The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-04-23
HIST! A MYSTERY!
Three Men Who Depart
in Close Capitalization.
"Cappen BiIday' Captain Finch and
MIR. WoodviIIe Femming Gather
together and Pass Out On
the Train for Norfolk.

What's up now?
Three heads were close together yester'
day and three voices whispered low.
Secrecy was in the air, evasive answers
We're given to questions and there was
general air as of dark lanterns. ghostly
voices and black domlnoeS.
The three who confabbed were "Cappen
Blday." Captain X. S. Finch and Mr..
Woodville Fleming. "Cappen Bilday''
and the military titled Finch have been
heard of before IN connection with AT
lantic and North Carolina Railroad af-
fairs, receiverships. ex-receiverships and
$4,000 bond events.
Mr.. Fleming-he is not known as Cap
tain FleIning-has not gotten so proml-
nently into the game. He is the New
by inheritance fifty shares of Atlantic
and North Carolina stock and he it was
who was here some time back with the
complaint against the Atlantic and North
Carolina for Judge Purneil, which Judge
w. S. OBJ. says he had in his pocket.
After the receivership was declared off,
Mr.. Fleming went back to New York.
Now he Is here-or rather was here
again. 1t was the two military titled
gentlemen and the plain Mr.. who bur
ried through the gates at the Union
depot yesterday morning at a fraction to
eleven o'clock and climbed aboard the
extra Seaboard Air Line. bound for Nor
folk.
A reporter of this paper saw them, and
he thought a talkee-talkee social was in
order. He hiei himself into the first
class car and met Captain Day coming out.
"Whither goest thou?' said the re-
porter.
Going nowhere" answered Captain
Day, who nevertheless went on into the
second-class car.
The reporter meandered on Just inside
the second door he corralled Captain
Finch and Mr.. Fleming. Says he to Cap
tain Finch:
Leaving us. Captain?"
"Just passing through" says Finch,
Am on my way to New York"
"Ah, Mr. Fleming, how are you?' says
the reporter. 'Looks as if you and Cap
tain Finch are together. Are you going
to leave us also?'
Yes says Mr.. Flemming. "Im going
to New York and l have to be along to
take care of Finch"
That's all the reporter got from the
trio, and he executed backoutsky move
ment, and held down the depot platform.
Then passed Captain Finch and Mr.
Fleming into the second-class car, and in
a turned seat space the three travellers
were soon in a quiet confab.
What did they say?
Of what matters of State or OF Railroads
or of Federal judges or of receiverships,
or of complaints did they talk?
Echo glveth no response, but the en-
CINE backing out with the train started
for
Norfolk.
What midnight ride does that word con,
jurc up! What hasting to and fro on
Norfolk streets. in Norfolk hotels and IN
Norfolk restaurants.
And the three departed from out the
boundaries of the city of Raleigh and pro-
ceedeth on their way. even up the road.
But where they stopped and upon what
travail they proceedeth the writings DO
not at this time set out. Yet IN due sea-
son it may come TO pass that the journey
of the three may be made plain, so that
even the cause thereof may be set out and
be emblaZoned upon a scroll.
There was mystery writ in their faces,
they evaded the queries of the reporter
out what he has writ he has writ, ana
taught has he set down but what he
heard and saw.
What are they up to, anyway?