Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-04-19
DAILY STORY.
THE MESSENGER.
(Original.1

ington .JungO HitOmi was called into 4,
the Office of the chief of the secret sery-
ice with which the embassy was pro- |
vided and received the following order:
"a cablegram has been received from
Tokyo stating that the Russians have
succeeded in getting and deciphering
the imperial dispatches to our peace
commissioners now in Portsmouth. |
have been directed to forward an i'm
p0rtant message (Sent here by an Old
code not used for many years. by mes
senger to the commissioners. | wish
you to take it, starting by the next
train.
Every man leaving this embassy, as
you know, is Swallowed by persons in
the pay of the Russian government.
You will be followed, and possibly it
may be known that you are a mes
senger for we have spies right here in
the embassy. l hope that you will get
the dispatch through, but | doubt it.
| Take no weapon except these bank
notes. These Americans are not to be
| fought. They must be bought"
The dispatch was written on tissue
paper, and, taking off his shoe. Hitomi
| placed it on the sole where it would be
under his foot. He asked for dummy
| dispatch of large proportions bearing
The embassy imprint and placed it in
| his side coat pocket The bills. amount
| ing to $4,000, he distributed about his
person. Then Il cab was called, and he
| set out for the station.
He had not turned the first corner be-
| fore man who had been standing by
| an automobile jumped into it and start
| ed after him. Hitomi had gone but
| short distance when he felt Il shock.
| and the cab was knocked into kindlinG
wood. Hitomi. who, singularly enough.
| was very little hurt, diSentangled him
| self TO see an automobile speeding
| away chased 10y Il policeman. Calling
another cab. the messenger, first shOv
| Ing five 500 bills into the hands of the
| owner of the wrecked cab, pushed on
| to the station. which he reached in am
| pie time.
Nothing occurred on the trip till the
| train had passed Newark and was
within five or six miles of Jersey City.
| Then Il man took n seat beside the
| Japanese and ten minutes later cried
| out:
You thief. Give me back my
| watch"
PlunGing his hand into the lower side
| pocket of Hitomi's sack coat, the man
| pulled out q watch and chain and held
them up to the gaze of the passengers.
| Conductor" shouted the stranger.
| trriN Ir,si I -
Jersey City to hold this man till | can
get policeman to arrest him.
When the train rolled into the sta
| ton. a policeman was called. who took
the messenger in charge. the man who
| claimed to have been robbed agreeing
to appear against him in the morning"
| But on the way to the police station =
| fifty dollar bill passed from HitOmi to
| the policeman, and the Japanese cross
ed the ferry without any great delay
| When the boat reached the New York
side and the passengers were crowd
| ing forward to leave. three men stand
| ing together near Hitomi began Il dis
pute, during which they iostled Hito-
mi. y moment later the gate was open
ed, and they hurriedly left the boat.
They also left a slit i'll the outside of
Hitomfs breast pocket. They had re
lieved him of the dummy dispatch.
This made the little Japanese feel
temporarily easier. He hoped that be-
fore his enemies could discover their
mistake he might get TO the Grand
Central depot. y policeman stood in
the street. keeping back teams. while
the boats passengers got ashore. and
Hitomi offered him $1,000 to escort
him to the depot. The man couldn't
leave his post. but called another off
Ger. who did the job and received the
money. which he doubtless divided
with the one who had called him.
Hitomi got on an evening train for
Boston feeling sure that new efforts
would he made to delay him and get
his dispatch. While waiting in the
car for the train to leave n man en-
tered it. with young girl. Placing
her in a seat near Hitomi. he babe her
goodby. wishing her a pleasant jour
ney. When the train had got under
way, the girl took up lunch box and
began to eat n dainty supper. Hitomi
had not tasted food since breakfast
, and looked at the girls snack longing
ly. Seeing him do so. tho girl offered
him a sandwich. which lie accepted
y and ate. Then she drew forth flask
of wine and asked him to wash down
!, the sandwich He did so. but bitter
, taste In the wine stopped him before
he had swallowed all of it. and he got
rid of the balance in his handkerchief.
Nevertheless he soon began to feel
drowsy and eventually fell asleep
Feeling something Juggling at a knot i'll
: his shoestring he woke up TO find that
the girl had his foot in her lap and
was trying to get his shoe off Pre-
tending not to be awake. he withdrew
, his foot, then opened his eyes and re,
: manned awake.
:, While stopping at Hartford a train