Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1909-07-14
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S<HH ern country,
away out in
Manitoba, 20 miles beyond Winni-
peg The familiar phrase, fiend in
human form, has lost much of it's sig
nifcance through over use in describ-
Ing people whom Fate has seen fit to
afflict with abnormal capacities for
rage. Yet it serves very aptly as
wOrd-picture of Wild Dobbin, when
that irritable Individual gave way to
the tempests of passion which so fire.
quently engulfed him. He won the
nickname by flying into fits of rage
and chasing those near him heller
SHELTER, while he pursued with club or
gun or whatsoever he laid his hands
upon.
1t was the cunning execution of one
of these carefully planned tricks that
led to his sudden departure from the
district of Muskoka. There had come
from the old country one John Breck-
enridge, a Scotchman, who had some
money and fancied that the agricul-
tTal business was just the thing to
suit him. AS a general rule the
Scotch are canny, careful creatures
who want to know exactly what the
prospects are before they take any
chances on the investment of money.
But Breckenridge seems to have been
of an easy-going disposition, which is
not desirable quality, or weakness,
in an adventurer seeking his fortune
in a strange country.
n,,k
Breckenridge by outsiders it is certain
that he failed to profit by it. For COM
ing to the district of Muskoka the
worthy Scot made up his mind to set
tie near Bracebridge. He looked upon
the land, and saw that it was good"
and also saw himself in anticipation
a farmer of wondrous skill, winning
heavy financial rewards through the
coming of crops which sold easily in a
generous market. To Wild Dobbin,
watching with spider-like care for
easy marks, came the welcome tidings
that there was new arrival in the
vicinity who was DESTROYS Of purchas-
ing farm and Dobbin was not the
kind OF man who allows grassIto grow
under his feet for lack of action.
So far. all was smooth sailing. The
farm suited Breckenridge and Dobbin
had proved most accommodating: But
when the note for the balance on the
purchase came due Dobbin informed
Breckenridge that he had lost the note.
and made affidavit to that effect.
Thereupon the honest Scotchman
promptly paid his creditor the amount
of the note. Then Dobbin vanished
from his accustomed haunts and was
seen no more in the vicinity of Brace
bridge. After he disappeared it tran
spired that instead of losing the note
he had sold it to man who gave it
TO another man to collect. and the
litter sued breckenridge for the value
of the note and got Judgment. Paying
a debt twice over is not a form of re-
creation which appeals favorably to
many people, and it did not suit the
taste of the indignant Scotchman. He
saw that he had been swindled by the
artful Dobbin, and applied to the gov
eminent for redress. The authorities
responded promptly by sending John
Wilson Murray to the scene; having
low Dobbin and bring him back 70
justice, no matter what the cost might
be
Murray first interviewed Brecken.
ridge. and heard his tale OF woe. Then
he paid visit to Dobbin's old home at
Bracebridge. but found no trace of
him. Neither did anyone in the vi.
cinity appear to know just when he
had gone away or whether he was
likely to return. This general lack
of information among the neighbors
was not surprising, for Dobbin was
never remarkable for social qualities.
and possessed no friend in whom he
would have been apt to confide. Muir
ray did not lose patience, however. and
continued making inquiries here and
there until at last he learned that
Dobbin's sister had gone away some
time before and had bought a ticket
20 Winnipeg. Through friend of the
sister in Winnipeg he ascertained that
she had gone to Morris, at that time
= the end of that branch of the Ca
madam Pacific railroad, and at Morris
she had disappeared.
The trail left by this woman seemed
TO the detective to be the one most
likely to lead to her brother, and he
determined TO follow it. Having pro-
cured warrant, he started for Morris
and arrived there on a sitting hot
day in July, 1888. A careful search
for some trace of John Dobbin in the
town Of Morris proved in vain, and
Murray decided to try the open coun
try beyond the Red river. Alone he
began his pilgrimage afoot. walking
for three miles down the river banks
and asking at every house he came to
whether any of the occupants knew