piece of property he claimed
to have purchased, the owner asserting
that It had not been sold.
Mr.. Brown was a steady tal1er who
would permit OF no interruption and
insisted on giving me all the facts be-
fore l could get in n word. BY that
time 1 concluded to let him remain for
awhile in ignorance of my true voca-
tion, trusting that his mistake might
turn out to be of some advantage to
me. 1t was near 6 o'clock when 1
called, and he invited me to go down to
dinner with him, when he would have
plenty of time TO give me the facts. 1t
was plain to me that l was supposed
to be Mills the detective instead Of
Mills the real estate dealer. l resolved
to take advantage of the mistake to get
some satisfaction for the damage done
me by Mr.. Mills unenviable reputation
by eating a good dinner meant for him.
Mr.. Brown was an epicure and set
before me a feast with plenty of wine.
The consequence was that before we
had finished l had drunk my share of
two bottles of champagne. Wine
makes me stupid and sleepy, and
asked my hosts permission to so up to
his room and lie down. He told nae to
do so and said he would be up present
ly himself. He gave me his key, which
l inserted in the door, but found that II
had not been locked. l went in, felt
my way in the dark to one of two beds
in the room and, being somewhat "ab
sentminded," took off my clothes and
went to bed
Suddenly l was awakened by some
one in the room. 1 expected to see Mr.
Brown light the gas, but instead II
was lighted by n woman. Her bach
being turned to me, 1 had time to sliI
out of and under the bed. From my
hiding place saw the woman take out
a large bundle of bills, count them anC
place them under her pillow. Ther
she went to a door leading to an ad
Joining room, turned the knob stealth
lily and listened. Finally she turned ou
the gas and got into the other bed
which, fortunately for me, was farthes
from the door.
1t was plain to me that had got int,
the wrong room, which, suspected, wa
the one next to Mr.. Browns. If so
this woman was the thief and had OBJ
tanned access TO his room through tn,
intervening door. Waiting till hearG
her snore, 1 stealthily gathered up m.
clothes and, crawling to the door, un
locked it and went out. Just as die
so the night Waterman came along and
seeing me stealing out Of a room un
dressed, took me in charge. However
l succeeded in getting him TO let m
prove the story / told him, and afte
dressing 1 went downstairs with hin
The room 1 had slept in was found t
be next to Mr.. Browns and, calling 70
the police, we made the raid.
The woman told very straight story
which of course convinced no one, an
she was ordered to dress and com
along, but before we left the hotel tn
proprietor was called up and identfie
her as one Of the most respectable pa
= irons Of the house. Then the bills wer
= examined and found to be no more tina
t necessary FOR her travelling expenses
$ The result was that she was permitte
TO go back to bed after receiving a hun
BILE apology, and was taken to the sts
tion and locked up.
Words cannot describe the horror {
i that night I'm a cell. A drunken prisoT
er was brought in fighting, a woma
y screaming. While these people wer
e making night hideous without my ce
the rats were scurrying about within
Fortunately had not been imprisone
till . o'clock in the morning, so III
{ night was short, and when brought u
q for examination in the morning fOun
U no difficulty in proving my identity Q
a prominent real estate man and ws
discharged with a warning from II
:, justice to stick TO my own trade and Il