The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-03-29

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!" 'hhpman4J
Not much. although he's worked
pretty hard
May ! see his reports?' asked
Cheney.
Certainly" said the chief. handing
h"hey ii package OF papers which were
lying on his desk. i've just been read
In. them"
I'm want to study these papers
awhile. May / take them to the hotel
with me? I'll bring them back TO you
IN the morning."
All right. colonel; and If you want
any further help. let me know"
cheney walked to the old Planters
MOTEL. where he was very we'll known.
went to his room and enied himself
TO everybody. barrels reports We're
spread out In front of him and he went
over them several times. making a
mental note here and there. The only
item that stood out prominently was
that a certain RED" Michelon was in
st. Louis the day the none disap-
peared, but he had not beer seen there
since. Darrei's theory was that Mich
elon was Implicated in the robbery.
Mlchelon was AN all-around high-class
crook In Il number of former robber-
les similar to this one he had PLAYED a
prominent part and on two occasions
had done time" for his shortcomings.
1T was shown hat Michelon had con-
leaerales IN several places VINO were
ever ready to help him in his nefarious
works. Cheney knew all this before he
read Iarrels report. and the theory
looked like a plausible one. Cheney also
knew Michelon by sight and his photo
graph was in the Chicago rogues' gall
iery. Every police department in the
country knew Michelon, and his moye-
lnpnfS NNara 1fpnnJ,Inf1 n nj ,,,.+o e.
TIM to time. The last Cheney had
heard of him he was in New York and
was Keeping pretty we'll under cover.
His health wa reported as breaking
down. These things caused Cheney to
ponder deeply.
Was Michelon really here on that
day? Darrell said in his report he
heard he Was" Cheney asked him
self.
1T won't be a hard matter to find
out he s%oliloquized. This is Thurs
lay. ! ought to have an aswer bv
Tuesday next. I'll write McCarren; he
can tell me-" MoCarren was chief of
the New York detective force.
Cheney wrote the letter asking if Nc
carren knew where Red" Michelon
was on the day naming the date) of
the express robbery. After mailing the
letter Cheney busted himself investi-
eating Catlin. Daniels. Chadwick and
the other man. He merely verified
Van Colts report about them. Chad
wick and his friend were above re-
pfoach. Catlin, too, Notwithstanding
his previous experiences. was apparent
~ living a decent life. He was married
and resided in kirkwood. Daniels. the
other clerk referred to by Van Colt,
was a good dresser, unmarried and
boarded way out on Pine street. He
had only been in the ST. Louis office
about three months. having come from
Denver. His salary was but SOS per
month. and he appeared to live up
to it. ~
The next day (Friday) Cheney went
10 the express office. Van Colt re-
eelved him graciously, and rendered
IN and told a straightforward story.
He had received the package. verified
the seals and placed 1T With a humble
OF others in a basket. Later they
were placed in the vault. The bank
messenger. Chadwick. called. receipted
for the package and that was all there
was to it. Naturally 500. 900. even
though it be in bills of large denomina-
tions. would make a bulky package.
Catlin's story of the receipt of the
package was so complete Cheney did
call in Daniels.
van Cott,' he said. after talking IT
over. II am convinced there were two and
- 80 "a AiSL All IFS Zeal. Inpr9 6
probably a man on the coast, one inside
here and ono outside. They've worked 1T
pretty smoothly, but the end is not vet r
am satisfied Catlin is not the man and
I'm not sure but what the change was
made out on the coast. Of course / know
the safe IN wa-ch that package was placed
came through under seal from Frisco
Your records show it was not opened in
transit. I've sent to Chicago for one of
my men. Guthrie. He'll be here tonight.
10 all intents and purposes he's one of
your men. but he'n take his orders from
me-"
Cheney left the express office and went
10 the CITY hall to see Chief L~andingham
and TO return Darrel's reports. Darrell
was there and acknowledged the intro
duction with a curt nod of the head and a
"Howdy, colonel" His manner was the
least bit resentful, as il he considered 1T
lmpertinence for Colonel Cheney to be on
a case he was supposed to handle. Cheney
did not like him a little bit. There was
something sinister about his look and
manner and his eyes were sh:fty; but that
might have been an unfortunate CHARGE
teristic. He had been on the st. Louis
force a number of years. and, truth to
tell. had established a good record. Che
ney watched him narrowly.
I've read your reports, Darrell and
gather from them you think probably
iNSu MlcIelon may NaVe had a hand
in the case"
Sure as shootin', colonel. Micbelon ~, 6
here that day and in the express office I
got that straight"
Where did you get that information.
Darrel?"
well, you see 1 heard IN a general wav
he was here, so 1 took his phiz out of the
gallery for identification purposes. Sew
eral people saw him here that day."
Yes, but who?"
well, Daniels recognized the picture
in a minute. Said Michelon was in he
office while the 100000 package was
there" ~
"Ah, Daniels recognized him, did hep,
Yves, and it's PLAIN as mud to me. Cat
lin gave M.chelon the real package and
substituted the phoney one. Michelon dis
appeared that night, but I've located him
In New York. and Monday night I'm going
after him. You'll see he and Catlin are
the ones. Why, it's-plain-as mud.'
Yes thought Cheney. "it IS as plain
as-as-mud."
"Of course you'll take a representative
of the express company along with you?'
Yes. L thought of taking Daniels. He'd
be able to identify him. But I'll leave that
to Van Cott."
Darrell went out and Cheney talked
awhile with the chief and left. That even