Omaha daily bee., 1906-09-09
TANGIER INCIDENT IN FICTION
Chicago Bank wrecker's Case Almost
ParaI1eled by Richard
Harding Davis.

Richard Harding Davis in THE Exiles."
one of his stronger short stories, paints a
scene OF the lack of the rule of law" in
Tangier that is singularly reminiscent of
the general principles underlying the ar
rest of Paul o. Stensland in the Moroccan
capital.
Keen lawyers declared that the so-cailed
arrest" had no legal standing. az there
is nothing to make a warrant from the
state of Illinois of any value whatever In
the sultan's dominions. Assistant States
Attorney Olson wanted his man and he
got him. That was all there was to 1t.
Stensland. to evade the law, had fled 10 a
land where there was no law.
In Mr.. Davis story the defaulter, Win
throp Allen, OF New YORK;. loots a trust
company, and just before the crash fees
to Tangier. carrying with him $5OOOOO in
cash OF this sum $4,000 is trust funds be-
longing to Miss Martha Fields, an old New
York school teacher. Henry Howard IIol-
combe a reform assistant district attorney,
chances to be in Tangier when Allen ar
rives there. He learns that the embezzler
has old Miss Fields cash with him, and
in a sudden burst of anger resolves to
force restitution. The young reformer's
stay at Tangier had slowly widened his
view of things, and he resolves to get the
money in a manner that would not do IN a
land where the law rules.
Telling the rest of the story in Mr. Davis
words, 1t runs as follows:
"Holcombe slipped the revolver into his
pocket and passed on quickly to a room on
the second floor of the hotel He knocked
and the door was partly opened. Holconbe
pushed it back with his shoulder, and
stepping quickly inside. closed it again be-
hind him.
The man within. into whose presence
he had forced himself. confronted him with
surprise, which increased as he recognized
his visitor. Winthrop Allen was of erect
carriage. with white hair and whiskers cut
after an English fashion, which left the
mouth and chin clean shaven. He was OF
severe and dignified appearance and gave
in his bearing the look of an elderly gentle
man who had lived a self-respecting, we'll
cared-for and well-ordered life.
"Holcombe shifted the weight OF his body
and closed his hands on the doorknob be-
hind him, \ had letter about you from
home tonight, Allen, he began comfort
ably. The person who wrote it was anxi-
Gus that should return to New York and
set things working in the district attor-
neys office In order to bring you back IL
isn't you they want so much as
How dare you refer to my misfor-
tuner
Your misfortunei What rot!" Hol-
combe growled resentfully. You mustn't
talk like that to me. A man who has
robbed people who trusted him for years,
as you have done, can't afford to talk OF
his misfortune You were too long about
it, Allen. You had too many chances TO
put it back. You've no feelings to be hurt
"Mr. Holcombe,' interrupted Allen earn
estly, 4 do not want any words with you
about this. l am here owing to a combIna-
ton of circumstances which have led me
through hopeless. endless trouble. What |
have gone through with no one knows.
am greatly to be /pitied, Mr.. Holcombe.
greatly to be pitied. What do you
think 1 am. anyway? A child that you can
INSULT? I'm not a prisoner in the box for
you to browbeat and bully. Mr.. District
Attorney. You seem to forget that / am
out OF your jurisdiction now. You are
very important young person at home.
Harry; but New York state laws do not
reach as far as Africa
"'Quite right; that's q, exactly said
Holcombe with cheerful alacrity. I'm glad
you have grasped the situation so soon;
that makes Il easier for me. Before leav-
ing New York you converted bonds and
mortgages belonging to Miss Martha Field
into ready money. You must have II with