The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-09-19
A TANGIER INCIDENT.
StensIand Case Was Almost ParaI
leled by Richard Harding Davis.
Chicago Pos

Richard Harding Davis. in 1.-The Elk
Hes 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 arrest of Paul o. Stems
land i'm the Moroccan capital
Keen lawyers declared yesterday that
the so-called arrest" had no legal
standing, as there is nothing to make a
warrant from the state of Illinois OF
any value whatever in the sutan's do
miniOns. Assistant States Attorney
Olson wanted" his man and he got
him. That was all there to it, stems
land, TO evade the law. had fled to a
land where there was no law
In Mr.. Davis story the defaulter.
Winthrop Allen of New York, loots a
trust company, and just before the
crash fees to Tangier, carrying with
him $5O0,000 in cash. Of this sum $50.
600 is trust funds belonging to Miss
Martha Fields, AN old New York school
teacher. Henry Howard Holcombe, a
reform assistant district attorney,
chances to be in Tangier when Allen
arrives there. He learns that the en-
bezzler has all Miss fields cash with
him. and in a sudden burst of anger re-
solves to force restitution. The young
reformer'S stay at Tangier mad slow
ly widened his view of things, and he
resolves to get the money is a manner
that would not do in q land where the
law rules.
Telling the rest of the story in Mr..
Davis words, it 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 Holcombe pushed IL back with
his shoulder and, stepping quickly in
side. closed it again behind him.
The man within. into whose pres
ence he had forced himself. confronted
him with surprise, which increased as
ne recognized his visitor. Winthrop
Allen was OF erect carriage. with white
hair and whiskeIs, cut after an Eng
fish fashion. which left the mouth and
chin clean shaver. He was of severet
and dignifed appearance and gave in
his bearing the look of an elderly gen
tlenian who mad lived a self-respecting,
well-cared-for and well-orde1ed life
'Holcombe shifted the weight of his
body and closed his hands on the door
knob behind him. Il had letter about
you from home tonight, Allen he be-
gan comfortably. The person who
wrote it was anxious that I should re-
turn to New York and set things work
ing in the district attorneys office in
order to bring you back. 1t isn't you
they want as much as
How dare you refer to my misfor-
tune?'
Your misfortune, 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
earnestly, 4 do not want any words
with you about this. 1 am here owing
to a combination of circumstances
which have led me through hopeless. |
endless trouble. What I have gone
through with no one knows l am
greatly to be pitied, Mr. Holcombe. |
greatly to be pitied What do you
think am, anyway? a child that you
can insult? I'm not 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 a very important young per-
son at home, Harry. But New York |
state laws do not reach as far as Afri- |
ca
"'Quite right: that's it, exactly said |
glad you have grasped the situation so |
soon. That makes it easier for me. Be
fore leaving New York you converted |
bonds and mortgages belonging to Miss |
Martha Field into ready money. You
must have it with yOn now in this |
room. And this 100000, which belongs !
to the best, purest and kindest woman
have ever known, is going back with |
me tomorrow 10 New York
fiercely. Do you propose to turn high
wayman and thief? If you make a
move toward me I'll call the people Of
the house-and expose you. Do you sup
pose I'd let you leave the country with
my money? I'd have you dragged from
your bed this very night, or I'd have
you seized as you set foot on the wharf
would appeal to our consul general
AS far as he knows, / am as worthy
of protection as yourself, and. failing
him, I'd appeal to the law of the land
"'You poor thing!' interrupted Hol-
combe. Do you know where you are ?
You talk, Allen, as though we were
within sound of the cable cars on
Broadway. AS for the law of the land,
there is no law of the land. That's why
you're here. You are in a place popu-
lated by exiles and outlaws like your
self, who have preyed upon society un-
III SONiSNy A'S tuihSN diu lAiSlltllcu
each of them off, like dog with his
tail between his legs. The man who
rules you here is an ignorant negro, de-
bauched and vicious and a fanatic
What do you suppose he cares for a
dog of a Christian who has been robbed
in a hotel by another Christian?
There is no law Holcombe repeat
ed softly. There is no help for you now
or later. 1t is q question of two men
locked in = room with $50, 900 between
them. We have returned to first prin-
ciples, Allen. 1t is man against man,
and there is no court of appeal. You