The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-02-16
IRAvERs s co.


The mercantile house Of Travers &
Co, New YORK, had branch in Paris
for twenty years, when Trayers him
.S.f. after looking over old accounts.
noticed something wrong.
The next steamer sailing for Havre
carried with her Thomas Agnew, the
firm's boohkeeper. He was provided
with>all proper credentials, and his in
structions were to give the Paris books
a thorough oyerhaullng. He was to
interview the head Of the French firm
first This he did soon after reaching
Paris.
Il hardly expected you, but / am
glad that you are here" was his greet.
ing. ut is true that the business has
fallen of, and 1t has been source OF
anxiety to me. We seem to be doing
as much as ever, but the sales show
less and less. cannot suspect any
of the employees. The bookkeeper Is
the only one who could juggle the fg-
ares, and he is probity itself. He has
been with US for ten years past and is
as steady as church. might as well
suspect myself ~, ie.8l5s
Nevertheless, IL there is anything
wrong 1t must be in his department"
suggested Agnew.
There were two or three interviews,
and then II was suggested that Dubois,
which was.the name OF the bookkeeper,
be given leave OF absence for cou.
pie Of weeks. He refused to take 1t,
Then Agnew cabled for instructions
and was told to go ahead. He was
taken to the Office and introduced and
his errand stated. To his agreeable
disappointment Dubois gave him a cor.
dial welcome and offered every assist
ance in his power. He would be only
too glad to have his books looked over
and verified. His frankness and eager.
ness were setback to Agnew, but a
day was appointed for the commence
ment of the work. No man could have
set out 10 render himself more agree
able than the French bookkeeper did.
He first invited Agnew to his home to
dinner. II was a modest little cottage,
plainly furnished and evidently eco
nomically managed. There were wife
and two children, and the family APP
peared to be happy and contented.
Agnew had made up his mind that
Dubois was certainly living on his In
come and was a man of steady habits
when his wife happened to mention
during the momentary absence of the
husband that she would be entirely
happy IL Claude did not have to remain
at the Office SO late three or four nights
in the week. As matter of fact, the
office always closed at $50 p. M, and
Agnew was made uneasy by the re-
marks. Dubois made arrangements to
show the American certain sights the
next evening, and they were together
for several hours At cafe where
they stopped for a last drink Agnew,
who had taken very little during the
evening and who called for a mild
glass on this occasion, suddenly found
the room whirling round and round
with him and finally pitched forward
on the floor and became unconscious.
When he came to some time during
the next day he was Ill and found that
he had been robbed and was clothed
In the garb OF workingman. He was
also prisoner in a cellar so dark that
he could not see across II. There were
\ pitcher Of water and loaf of
Rread beside him. BE drank OF the
water and slept for hours.
When he awoke again the effects OF
the drug were gone, and he explored
his prison, 10 diccover that It had only
one small window. and that looked out
on back yard and was heavily bar
I'D. There had been stairs leading up
to door. but they had been removed.
No sounds reached him from above,
md the noises from the street were
nutied. s..
An hour later man thrust a ladder
town and brought more bread and wa
ter. He was armed with a knife and
refused to answer any questions. The
American coaxed, threatened and tried
70 bride, but the man was firm. Three
times day for the next ten days he
brought bread and water, but never
anything else. Then one evening he
left the ladder behind him when he as
sended. as IL by an oversight, and
after waiting for an. hour Agnew crept
ap, to find the door open. He had no
trouble in leaving the house. which was
without tenants and situated in a slum
street. The man hadn't a penny in
money, and his suit was old and rag.
Eed. When he accosted gendarme he
was ordered to move on. he moved on
and told his story again and again and
At length was arrested and locked up.
In the morning the police judge was
about to commit Agnew as a vagrant
when he asked that the head Of the
srm be sent for. This was done, and
II course the prisoner was soon at lib
sFty. He could not guide the police to
the street where he had been held pris-
Snsr, but visit to the home Of Dubois
IEplained everything. He had aban-
loned his family eight days previously.
IN n Anw mr. fuvo n vyna uhoyvu that fnr