Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1911-01-07
STIMSON-
CONOVER
By MARTHA V. MONROE
Copyright. 1919 by American Press
Association.

One night man was brought before
the sergeant at the desk in a police
court charged with burglary.
Hello, Stimson," said the sergeant
you turned up again? l 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"
Take him in"
The next morning the case came up
before the court. There had been
burglary in Ben Warfields 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.
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 to go by them unrecognized But
Warfeld 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 a picture in the rogues gal
lery which, though it was not a fiat
tering likeness, was near enough like
him, taken with Warfeld's evidence. to
convict him.
The prisoner claimed that he was
John ConQver, 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
! 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
a 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 q little matter like that
to attract even attention.
One night three years later a 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?
haven't seen you for so long that
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. But
what did you say about being
"ConoverT"
''Yes-Conover. 1t seems to me the
names familiar. Now l remember al
about ii. 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 fol
seven years. You couldn't get out this
early on good behavior. When did yot
break jail?"
Sergeant" said the prisoner, chang
ing his tone, Il was clingin' to {
straw. and that remarkable memory Of
f: yours has broke it, Three years age
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.
did you do the burglary Conovel
was sent up for?' he asked.
Eyes, l done it. They chased me
and all of a sudden l heered 'em stop
The next day l sor in the Grim news IL
the paper that a bloke as looked Xix
me was took. He's dom my time now
If you wasn't on to it I'd "a tried t,
prove l was him. No credit to the wa.
you cops work things that l didn't
Your memory fioored me-"
The real Stimson went up, and il
time the real Conover came down. On
night he walked into the station an,
| stood before the sergeant He was no
: recognized. Maddened by his impris
4 onment Tor an Offense he had not CON
mitted, deprived of the power to worl
I for his wife and children, he had al
tempted to escape, was caught and ha
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 Conoverr'
y Used as be was to the hard side o
n life, the sergeant started.
4 "Are you sure I'n Dot Stimson?"
81 had nothing to do With your case
the court did it. You werv uzfortunat
= in looking like jailbird."
II came to say that while I'VE bee
in jail my two little ones have died 70
want of proper attention Ny wifi
still lives. If this were not so 70
would go after my children"
The man walked out, and the sci
yaant minad tho uvvaat from hio hro,