Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-05-09
1URMONT FREDERICK COUNTY, THURSDAY. MAY g. 1907.

"'But.' he said, you are not idiot
enough to suppose that I carry any
such a sum as ten thousand dollars
in cash about with me, are your
"I certainly am not, was the cool
reply. But. then you can-and will
write me check for the amount
Instantly the millionaire expert
enced what he thought was flash Of
understanding.
"'Give you a check, eh?' he said.
| But, you scoundrel. what makes you
imagine that would not stop the
payment upon the check Immediately
you left this room?'
"'Because you are going to give
me your word that you will do no
such thing calmly replied the visi-
tor.
"Whereupon the millionaire secret
ly chuckled. He could see 1t all, he
felt confident His friends with
whom he had taken luncheon had put
up a Job on him. They were testing
him as to that statement of his that
even II he gave his word Of honor
to thief he would keep the word
inviolate.
"'Well.' thought the millionaire.
I'll show those buffers
"'You are a cool rascal. said tho
millionaire to the visitor, but sup
pose there is nothing else for me to
do but to yield to your game. since
I am here alone and utterly defense
less. shall write the check for
you, but III get you yet. mark that"
"'All ask you to give me your
word about, sir replied the visitor.
is that you will not stop the payment
on the check After I cash the check
| shall attend to the matter of my
own safety
"'Put your gun down then and I
shall go over to my desk and write
you the check.
"And he did write tho check and
hand 1t to the visitor. The check
was on a bank right around the cor
ner from the hotel.
Now said the visitor, ready to
depart, you are giving me your SOL
emn word of honor as gentleman
and as business man that you will
not stop payment on this check?'
'The millionaire nodded, and the
visitor left. The millionaire sank
into a chair and laughed aloud when
tho man had gone.
"I'll show these rascals up for
putting up that job on me- he
chuckled. They'll have to own up
that | beat them at their own game.
Probably they'll be up here in half
an hour or so, with the man they
sent here to put up the job on me,
and ! guess they won't feel cheap
when they are obliged to confess. as
this man hands me my ten thousand,
that l stuck to my word and didn't
stop payment on the check.
But his friends didn't turn up.
nor did they appear to respond to the
millionaires chuckles when he met
them at dinner that evening. Then
he up and told them all about 1t.
They gasped with amazement. They
told him, with all solemnlty and
truth, that no job had been put up
on him. He had simply been victim
lied to the tune of $4,000, that's all.
(Which Is exactly what happened,
and the way 1t happened was this:
| Seated close to the millionaire's
table at luncheon that day, and over
hearing their talk about the inviola-
bility of their word of honor, was
Alonzo ]. Wakeman, the celebrated
forger and all-around con man, who
wasn't known In his true light at the
hotel at that time. This Wakeman
had been Mayor of Duluth and had
come close to getting into Congress
from Minnesota at one time, too, but
he fell into bad ways and took to
forging. Wakeman heard talk be-
tween the millionaires and he deter
mined to profit by it. that's all. He
knew that If he stuck up the million
aire right on top of that talk the mill
| lionaire would conclude that the job
had been fixed up on him by his
friends, and he won out by acting i'm
mediately on that presumption.
| "Wakeman cashed the $4,000
check and went to Europe. He was
put away for long term three years
ago, after being convicted in Buffalo
Of long series of forgeries. WASH
|