The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-05-02
Turning the Scale.
[Original.1

Who is there who cannot look back
to some trihing incident that changed
the whole course Of his life! If 4 had
not happened to meet B on a street
corner on certain day twenty years
ago, 3 would not now be AS son-in-
law If G had not seen a certain ad-
vertisement for partner with thou
sand dollars. he would not now be
the multilnillionaire owner of a gold
producing patent. If D had been
fine penman, he would now doubtless
have been a bookkeeper instead Of
managing partner of his firm. So it
goes. We think we know what shapes
our end, but we don't. In not one Of
the cases referred to would the person
affected for a moment consider the
cause given the correct one.
One day Jim Beverly, a countryman
who had been long hunting for a job
in the city, becoming discouraged,
made up his mind to 60 home before
his funds were completely exhausted.
Jim had come to town with a trunk
that had to be held together by rope.
He had got rid Of the country clothes
in it and thought he would like to take
back one of those suit cases which he
saw so much used. Going to shop,
he bought a secondhand one at re-
duced price. Besides being second
hand, it had the letters "V. T." painted
on the end. He was told that red
headed man wearing glasses and a
striped waistcoat had turned 1t In as
part payment for a new one. That was
a lie. The man bought new one and
left his old one to be put in the cellar.
Beverly got it cheap, took it to his
room, put his belongings in it and
went to the train. A man took seat
beside him who kept glancing out Of
the corner of his eye at him.
"How are y, Torbert?' he said pres
emily in low voice.
"How did you know my name was
Torbert?' asked Jim, suspecting con-
fdence game.
"By several things-initials on suit
case, red head"
"well, suppose I am Torbert. What
thenr'
'Got the stuff in the caser'
Suppose I have"
"Tll be on hand at N. to take 1t OF
your hands. Three days. Better not
hurry. Say Friday, II at night"
"WhereT"
"why, at the Northfeld House, you
know, as arranged"
The man got up and left the car at
the first stop. While the train was roll
ing through the city limits couple OF
men came down the aisle; looking
here and there at passengers. Bever-
ly's suit case was on end before him.
One of the men looked at the letters
on the suit case, then at him suspi-
ciously.
'"rll trouble you to open that case"
said one Of the men.
Beverly demurred at first, then open
ed the case. There was nothing In 1t
but the remnants Of few under
clothes. The man looked disappointed.
you've got a red head" he said, "and
the letters on your case are V. T., but
you're not the man"
"Of course he isn't the man." said his
companion. IT know the man we
want. That's not him."
Now, it was on the tip Of Jm's
tongue to tell the whole story 80 far as
it has been told here, but it may be
Judged from his dialogue with the man
who had sat beside him that he was
better adapted to receive than to give
information, so he held his peace. The
men went on, and Jim got out when
the train reached his station.
Jim took into his confidence couple
of detectives, and they all went to N.
three days later. Jim entered the
Northfield House half an hour before
II o'clock, but he was not Jim Bever-
": he was a man with white hair and
beard. He sat down in one OF the Of
fee chairs. It was not long before he
saw the man who had sat beside him
on the train come In. he, too, sat
down and, taking up a newspaper,
read it till a man with red head,
glasses and a striped waistcoat enter
ed, carrying brand new suit case.
The latter went to the desk and called
for ROOM
A little later the other man arose.
yawned and. going to the desk, looked
at the register and went upstairs.
Beverly went to the door, called IN his
men, and, noting the number OF the
room assigned the newcomer, the
three went upstairs. Five minutes
later they knocked at his door and, re-
ceiving no response, kicked It open.
They found him taking $500 out OF
his suit case. They arrested him, and
he turned out to be Vincent Torbert
absconding cashier Of the -th Ma
tional bank.
Jim Beverly pocketed $4,000 reward
by the transaction and, going back to
the city, thought he would see II 1t
~w{&