The Ordway new era., 1909-01-22

snarled at me to
cover some little
story down at the city hall. On
my way back dropped into the
police department Just in time to see
Old Man Hinton OF the Blank Ma.
tional bank rush into the chiefs office
with a scare on his face that meant
something doing.
I'm Hinton he cried. of the
Blank National bank. I've been
robbed Robbed
And just as the story was within
my grasp. the chief pushed me out OF
the office and closed the door on me.
When / got in again. he was as clam
Ike as a Cedar river bivalve. There
was absolutely nothing doing with
him. The only alternative was the
bank. In the excitement. had con.
fused the name OF Hinton's bank with
the one over which Melville Stone pre-
sided as president, the names being
similar. With the assurance OF a coun.
try reporter. | hurried down to the
Stone bank. II was just closing time.
\ scrubiady intercepted my bounding
steps and | asked her II the president
was In. She said he was and pointed
down the hail.
In those days didn't know who Mel.
Vile Stone was. and am mortally
certain he didn't know who was,
Pushing into his room unannounced
asked him II he was Mr.. Stone. He
replied that he was. said:
81 am a reporter from the Trib-
une'
oh he replied. Van Cmeaning
Van Benthuysen), gent you over. did
he?'
With brazen e1rontery. replied
that he had.
Well, you go back. said Stone.
and tell Van We don't want anything
printed about this story. We have a
chance to catch the thief II the mat.
ter is kept quiet
"'All right agreed. but Van told
me TO have you put him next to the
story. so he wouldn't be working in
the dark
Then Stone opened his heart and
told me what was doing. II seems
that Hinchmeyer. German. had come
to this country with an invention of
great merit. One of the best known
firms In the United States had en-.
gagged him at salary OF $3.50 a month.
and kept him just long enough to steal
his patent Then they fired Hinch.
meyer. That gentleman. suddenly
making up his mind that in Rome he
should do as the Romans do. printed
several notes TO which he forged the
name OF prominent manufacturing
firm. Then he worked some newspa.
per TO print a story to the effect that
he had sold his wonderful patent TO
them for 100000. Hinchmeyer took
these notes to four banks and dis.
posed of them for about $4,000. He
had valued his patent at 800, 900. and
to get even he bought a ine house on
the South side, forged a deed and
mortgaged the property to Ave differ.
ent people. With the full 800, 900, he
left the country before the banks dis.
covered they were holding the sack.
The Stone and Hinton banks were
among the two victimized. And Incl.
dentally they never caught Hinch.
meyer.
Il wrote that story in a cafe and
kept away from the office until I was
sure they wouldn't send some regular
man out and undermine my Sc col.
umn when l had tipped It off to them. In
some way they had gotten wind of the
thing and when I brought the scoop
into the office. I was welcomed with
outstretched arms. Things came nv
way rapidly that week and when pay
day arrived. almost had apoplexy
upon discovering there was $66 dollars
due me.
When ! presented the string dt
was long enough to reach half way
around the block. the city editor
rushed up and cried:
Say, Miller, didn't you know that
put you on the regular stan last
week at $25 week.
by this clever ruse. he beat me ont
Of my princely $50. but I had been liy.
ing 30 long on snowballs that I was
happy in the thought Of a sure salary
OF $25 every pay day, and let It go at
that"
Ss.MA..--4