Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1910-06-18


even did dishonest act. and yet am
in jail accused Of murder. This may
not be astonishing. for many an lnno-
cent man has not only been accused Of
but has been hanged for murder. but
what Is remarkable In my case Is that
l am accused Of numbering myself.
Perhaps this isn't quite clear. II 1t
isn't, 1t Is either because the case Is a
very complicated one or l am not In a
fit condition of mind to make 1t clear.
The only way to unravel the matter so
that 1t can be understood Is to tell the
story from Hle beginning.
Twelve years ago came to Mertford,
a young man Of twenty-five. to look for
n job. l had no funds, and not get
ting position at once, l ran in debt to
my landlady. A month passed, and
had found nothing to do. My lnndlady
told me that If l didn't pay up by the
next Saturday night she would have
me arrested for common vagrant and
swindler.
That same day while walking about
looking for job | met man Oh the
street who looked so much like me
that | stared at him as we passed.
He turned and said:
You must be a kin Of mine. You
look enough like me to be my own
brother"
whats your name?" | asked.
william Higgins"
Il am Nicholas Van Wrinkle"
We couldn't trace any relationship.
but he asked me into Il beer saloon,
where We pursued that and other
subjects. He was an Alsinunting fel-
low and won my confidence 50 far
that told him of my financial trou
BILE. What did he do but whip out a
roll of new. crisp bills and invite me
to help myself. demurred at incur
ring obligations to Il stranger. but he
insisted and finally literally forced
upon me four ten-dollar bills. saying
that he was sure from the likeness
between us we had sprung from
common stock and he didn't propose
that any kinsman OF his should suffer
so long as he had plenty OF money. l
asked him for his address that ! might
return the loan after getting a posi-
ton. He put his hand on my shoul
der and said. Il won't tell you. lest
you rob yourself to pay me before you
are ready" With that he went out
somewhat suddenly and left me very
much surprised Mt all that had Oc-
Cured
The only thing to do was to consider
the episode piece of good luck. and
going to my landady. l gave her
three of the bills. keeping the other
for current necessities. which l pur-
chased Immediately.
The next day a policeman came to
the house and produced warrant for
my arrest. The charge was passing
counterfeit money. and the accuser
was druggist OF whom had bought
a toothbrush and from whom I had
received change for ten dollar bill.
OF course the generosity Of my new
found friend was now perfectly plain
to me. l didn't know and don't know
now what he expected to gain by the
transaction unless he hoped to use me
later My landlady on seeing me
marched away by a policeman under
n charge of passing counterfeit money
took the bills l had given her to her
bank, where they were pronounced
spurious. When was brought up for
examination both she and the drug
gist appeared against me. l told
straight story, but without effect.
Counterfeit bills had been showed into
circulation, and the police had been
looking for the shower. | was held
for trial and spent six weeks in Jail.
Then l was tried. AS there was no
evidence connecting me with gang
Of counterfelters. l was acquitted and
released
But one thought absorbed me-tO get
even with the man who had played
the trick on me that had kept me six
weeks in horrible cell and ruined
me in the place where l had intended
to settle l walked the streets hoping
to meet him till l was so weak from
hunger that couldn't walk any
longer, then gave 1t up. But all the
while l was thinking Of n plan for
revenge. At last I cOncocted one that
might catch the counterfeiter and pun
ish him for something more than
breaking the government money laws.
went to n wood in the outskirts Of
the town and to a tree pinned piece
of paper on which | had written In a
trembling hand that was about to be
murdered by man who had forced
me to pass. counterfeit money, l hav-
ing threatened to put the police on to
him and his gang. | described the
man who had given ME the spurious
bills. In doing so Of course I de-
scribed my own personal appearance.
but / didn't care for that. for I pro-
posed to disappear from the place and
play dead. Having taken this the
only means | could think Of to gain
my revenge, converted myself into a
tramp and did not stop moving until
l had gone some 1920 miles from the
town where had had so much trou-
BILE At the end Of my tramp :Nund
a man who gave me job, and re-
joiced that at last l had reached
haven of rest.
One morning | took up newspaper
and read the account of my own muir