Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1903-05-30

reporter was nberally supplied with
money and they went to work with
energy.
That afternoon, the Sth of May,
Chalmers opened Hestor's desk, and
with Stevens, made minute exam
ination of it's contents. Much to
their surprise, three check books
we're found on the glass-covered sur
face of the desk. On dates from
April IS to May 1, inclusive, Hestor
had drawn checks payable to him
self aggregating $4,64s,000.
"How could he have amassed that
amount of cash?" asked Stevens, as
he footed up the aggregate.
Here Is a memorandum which ex-
plains that" said Chalmers. He
pointed to the inside cover of one Of
the check books on which was tabu-
Hated sales of bonds and stocks
amounting to $4,627,000.
I "The Hestor estate was largely in
securities" said Chalmers. II re-
member Hestor told me ut one time
that he owned between $1S,OOO,0OO
and $16,OOO,OO0 worth of gilt-edged
stuff"
"What did he do with the cash?"
asked Stevens, with an air which in
dicated that he could answer his
own question.
street & Rogers might answer if
they would" said Chalmers. "A man
of Hestor's standing could margin
100000 shares of stock with that
amount of money. He was too wise
to draw checks payable to anyone
but himself. He must have lugged
that money down there in bills. 1t
would not make much of package
in $1,000 bills. Hestor must be $780,
100000 ahead in this deal. His in
sanity takes canny form. would
like to be crazy awhile like that my
self"
But how does he propose to get
out of it?"
"Give it up" said Chalmers. ''It
is too deep for me. Hestor is not
the kind to think of details like that.
He goes ahead and let's consequences
take care of themselves. He did not
even take the precaution to destroy
these check books. We can trace
him like q rabbit in a new fall of
snow"
Stevens now turned his attention
to such cities as Baltimore, Washing
ton and number of western cities,
in the faint hope that some
clew might be found. Instructions
were cabled to London, Paris,
and other European cities, and q
search made in these art centers,
but nothing was learned.
Chalmers was a daily visitor Mt the
Carmody residence. He inspired Miss
Helen with hope, and would not lis
ten to her fears of failure. She
was anxious to fit out the Carmody
yacht, the Helen Carmody," and be-
gin at once search for her father
and his companions. 4.
THAT is q good idea," said Mr..
Chalmers. go ahead and put the
yacht in commission, and supply her
with provisions for months
cruise, but do not start until my
men have had chance to complete
their search. 1t is now the 18th
of the month. Give me until Tues
day, the 10th, and if we have
no news by that time we will send
the Helen AS you know, there are
a score of boats securing the ocean
now. 1t is a good-sized globe, this
old world of ours, and there are mil
lions of places, any one of which Hes
tor may have selected. For all we
know, he may be cruising in the
boundless waters of the Pacific. On
the 10th we will make public all
the facts in our possession, in case
we do not in the meantime find a
definite clew. 1 do not feel justified
in doing so, except as last resort.
Hestor may not be guilty. His ac-
tons, so far as we know, can all be
explained. Our evidence against him
is purely circumstantial. We will give
Hestor time to reach some port in
Europe. We have wired instructions
to every foreign harbor, and will ut
once hear from him if he be inno-
cent. This is an awful charge to
make against an honest man, and
we must give Hestor the benefit OF
every doubt"
you are right, Mr.. Chalmers"
said Miss Helen. 81 will have the
yacht prepared for long cruise. 1t
does not seem possible that Mr.. Hes
tor could do such a thing. He is
SO kind and generous. 1t would be
awful to falsely accuse him." =
1t need not be supposed that these
daily interviews between the journal
list and the charming heiress were
entirely devoted to the solving of the