The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-04-14

manager IN Torrcon and the man that
wrote the policy
That's deyillsh funny" mutterei
cheney as he went over the case.
why couldn't those death claim pa.
pers have been signed here? Dr.
Wilmarth should have seen that
corpse" Cheney determined TO take
DR. Wilmarth into his confidence, and
ala so. The doctor was more than
willing 10 help him.
One morning a short time later they
quietly slipped out Of Torreon and
that afternoon were In Guarda They
called on Drs Beltram and Aguiles
They were good enough doctors and
evidently honest in their statements
In answer TO question by Cheney
DR. Beltran said.
Yes. he and Dr. Aguiles had at
tended Juan Silva He had virulent
typhus fever and after a few days
sickness he suddenly died That was
all they knew OF the case"
"Not much. is II. Dr. Wllmarth7"
said Cheney.
NO and am prone to believe the
doctors"
Now for the undertaken"
That worthy's name was Sanchez,
and he was a shifty Mexican.
Isl. senior. he had buried Juan Sill
va; such a grand senior he was!"
Cut that, please, seuor,' snapped
cheney. you are sure the body was
that Of Juan Silva"
"Ah. gracias Dio. senior. have ! not
known Juan Silva for many years?
81, ST, it was his body, there could be
no mistake"
Where did you bury him."
at Dolores, on the hill yondcr.
senor"
Not much was made out OF San.
chez. and Cheney and Wilmarth left.
Doctor" said Cheney. Pm going
10 have that body eXhumed. | know
II won't be In very pleasing state.
but you can perhaps tell whether the
body is that OF the man you examined
for Insurance"
Unless there Is a marked dlscrep-
ancy between the corpse and the
Juan Silva | examined | may have
trouble in making an identification,
but We shall see
II was not an easy matter to get
+ permission TO have the body exhumed
but n iudicious use Of money and
moral suasion won out. Two husky
/ poems were hired and Cheney sent for
/ Sanchez. the undertaken. but he had
disappeared. The party went to the
/ cemetery and after more trouble
/ found the grave Of Juan Silva.
Cheney and DR. Wilmarth sat down
| in the shade OF tree while the poems
| dug They even smoked a corn husk
| cigarette or two, so common in Mex
| leo Mexican poems will work just
so fast and no faster, and It was slow
work waiting But finally their shov-
els struck the coffin box and little
later It was lifted out and placed un-
der tree. Only few minutes were
needed to remove the screws, expos
/ Ing the casket When the lid was lift
ed and the contents exposed, DR.. VII
marth said:
We'll by God. colonel, the body has
been destroyed by quick lime!"
Cheney looked. The detective was
and the entire top of the coffin was
on. There was a mass Of quick lime
and matter exposed, but all semblancc
OF human body was gone. A few
strands of dark hair at the head the
dim outline of body and the leather
sole of shoe at the foot were all
that remained.
Look at your medical report, quick,
doctor How tall was the man you
examined"
six feet one; weight, 1872 pounds. "
A tape line came out OF Cheney's
pocket and he carefully measured
from the hair to the sole, following
the outline Of where the body had
lain.
Five feet nine, doctor" he said.
81 thought so. \ case Of substitution,
by all that's good. Now to nab the
birds. Wen have them by tomorrow
night"
DR. Wilmarth had lived so long In
/ Mexico, he was somewhat imbucd with
the prevalent Manana spirit, but his
American blood rose rapidly under
the influence OF Cheney.
The next morning about 1880 they
rode up to the silva hacienda.
"Senorita Silva at home?' he asked
n servant.
81, senior, ST." and in a few min.
utes Senorita Maria Silva appeared on
the porch.
"Buenos Dias. senors," she said. in
the soft language OF old Mexico
Wont you sit DOWN."
Thank you, senorit9" said Che
ney, raising his hat. "Dr, Wilmarth
and represent the life insurance
company in which your brother Juan
was insured"
: At the mention OF the name Juan
the senorita raised her dark eyes Ia
heaven. made the sign OF the cross
and murmured: "Madre de Dios,
Under his breath Cheney muttered