The Cairo bulletin., 1910-08-18
STIMSON-
CONOVER
BY MARTHA V, MONROE
Copyright. 1910 by American Press
ASnnnin I.aaA

/
you for so long that thought yon'l
reformed"
I'm not Stimson," replied the man
who WAS dressed In working costume
"and I've never been here before"
Take him in."
The next morning the case came UP
before the court. There had been Il
burglary In Ben War1eld's store. War
| field had entered his place Of business
with a light and corEered man rob
hing his cash drawer, Tie robber
knocked him down and ran The store
keeper got up. followed called police
man. and together they made chase
| Warfield 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 togo by them unrecognizcd But
| Warfield had got a good look III him
In his store by the light he carried and
| knew him ut once. The rest Of the
evidence against tie prisoner was fur
nished by picture IN the rogucs' gal
lery which, though /. was not fiat.
| tering likeness, was near enough like
him, taken with Wartield's evidence to
| convict him.
The prisoner claimed that he was
John Conover, workman in foun-
| dry, His employers superintendent.
was called to the stand ana testified
that the man, under the name of Con-
over. had gone 10 work for the concern
a week before, claiming that he had
not been employed for some months
That was all the witness knew about
| him.
Being an old offender. St!mson was
sent to the penitentiary for seven
years. Before he started his wife came
to see him, acting Historically aud de-
claring that she and her children We're
starving, This only confirmed the YER
dict, though it excited sympathy. No
one ever heard Of Stimscn having had
Il wife and family. Dut the ease 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 like that
to attract even attention.
One night three years later man
was brought into the same sergeant as
had received stimson, Nhcgeupon the
sergeant, who was facetious man,
said:
Hello, Stmsonl You here again? |
haven't seen you for so long TINT
thought you'd reformed"
"I'm not Stimson. Ny names Con.
over"
well, like that. I'd know that
HUG If yours among thousand.
We've got you in the gallery. But
what did you say about being
"Conoyer?"
"Yes-Conover. 1t seems to me the
names familiar Now | remember all
about 1t. 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 oui this
early on good behavior When did you
| break jailf'
Sergeant" said the prisoner, chang.
ing his tone, Il was eling!n' to a
straw, and that remarkable memory Of
yours has broke 1t. Three years ago
you sent UP an innocent man who look
ed like me, and this time | was think
in l might possibly get off by cla!mln'
! to he him. But 1t won't work"
The sergeant looked at the man,
greatly puzzled.
did you do the burglary Conovor
was sent up for?" he asked.
Eyes, done it, They chased me,
and all Of a sudden | heered EN- 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 I'd a tried 10
| prove | was him. No credit to the way
you cops work things that didn' I.
Your memory foored me-"
The real SNmson went up, and In
time the real Conoyer came down One
| night he walked into the station and
stood before the sergeant Tie was not
recognized. Maddened by his lmpris
onment for an offense be had not com
mitted, 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 your asked the sergeant.
John Conover."
Used as he was to the hard side Of
life, the sergeant started.
Are you sure I'm not Stimson?'
II had nothing to do with your case
the court did 1t. You were unfortunate
in looking like jailblrd.'
81 came to say that while I've beer
In Jail my two little ones have died TO
want of proper attention. Mys wifi
still lives. If this were not so yol
would 20 after my children"
The man walked out, and the ser
geant wiped the sweat from his brow
with his coat cuff. He knew by Con
overs look that only life stood be
tween him and death.
: The next day Conover walked int
Warfcld's store. Warded, hearing
footstep behind him, turned He ha
heard Of his mistake and was brood
: ing upon II at the time: otherwise h