Charlevoix county herald., 1907-08-24
The Lunacy of Simon Lane
Copyright. by DAILY Story Pub. Coz
BY John v. MuLaney

7 don't believe you. You are all In
some plot to ruin mel" and Simon,
instead of trying to be cool and ration
| al, grew more excited, more confused
and more violent in his resistance. At
last he was forced down corridor
and placed in a solitary cell, where he
passed sleepless night.
On the afternoon of the next day
DR.. Cheslea, head of the Cheslea SAM
tarium, sat reading in his private Of
| flee. AS his eye moved over the front
page of the Herald" it was attracted
| by the following item:
Faithful Clerk Absconds from the
Marburg Store. Simon Lane, for
ten years a trusted employer of Mar
burg and Company disappeared from
| the city yesterday taking with him
check for S1,100 dollars paid him by
wealthy customer. No news Of his
whereabount has been obtained"
DR.. Cheslea re-read the item with
puzzled expression, then sat for
! several moments staring before him
in silence. AS if on sudden thought,
he then picked up a directory from
his desk and looked through it hur-
riedly. Then taking down the receiv-
er of his desk telephone he called the
number of Marburgs private office.
Hello" little excitedly, II want
to talk with Mr.. Marburg at once"
This is Marburg right here" re-
turned a gruff voice, what can l do
! for your"
This is DR.. Cheslea of the Cheslea
Sanitarium. / read of the disappear
ance of your clerk, Simon Lane, and
wish to say that he is here at the
sanitarium. He was placed here yes
terday at the request of his wife and
at the advice of his physician"
His wife? Simon Lane, my clerk,
had no wife, You must be mistaken"
DR.. Cheslea saw in flash the depth
of his deception. He dropped the tele-
phone and pressed a button on his
desk.
Go" he said calmly to the attend
ant who appeared, land show Mr..
Lane to my office-Mr Lane, the gen.
tleman in number 81"
AS Simon Lane, detected and woe
begone, appeared in the doorway of
the Office DR.. Cheslea arose to meet
him and shook him warmly by the
hand
"Mr. Lane" he said, "this institu-
ton has done you a great wrong. AS
| head of this institution l am RESPONSE
BILE for it and l offer most humble apol-
ogy. 1t is plain that we both have
been much deceived"
The two talked earnestly together
for ten minutes. In the midst of the
discussion a cab drove hurriedly up
the drive. Old Marburg alighted and
hastily mounted the steps and entered
the Office.
simon" he cried, hating between
his old time confidence in his clerk
and his new, suddenly grounded sus-
picion.
Mr.. Marburg," said DR.. Cheslea,
"be seated. I am afraid, all uncon-
sciously, we have been parties to one
of the cleverest swindling tricks of
which l have ever heard. A woman
called here at my office the day before
yesterday with two gentlemen, one
of whom she introduced as her broth
err, the other of whom bore the card
of a prominent north side DOCTOR
gentleman for whom / have the great
est esteem professionally, but whom
unfortunately, l had never met. This
woman stated that her husband was
insane, to which fact the two gentle
men testified. She declared that his
insane hobby was selling furs, and
that he imagined himself a clerk in
the employ of Marburg and Company.
She spoke of him in terms of great
affection and seemed much moved
expressed the hope that We might
be able to benefit him by a few
months treatment. She then explain
ed that he was very suspicious and
wary, also that he was very violent
when crossed in his wishes or other
wise disturbed in temper, but that
she would try under some pretence,
to bring him quietly to the Office here,
where we might take him in charge
Well, as you see, she brought Mr..
Lane, who answered exactly to her
description and who, you will pardon
me, sir, certainly did exhibit the
symptoms she mentioned"
Where is this woman now?" cried
old Marburg, very red and excited,
starting from his seat.
But even the best city detectives
failed to answer his question.
Squirrels Reared by a Cat.