The Oskaloosa herald., 1909-06-03

son, however, in the course of a com,
prehensive denunciation of the gov
eminent dropped hint of the part
played by Ephraim Gideon Thomp
kins in the singular affair, and then
the story came out.
1t was about year ago, 1t appears
that Ephraim Gideon-that's not his
real name, but something like it--took
IA week off from his occupation as al
electrical engineer in Oskaloosa anc
came to Chicago to see the sights
One afternoon he was standing il
front of Marshall Fields store watch
ing the passing throng when lthert
came within the ken of his observa
ton the strangest human being hi
ever had seen.
1t was dapper, wlry young maj
attired in a dark green suit of clothe.
the coat disclosing the waistcoa
checked off in large brown, red, ant
yellow pattern, which in turn disclosed
a saffron shirt bosom festooned witt
purple clusters of grapes, Whine from
beneath the fiaring cuffs of the Lrous
ers peeped pair of embroidered pinl
and lilac hose. The head of slick hail
Was crowned by light green crust
hat, while between buff gloved fingers
the young man twlrled a slender rose
wood cane.
Clasps and Meets New Friend.
well what do you think of that?'
gasped Ephraim to himself, but quite
audibly, it TRANSFERRED. --.a" "
'Ain't it the limit" promptlyrre
sponded' a slender, well dressed .younl
man with tanned face, who had stop
ped beside Ephraim on the curb t
observe the progress of the fiashil.
dressed sport. H11" g.
That was the beginning of new
acquaintance for Ephraim. Th'
stranger introduced himself as Rober
w. Stephenson. of Eel Paso, and thu
two men repaired to neighborin.
buffet, where they quaffed a few gil
fizzes and discussed the strange sight!
of the metropolis. Ephraim and thu
stranger found each other mutual.
agreeable, and the upshot was tina
they lunched together, attended {
matinee, dined together, spent the
evening at the theater, and wound vi
the night at the headquarters Of the
Elks. ,aa ss.,st . 3 90 ..-..
Urged to Become Smuggler.
According to the story afterward!
told by Ephraim the Ell Paso man dis
played large roll of currency ant
asked the Oskaloosa man if he woulC
like to join him in business venture
Ephraim thought he, might, and in
quired what the business was.
Smuggling Cinnamon and dia
monds," Stephenson. responded, &C
cording to Ephriam.
From that moment Ephraim's brair
was fired with the prospect of ad
venture. He cultivated the furtheI
Acquaintance of the mysterious strange
and a day or two later he hunted III
a Chicago friend of his father and tolc
him his queer tale. The Chicago friend
promptly took steps that brought the
story to the ears of the federal au
thorities and the result was tina
Stephenson was Swallowed. BIZ"
p The secret service men working un
der Chief Eberstein followed Stephen
son to El Paso, where in the course Of
three months more of the sleuthine
they reported that they had connected
the suspected man with gigantic
smuggling plot. .,
Enlist Dining Car Cooks.
According to the information oh
tanned by the government agents the
arrangements for each shipment o.
snuggled Cinnamon were made by {
number of railroad men, Mexican anC
and Chinese who met on the plaza II
front of the railroad terminal at Il
Paso. Stephenson and Clark, thu
secret service men say would be found
on the plaza Gwhen trains arrived and
there they would open negotiations
with the Pullman dining car cooks.
ID The cooks would be asked If they
wished to make some money carrying
Cinnamon secretly to Chicago. There
generally are three cooks to each
dining car and they would be inform
ed that $50 would be paid for the safe
delivery in Chicago of each Chinamar
transported. .7.a'.r' ias .
Three of these cooks, all white men
who first gave the information to the
government agents, said they met
Stephenson and Clark on the FL PasO
plaza early last October The propo
sition was made to them and attempted
They were told that five Cinnamon
would be delivered to their car In
the railroad yards on the night OF
Oct. T. They were told to beat Ger.
tain place inside the walls of the
yards near their car and the Cinnamon
would be hoisted over the fence about
Take Turns In the Ice Box.
1 According to other evidence that
was obtained five Cinnamon were
brought across the river from .Juarez
that night by way of the Stanton
street bridge. The contraband orien.
tails were taken by the two Mexicans
to the house of Heltzel, which is near
the yards, and there they were Sc
creted till about midnight Then I'M
der tho piiidanca of Heltzpl thew were