Willmar tribune., 1910-08-31

came over under canvas and required
some thirty days to make the transit.
Had the matter occurred today John
Brainard might have feared that some
one acting under information received
by cablegram would get ahead Of him.
But there were no cablegrams in those
days, and if criminal secured an en-
barkation he was pretty sure that no
one had been warned Of his arrival.
What Brainard had to consider was
to make good his capture without Civ
ing away his information to any one.
He succeeded in getting himself aD-
pointed deputy constable. then went
down New York bay to quarantine
and waited for the arrival of the man
and the jewels. In a few days the
Pequot was sighted. Her appearance
confirmed Mrs. Nolan's story. Still.
John had been twice duped by GRIM
tnals. and he was not yet sure but that
new trap had been laid for him.
Brainard made the acquaintance Of
the health officer whose business it
was to board incoming vessels and
secured his permission to go with him
when he made his inspection of the
Pequot. His informant had given him
a description of Taggart. He was
small. thickset and an especial mark
on him was the absence of part of
one ear. which he had lost in a fight
with the French police. When the
ho cto
a boat bearing yellow flag, the doc
tor and John seated in the stern. was
pulled out to her and the two climbed
ladder that bad been placed for
them over the ships side. Then the
former made his medical inspection.
while John began to inspect the pas
Sengers.
The work was not as arduous then as
it would be among theseveral thousand
persons coming in on an ocean liner
today. There were but twenty in all.
John saw no one on deck answering
the description Of his quarry, and on
asking the purser If there were no
more the officer counted noses and
.
face fell. Had Taggart escaped? ALI
hands were started on a hunt. and a
short. thickset man with one ear near
ly gone was dragged out of the hold.
where he had gone to escape observa-
ton till he might find an opportunity
to step ashore.
John showed his badge and made
the arrest. Since there was no tel
egraph by which he could summon as
sistance on his arrival at the slip where
the ship was to be docked he was
obliged to wait till he came within
sight of the Battery. Then the cap
tain sent the message by signal. As
soon as the ship was docked John
turned his prisoner over to the police
and his effects were placed in bond
In hatbox with a false bottom the
jewels were found.
1t was months before John received
the reward for his capture. but in time
$25.O0O was paid him.
Meanwhile he had been quietly
working upon the matter nearest his
heart. his vindication. and the day aft
er the payment Of the money Huyser
q Co. were sued for false imprison-
ment and their books placed in the
care Of custodian appointed by the
court Then Mr.. Huyser sent for John
to come and see him.
What does this charge mean?' ask
ed the head Of the firm.
1T means that you imprisoned an
innocent man, who at the time knew
not which way to turn to exonerate
himself. He is now about to move
heaven and earth to prove that he was
used as catspaw.''
''Who used him?'
"Your bookkeeper. Coulter, now a
member of the firm"
Huyser sent for Coulter, who ap-
peared pale and trembling. John told
the story of how Coulter had assisted
him In his trial balance and how he
doubtless cooked it up to serve his
own purposes. Coulter, knowing that
; the pending suit would reveal his pee
ulations. broke down and confessed
Soon after Johns arrest some specu-
lat1ve investments Coulter had, made
had turned from ebb to food tide and
given him considerable funds. He
then-generously, it was supposed
offered to make up the deficiency on
condition that John was not prose-
: cuted. The firm. being in need of cap
ital. at the same time admitted. him
as member.
An arrangement was made by which
John withdrew his suit. Coulter was
put out of the firm. and John was
; taken In IN his lace. Later he became
senior partner