Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-09-16
DAILY STORY
CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE.



Warren Murdoch, one of the best am
ateur photographers i'll New York, had
been taking some views IN Central
park. He was leaving the park when
he was accosted by Il woman respect
ably dressed, to all appearances lady.
I'll trouble you for hundred dol
lars" she said.
~ hundred dollars! My dear lady,
why should / give you n hundred dol
larS:'
ITO save yourself from the conse-
qucnces of having annoyed me-
Il annoy YOU? l never saw you be-
fore"
You have been following me ever
since | entered the park. Do you see
that policeman over there by the ODE
lisk? 1t is an easy matter for me to
call him, have you arrested and taken
to the station There | shall state that
you have been annoying me in the
park. If you cannot get bail you will
spend the night in a cell. The informal
ton of your deSpicablc conduct will be
read tomorrow morning by every New
Yorker who takes Il newspaper Your
wife, if you have one, will never be
quite sure whether you are guilty or
innocent. Even If YOU are acquitted on
trial you will ever afterward suffer an
unpleasant notoriety, Some will be-
Iieve YOU innocent, but the majority
will believe you guilty. VIII it not be
worth a hundred dollars to you to
avoid all this:'
Murdoch was so stunned by this
proposition. so convinced of its truth,
that for few minutes he made no re-
ply. staring at the woman in wonder
at her cffrOntery.
"How will you prove your caseT
Il don't need to prove it. It's the
notoriety 1 am relying on. Even if
could prove it you would suffer nc
| punishment except q small fine
| Proved or not, your name will be pub
lishcd as one charged with a con
temptible crime and you will never
| live down the smirch."
| 'Do you expect people you spring
| your game ON to carry so much about
them?"
Not usually. The matter may be
kept from the public by the accused
giving fictitious name, The money
may be paid at any time before the
trial, and l go to the police and con
| TESS myself as having been mistaken
Then they will release you. But vol
| look like Il man who would not g
| about without being well supplied
with money"
Murdoch saw by this that the wo
man considered a bird in the hant
worth two in the bush. He happened
to have plenty to meet the present ne
| ceSSity.
Suppose we compromise" he said
I'll give you $50"
The woman gave him n scrutinizin;
glance.
IF the matter is settled here be
tween us now" he continued, lit will
be better for us both. You run NJ
risk. I don't have to so to the police
station
every well. I'll take $50"
Murdoch pulled out his pocketbool
and counted five of the bills. The VIC
man held out her hand.
1.-THE policeman is looking this way,
said Murdoch. at may be he know
you as an old offender and IS watching
you. If he sees me give you none
he'll arrest you for practicing you
game, and I'll have to so with you t
testify against you. In that case
won't be much better off than If
refuse to pay you anything. Now
suppose 1 go and drop the money a
the foot Of that tree yonder and 20
so and pick it up
: The woman looked suspicious, bu
, after some thought. seeing no way b
which her victim could trick her, sh
. consented. Murdoch rolled the bill!
holding them in his fist, walked to tn
root of the tree and dropped then
Then he sauntered away. The woma
advanced, keeping one eye on Mul
dock, the other ON the bills, half hide
In the grass. She had nothing to fea
unless he might have dropped some
thing of no value in place of the bill!
but in that case there was the police
man, and she had only to call him t
carry out her threat Selling the bill:
her face took on an avaricious look a