Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-04-17
IOw He Escaped.

at brand of canned tomatoes"
grocer to a customer, Il can
nmend. for I've sold them for
hat so interests you in that
J? You're always trying to sell
to me, when you know / prefer
Yer kind. DO you make more on
r.
). There is a very different ex-
stion. Come in here and I'll tell
b, leading the way to his private
he told the following story:
be day some years ago a young
an came in here to buy ssome
ed goods. waited on her myself.
be tomatoes were new in the mar
then, and I had been offered In
ments to push them. The girl
Pt appear to know what she want
md was a bit fiustered, but there
bed to be something about the
d on the tomatoes that attracted
attention. 1t covered the can from
to bottom, and ON 1t was a colored
|nre of several ripe tomatoes-in-
D, the same label that Is used to-
/ sold her can and a can of
], both of which she seemed to
ct under the influence Of the labels.
took them away with her.
rhe next day she brought them
telling me that she wished me to
them with some other articles
intended to purchase. She then
|cted a lot of canned goods-mar-
|ade, peaches, jelly and the like
ecting me to pack all In one box.
,y were to be sent to her invalid
ther, in care Of certain person at
own near the center Of the state.
paid all charges and left me to
) the box when liked.
took an especial interest in the
from the first. She was so pref
50 sad, and before she went away
10 me an appealing look which / In
preted to mean that she wanted me
be sure that her brother received
delicacies in good order. / super
ended the packing myself, and, no
ng that the can Of peas indicated
l put It aside and got
,ther. The rest of the goods seemed
be all right, and shipped them.
left the can of peas In the pack
room till the next day, when took
lp to put it away. 1t had stood all
hit near a sink, and some one had
lied some water over it. | felt the
el slip away and noticed that some
ng had been wrapped tightly under
Setting it down on a shelf, saw
t a lot of small thin saws had been
dered around the can.
You may imagine my establishment.
: first impulse was to call some one
see my find; but, suddenly realizing
It the position In which was placed
uired thought before action, / took
. can up to the top floor where /
lid examine it alone. The saws
re highly tempered and would cut
hit through iron. Upon reflection /
missed that the girl had taken this
d the can Of tomatoes home with
r that the files might be fixed be-
ath the labels. The tomatoes had
an shipped and would doubtless 60
some prisoner who would use the
VS. about them to cut himself out
e girl had surreptitiousIy used our
n, believing that any goods coming
I'M US would not be suspected.
Here was a situation. Suppose the
VS. were discovered by the authori-
s. I had a fine prospect OF taking
E place Of the prisoner. / resolved
telegraph at once to the prison on
lis a warning that would protect
, from intentional completely. / hid
E can with the saws still on It and,
ing to the Office, was writing the
egram, when, feeling that some one
Is looking over my shoulder, turned
d saw the girl who had trapped me.
had written enough OF the telegram
, her to see that her game was up.
There was no one else In the office
stepped to the door. closed and
.ked 1t. For an hour l listened to q
Dry with infinite complications which
rtrayed the landing OF an innocent
ung man, the girls brother. in jail
r a crime of embezzlement into
hich he had been trapped by the real
lminals.
The girl, overanxious as to the ship
emit of the goods, had called Ostensi
= for the purchase Of some articles
r herself. but really to ask II the boz
ID been sent. Seeing me In the Office
riting, she had slipped in and, look
g over my shoulder. learned the stu
ion. Having told her story. she con
1ded:
= I know 1t has been very wrong o.
e to use you in this fashion, but
:" DO you realize l asked. that 4
e saws are discovered l run the risl
going to prison myselfT
- I did not think Of that / win con
50 to have done It all myself
Il shook my head.
" What are you going to dor
Il sat for some minutes celebrating
either Of us spoke. There was tn
'ual going ON OF business outside tina
'uld be seen through q glass part
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