Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1905-12-21
lcqpyIlght, by The cassell Publiahins co.l
CHAPTER 4
FOUND DEAD.

CHAPTER 4 @
FOUND DEAD.
The private Office Of North & Stack
aouso. State street, bankers and brok-
ars, contained on ths morning Of FRI |
day, June 16, 1887, group Of anxious
and excited men, whose conversation |
plainly indicated that their uneasiness
was caused BY the continued and uneK- |
planned absence OF Paul North, the
senior partner.
Ia State street circles North g.
StacNhouse were elassed among the
.'pluneersT For the first two years of
the firms existence, indeed, there had
been but slight departure from the
conservative policy followed by Mr..
North, who, when In the brokerage
business on his own account, had been
content with a modest office in a COM
paratively quiet street Leading east
ward from Post once square
But, under the lead OF Mr.. Stack
house--an energetic man Of 40, ten
years his partners understanding
had been added 10 Brokerage; and the
arm had become widely known as the
promoter of many daring enterprises.
Nicaragua Midland was speciality
with North & staelKhouse. In season
and out OF season Nicaragua Midland
had been doomed" with perslstency
that caused some of the older magGRtes
of "the street" to shake their heads
ominously, but which had attracted,
nevertheless, the admiration and co
operation of a multitude of people.
NOT al who invested their earnings
under the advice of North & Stack
house had, it is true, found the ven
ture profitable.
Twelve days previous to this June
morning in 1887 curious letter, in an
unknown hand, had been laid on Mr..
North's desk The writing was an odd
sort Of scrawl uncertain in its lines,
but legible enough This was the
missive:
..My Dear Sir: am desperate man.
ruined by your manipulations of the prop
erty entrusted to your hands. must have
money enough TO begin life again only
ask for little back out of all you robbed
me Of but that little must have. There
is only one thing for you to do: Draw a
check, for one thousand dollars payable
to bearer, and enclose It addressed TO me
at the post office, Boston. If you fail IN
this. swear TO shoot you down as wou.d
y -
refer this matter to the police. That act
would be your death warrant.
DANIEL sTICKNEY."
Paul North, to whom personally this
threatening letter was addressed, had
consulted his partner in some little
uneasiness Of mind.
Its ali nonsense" Mr.. StaelIhoust
had said, confidently. "A mere prac
teal Joke of some broker who wants
to brighten you. A few Of them wer'
nipped in the last turn of the marke
40 our favo-, you know, and perhaps
they hold North & Stackhouse re
sponsible nut IL the matter disturb
you at all, why turn the letter love
10 the police. They'll attend to II
We must look after Nicaragua Mid
land very sharply this week, North
aud have no time to bother our head
about trifies.
Nevertheless Mr.. North had trouble,
himself about the matter sufficiently
to put tins letter into the hands o
Inspector Applebee for such action a
seemed proper.
Upon the advice Of that quietly ei
ticient parsonage a decoy letter ha
been written by Mr.. North, inclosin
= check for $1,000. payable to bearer.
An officer, In citizens clothes. ha
beeE stationed on duty constantly O
the post once, but no Daniel Stiekne
had called for the letter addressed I
his name.
AS a precaution against any posslbl
oversight payment of the check ha
been stopped at the bank, precautio
which thus far had proved equal
useless.
Just as told you" stackhouse ha
said to his partner after a few day
a brokers practical joke"
The letter soon passed out OF min
for business cares weighed heavily o
both partners.
So absorbed and anxious had Nj
North become that be could talk an
think of little except the market an
Its prospects.
Was It altogether on the subject
Nicaragua Midland that he had he
conference, late IN the afternoon Of Il
l5th Of June. with one Of the chief II
vcstors, though not q director, IN Il
Nicaragua Midland -AIr. Richard Re
Eidge4
" nNh1SA VI NH NA-D AANoAAAGM nd
NOT been finished &C the once, for a
two men had been seen to walk ava
together, sti.l talking earnestly
The junior partner had left the ON,
hours before, outWardly calm VIVA
ever bis lorsbodings may have bee
Thoraton staokhouse was not the ma
to allow his troubles to snow ther
selves In look or manDey
Paul North was the .atheF-in-law
his basiness associate. and Thornt,
stackhouse made his home In sur
mer time IL Mr.. Norths spacious VII
al swAmpscJtt. from Whc1e broad wi
do9a the occupRpts enjoyed an exh
nratina prospeet the sailfeck
ocean.
At ton o'clock IN the morning Of u
friday. the 10th OF june. the direct0