The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1909-04-07
Vito Won tIle Ninel
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.

ciatioa.l
Montgomery Stoutss business omen
Keeps him late at his oGiee. and Al
times when funds come IL after bank.
hours he carries them home with him.
A street. car line passes within 4 few
minutes walk Of his house. and sn this
distance Hes the only danger. BE car
Ties revolver. but what use Is .
weapon when one Is dropped by { nap.
on the back Of his head?
Stout was one OF 9 younger set OF
men IN his suburb who we're together
4 great deal and constantly joking one
another. BE talked to them about his
nocturnal trips home, his fear Of
footpads and what he hoped to accom-.
plish In case. Of attack. One night
when he was passing dImly lighted
place between the street cur line and
his house he was seized from behind
By both arms. q hand was thrust In
his pocket and $500 In bIIls taken, to-
gether with hts revolver, 50 that when
the robbers ran away he had no
weapon with which to pursue them
On reaching his house he found sew
eral OF his friends, whom he excitedly
told Of his adventure and his loss
They sympathized with him deeply,
and while doing SO two others OF the
set Mark HamlIn and Ben Turner.
walked In Stout was somewhat sur
prissd to find callers so late ct night
It was II o'clock-but, after all, there
was nothing remarkable IN their visit
After listening to his account Of the
robbery and asking many questions,
Mark Hamlin handed him the pocket
book Of which he had been robbed
and confessed himself the robber.
Then there was general jolllfca-
ton Stout brought out drinkables and
cigars. and all agreed that a very
amusing and practical joke had been
played.
Some months after this Stout was
again on his way home at night, this
time with $1,000 in his pocket that had
come in late, when at the very same
spot as before he heard the order:
Hands upr'
At the same time he felt the cold
@uzzle Of gun near his ear and hands
relieving him Of everything he pos
sessed. Then the man with the gun
said to him:
you walk around the block before
you go home and remember that you're
watched. Any attempt to use a teIe-
phone for the next half hour VIII re-
suit In hole In you"
Now, the threat was lost on Mr.
Stout. for he knew It had only been
made as a blum. The robbers would
not be likely to wait to see that he
completed his walk. Besides, the
voice thnt gave the order was very
like that OF Mark HamIln.
"Just walt bit my nne fellow"
thought Stout, +and wen see whom
the joke Is on this time"
BE was within stones throw Of his
house. Darling to It he went In, got
a revolyer-the robbers had taken the
one he CARIBBEAN back on tiptoe to
find them dividing the spoil under o
gas light.
Hands up" he yelled in stem
<orian voice.
There were but two men, and hott
raised their hands.
Leave H., things on the sidewalk"
cried Stout and, mind, no lowering
OF hands"
Sto';t said this to gain time to think.
Tie men remained motionless.
Now turn your backs and go on
down the street"
The men hesitated, then after word
with each other did as they were told.
Stout followed TIL he came to his prop.
erty, picked up every article. then
fred his revolver.
at the shot the robbers took to their
heels, and Stout went home and to
bed chucklinS at the way he had got
even with bis practical joking friends.
The next morning he telephoned .'the
gang" that Hamlin would break bot
tie OF wine at noon at a popular restau-
rant, telephoninS Hamlin also to be
there. At half past Il all had arrived
except HamlIn, who came few min
utes later.
'My friends said Stout, 'thls prac-
teal Joking has gone far enough. 1
drove OF two OF you last night and
recovered the property you had taken
One OF the two know. Mark Hamlin
you owe me and this party the wine. :"
81? The wine? What do you mean?"
II mean this: When you played your
game on me some time ago and /