The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-12-08
.STIMSON-
CONOVER
By MARTHA v. MONROE.
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
.r. ISL.

One night Il man was brought before
the sergeant at the desk in police
court charged with burglary.
"uello, StimsOn,' said the sergeant.
you turned up again? haven't seen
you for SO long that ! thought you'd
reformed"
"I'm not Simson," replied the man.
who was dressed in working costume,
land I've never been here before"
"Take him in" r,.-
The next morning the case came up
before the court. There had been q
burglary in Ben Warfields store War
field had entered his place of business
with light and cornered man rob-
bling his cash dra wer The robber
knocked him down and ran. The store
man. and together they made chase.
| Wartield in court testified that while in
pursuit Of the fugitive he had turned
and walked toward them. Undoubted-
| ly knowing he would be captured, he
hoped to go by them unrecognized. But
! Warlield had got a good look at him
in his store by the light he carried and
knew him at once. The rest nf the
evidence against the prisoner was fur
nished BY a picture in the rogues gal
lery which, though 1t was not a fat
tering likeness. was near enough like
him. taken with Warfleld's evidence. to
| convict him.
| The prisoner claimed that he was
John Conover. a workman in a foun-
dry. His employers superintendent
was called to the stand and testified
that the man. under the name Of Con-
over, had gone to work for the concern
| 4 week before. claiming that he had
not been employed for some months.
That was all the witness knew about
him.
Being an old offender. Stimson was
sent to the penitentiary for seven
years. Before he started his wife came
to see him. acting Historically and de-
claring that she and her children were
starving This only confirmed the YER
dict, though it excited sympathy. No
one ever heard Of Stimson having had
wife and family. But the case was
decided. and there ia too much work
before the courts except in the cases Of
those who have money to pay lawyers
and costs for little matter like that
30 attract even attention.
One night three years later q man
was brought into the same sergeant as
had received Stimson. whereupon the
sergeant. who was 4 facetious man.
said:
Hello Stimson! You here again? |
haven't seen you for so long that l
thought you'd reformed"
I'm not Stimson. Ny names Con-
ever"
"Well. like that. I'd know that
mug Of yours among a thousand.
We've got you in the gallery. But
what did you say about being
"Conover?"
"Yes-Conover. 1t seems to me the
names familiar. Now ! remember all
about it. The last time you came in
here you tried the racket of mistaken
identity; said your name was Conover.
But hold on. You were sent up for
seven years You couldn't get out this
early on good behavior. When did you
break jail?"
sergeant" said the prisoner. chang
Ing his tone. Il was clingin' to a
straw. and that remarkable memory OF
yours has broke it, Three years ago
you sent up an innocent man who look
ed like me. and this time l was think
in l might possibly get off by claimin
to be him. But it won't work."
. The sergeant looked at the man.
greatly puzzled.
IBID you do the burglary Conover
was sent up for?' he asked.
Eyes, done it. They chased me
and all Of a sudden l heered 'em stop
The next day sor In the Grim news In
the paper that bloke as looked like
me was took. He's dom my time now
II you wasn't on to it Id "a tried to
prove was him. No credit to the way
you cops work things that I didn't.
Your memory 6oored me-
The real Stimson went up, and in
time the real Conover came down. One
night he walked into the station and
stood before the sergeant. He was not
recognized. Maddened by his impris-
onment for an offense he had not COM
mdtted, deprived Of the power to work
for his wife and children. he had at
tempted to escape. was caught and had
been treated with unusual severity.
No wonder the sergeant didn't know
him. He had aged in appearance TWEEN
ty years
'Who are you" asked the sergeant
John Conover!"
Used as he was to the hard side of
hfe, the sergeant started
Are you sure I'm not Stimson?
II had nothing to do with your case;
the court did it. You were unfortunate
In looking like jailbird."
II came to say that while I've been
In Jail my two little ones have died for
want OF proper attention. My wife
still lives. If this were not so Won
would go after ms children