The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-01-07

IMAGINE . man little over six feet
IN height. straight as an arrow, broad
shouldered, athletic, with the steady
step Of a trained soldier, a pair OF keen
blue eyes. splendid head covered
by black felt hat. from under which
showed black curls streaked with grey,
q blue military cut suit, and a right
arm that hung helplessly at his side
Every inch a soldier. He looked it,
and he was. for he was Colonel John
franklin Blake. q graduate OF West
Point, an officer of the Sixth United
States Cavalry. one time commander
Of the Navajo Indian Scouts. and
man with record for fighting,
amongst the fighters in the Southwest
and along the Rio Grande.
,After making an heroic record In
the United States Army he took up
railroading for a few years in Mich'-
gan. Although successful he longed
Tor the life in which he had spent his
youth. and which was fast dying in
the Southwest. the life Of fascinating
danger in a virgin country.
'JIust after the Matabele war. when
all South Africa was in turmoil, the
lure OF peril took Colonel Blake into
Rhodesia, which he was led to believe
was fabulously rich in gold. and which
was being used to initiate Kafhr stocks
and South African values generally by
stock jobbers in the worlds ex-
chanses The Rhodesia boom had
Just commenced. and the international
schemers who made South Africa their
headauarters were just starting to
comut the money they were getting
under false preienses. when the let
ters Of Colonel Franklin Blake to the
American and British Press exposed
the rottenness OF the whole plot to
rob the conhding public Of two ma
tong He showed the barrenness of the
Charter Company's territory as far
as gold and diamonds were concerned.
and put stop to their illegal profits.
II was while Blake was doing this
that agents OF the ,Rhodesian interests
offered him bribe after bribe, each
time increasing the amount. until 1t
reached the tidy sum OF twenty thou-
sand pounds. to cease exposing them
and their scheme. Blake would moi
listen to them and when they found
that he was incorruptible. attempts
were made on his life upon two oc-
casions.
Friendless Among Crooks.
About this time, and at all times, In
fact, most Of the Americans who were
found in South Africa were there be-
cause il was a long way frem the
hand of the American law. Crooks
scherners, takers. smugglers. defaulters
swarmed the land, and Blake, on &C
count Of his splendid honesty. had nc
friends amongst them. No one hat
.sver heard of this hne specimen o.
American soldier telling lie. He wa
recoE oEnized by all as true and homes
gentleman. Naturally the men picket
out 10 settle" Blake and his articles
in the press were some OF his owl
oountrymen. who were willing to per
form any service as long as there wal
a prospect Of making money. Accord
ingly a scheme to murder Blake wa
hatchsd and nearly carried out. Ha'
Il not been for his extraordinary cour
age and active mentality Colonel Johl
Franklin Blake would never have com
manded the Irish Brigade in the Boo
war, and the best part of this stor!
could not be written
One day Blake received In his NAL
a letter from what appeared to be
reliable firm. saying that his article
In the press had excited their atten
ton, aud that two Of their minin
sni Neers. were about to examine
proi rty in Rhodesia, and that the
would give him any reasonable fs
for making a report which of course
had to be strictly correct accsrdin
to his views The arrangements wer
made by letter. and Blake met III
tive engineers in johannesburg. The
started for the property that was sal
to be situated At the north of Rhsds