Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-08-14
STIMSON-
CONOVER
BY MARTHA v. MONROE
Copyright. 1910 by American Press
Association.

"You turned up AGAIN. | haven't seen
You for so long that / thought you'd
reformed"
"Pm not Stimson," replied the man,
who was dressed IN working costume,
land I've never been here before"
"rake him ~"
The next morning the case came up
before the court There had been a
burglary in Ben Warfelds store. War
field had entered his place of business
with a light and cornered man rob-
/ bling his cash drawer. The robber
/, knocked him down and ran. The store
keeper got up followed. called police
! man. and together they made chase.
T., Warfield In court testified that while In
! pursuit OF the fugitive he had turned
and walked toward them. Undoubted'
| ~ knowing he would be captured, he
hoped TO go by them unrecognized. But
Warfleld had got a good look at him
] In his store by the light he carried and
/, knew him at once. The rest of the
! evidence against the prisoner was fur
nished by Il picture in the rogues' gal
lery which. though it Was not fat
terlng likeness, was near enough like
! him, taken with Warfield's evidence, to
| convict him.
The prisoner claimed that he was
! John Conoyer, workman In foun-
dry. His employers superintendent
was called to the stand and testified
I that the man. under the name Of Con-
over, had gone to work for the concern
q week before. claiming that he had
not been employed for some months.
/ That was all the witness knew about
i him.
| Being an old offender. Stimson was
J sent to the penitentiary for seven
years. Before he started his wife came
to see him. acting Historically and de-
! ciaring that she and her children were
starving This only confirmed the YER
dict, though 1t excited sympathy. No
one ever heard OF Stimson having had
wife and family. But the case was
decided. and there is too much work
! before the courts except in the cases OF
those who have money to pay lawyers
and costs for little matter Ike that
to attract even attention.
One night three years later man
was brought into the same sergeant as
had received Stimson. whereupon the
sergeant, who was a facetious man,
| said:
Hello, Stimson! You here again? l
haven't seen you for so long that l
thought you'd reformed"
I'm not Stimson. My names Con-
over"
"Well, / like that. I'd know that
mug Of yours among a thousand
We've got you In the gallery. Blu
what did you say about being
! "Conover"
| "Yes-Conover. 1t seems to me tho
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, II was clingin' to- a
straw, and that remarkable memory OF
yours has broke IL. Three years ago
you sent up an innocent man who look
i ed like me. and this time was think
IN I might possibly get or by claimin'
4 to be him But II won't work"
| The sergeant looked at the man.
greatly puzzled
"Did you do the burglary Conover
4 .-..,& h.
Il "Yes. / done It. They chased me.
| and all of sudden ] heered 'em stop.
| The next day ] sor In the Grim news In
the paper that a bloke as looked Ike
me was took He's doin' my time now.
/ II you wasn't on TO IL I'D "a tried to
l prove I was him. No credit to the way
you cops work things that ! didn't
Your memory ioored 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 hts impris-
cnment for an offensc he had not com
mitted. deprived OF the power to work
for his wife and children. he had at
tempted 20 escape. was caught and had
been treated with unusual severity
No wonder the sergeant didn't know
him He had aged In appearance TWEEN
" years
who are your asked the sergeant
John Conoverf'
Used IS be was to the hard side Of
life. the sergeant started
Are you sure I'm not StimsonT~
Il had nothing 60 do with your case:
she court did L. You were unfortunate
IN looking Ike taiibird--
! came % say that while I've bees
IN jan my two little ones have died for
want 81 proper attention Ny wife
stiii lives. n this we're not 80 you