The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1911-01-12
STIMSON-
CONOVER
By MARTHA v MONROE.
Copyright. 1910 by American Press
Association

One night II man was brought before
the sergeant at the desk in police
court charged with burglary
"HellO, Stimson," said the sergeant.
"You turned up again? | haven't seen
you for SO long that ! thought you'd
informed"
I'm 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 q |
burglary in Ben Warfield's store. War
With light and cornered a 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 !
~ knowing he would be captured. be
hoped to go by them unrecOgnized. But
WarGeld had got 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 picture in the rogues' gal
lery which, though it was not fat
tering likeness, was near enough like
him, taken with Warheld's evidence, to
convict him.
The prisoner claimed that he was
John Conover. 4 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
q week before. claiming that be had
not been employed for some months.
That was all the. witness knew about
him.
Being an old offender. Stimson was
cent to the penitentiary for seven
years. Before he started his wife came
30 see him, acting Historically aud de-
claring that she and her children were
starving This only confirmed the YER
Dict, though it excited sympathy. NJ
one ever heard Of Stimson having had
q 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 like that
- attract even attention.
One night three years later q man
was brought into the same sergeant a.
had received Stimson, whereupon the
sergeant, who was faceti0us man
said:
"Hello. stimson! You here again1 I
haven't seen you for 80 long that l
thought you'd reformed"
"I'm not Stimson. Ny names Con-
ever"
"Wsll. l like that. I'd know that
mug Of yours among a thousand.
VIEW got you In the gallery But
what did you say about being
'Copover?"
"Yes-Conover. 1t seems to me the
names familiar. Now l remember all
about 1t. The Iast time you came in
here 20. tried the racket Of mistaken
identity; said your name was Conover.
D0t bold on. Yso wess sent up for
opvso years. You couldn't get out this
early on good behavior. When did you
break JAM"
sergeant" sah the prisoner, chang
ing bis tone. Il was clingin' to
straw. and that remarkable memory Of
yours has broke It. Three years ago
20 sent up an innocent man who look
a Ike me. and thu time was think
in might possibly get OF by claimin'
to be him. But 1t won't work."
The sergeant looked at the man.
greatly puzzled.
Ibid you do tho burglary Conover
vas sent up forr' he asked.
"Yes, l done 1t. They chased me,
and all of a sudden ] heered 'em stop.
The next day sor In the crtm news In
the paper that q bl0ke ~ looked like
me was took. He's dom my time now. !
II you wasn't on to 1t Id a tried to
prove l was him. No credit to the way
you cops work things that didn't.
Your memory foored me-"
The real Stimson went up, and In
time the real COnover came down. One
night be walked into the station and
stood before the sergeant. he was not
recognized. Maddened by his impris-
snment for an offense he had not COM
nitted, deprived Of the power to work
fdr bis 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
y years.
"Who are you ?" asked the sergeant.
"John Conover!"
Used as he was to the hard side of
HE, the sergeant started.
Are you sure I'm not Shmsonr'
" had nothing to do with your case;
To court did 1t. You were unfortunate
IA looking like jailbird."
" came to say that while I've been
b jail my two little ones have died for
want Of proper attention. Ny wife