Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-10-17

He desired to 20 to college. but TINS
was not TO be considered unless he
paid his own way. 1t was then that
the idea Of trying TO discover his
identity which had often occurred to
him. took firm hold. and spreading
his baby clothes. which he had care
fully preserved. on table before him
he proceeded TO examine them and to
think. He was at once struck with
the fine texture Of their fabric and
with the fact that the child who had
worn them must have been born of
parents among the upper classes. And
he now realized for the first time the
letters &C. l.. W. embroidered on them
must he the initials OF his o" u name.
He regretted that he had kept the
secret of these clothes. for he now
knew that if he had given them 10
those interested in him they might by
this time have discovered his identity.
He was now sufficiently developed 10
act intelligently. He took the clothes
to an attorney to whom he told the
story given him by his sQuaw foster
mother of his Introduction to the Ute
Indians: namely. that he h, been
brought to the chief by "A white man
who had paid the former to keep him
and not let him get back 10 civilization.
The lawyer agreed to open an investi-
CATION ut his own expense by advertis-
ing the story in number of news
papers.
Since nothing came of the advertise
ment. John entered college resolved to
pay his way by attaining scholarships
and earning money by work. He had
finished his first year OF study when
the lawyer who had taken his case sent
for him and told him that he had
heard from the advertisement. which
he had kept inserting from time to
time. A man named MARYLAND had
replied to it. saying that he had long
been seeking a child who had been
stolen about the time John was taken
TO the Indians. This person had called
at the attorneys office and when he
! saw the baby clothes marked C. l.. W.
at once exclaimed:
Found
He told the following story: Cuth-
bert Whitridge. wealthy gentleman.
/ ana MS vile IbT years dIiel luell MAJ
! rage had no child. Then a son was
born to them whom they named
/ Charles Louis. Mrs. Whitridge died
/ when the boy was not quite three
( years old and shortly after her death
/ the boy disappeared. Every effort was
| made to trace him without avail.
/ Since no demand for ransom was made
| It was supposed that the child had
either fallen to his death or been taken
| by gypsies who had adopted him. His
| father Cuthbert WhitridCe. had made
will naming Edward MnrkIand
/ executor. leaving his property TO his
son provided he appeared to claim II
/ within twenty years. After that II
/ was to 20 to the testatOr's brother
/ This brother. Ambrose Whitridge. after
! Cuthhert'S death had strivcn to break
I the will to secure the property. main
tanning legal contest for fifteen
years. but meeting repeated defeats.
The suit had been expensive to defend.
but the estate was very valuab BILE.
TIE John. or Charles Louis Whit
ridge. finding himself heir to fortune.
/ learned his sweethearts address and
wrote her Of his changed condition. Re
and his counsel believed that his uncle
! had stolen. or employed some one tn
! steal. him when II child and take him
west and lose him among the Indians.
! Louis Whitridge being DESTROYS to pun.
fish his uncle. II guilty. after consulta.
/ ton with his counsel, employed de-
tective to endeavor to get evidence
against him. This was also necessary
! since the uncle would not acknowledge
him as heir to his property. The de-
tective brihed housemaid to admit
him to the premises when her master
was away. and he found in "A desk
letter containing "a lOcket the letter
stating. The job is done-Send me the
balance" No name was signed to the
letter. The Iocket contained lock Of
auburn hair. and the letters NJ. r. w.
were engraved within it. Louis moth
er's hair was the exact color OF this
lock and her name was Mary Elizabeth.
In this discovery there was evidence
to show that Ambrose Whitridge had
been Instrumental in the abduction Of
the child who stood between him and
q fortune and had hired "A man to lose
him to the world. Louis. acting on the
advice OF his lawyer, invited his uncle
to meet him for conference in the
attorneys Office for the purpose OF
compromise When Ambrose Whit
ridge arrived he learned that the com
promise intended was his signing or
all claim TO the disputed property or
being prosecuted criminally for abduc-
I ton He chose the former.
Before returning to college Louis
Whitridgp visited the military station
where Captain-nOw Lieutenant Colo
nel-Trowbrdge served and met his
sweetheart. whom be had not seen for
several years Since the girl had re-
mained constant 10 her Ute John" the
meeting was happy one. She cop.
scented TO Johns applying to her father
for her. and his consent was granted on
condition that the pair wait till Edith
came Of age and Louis had been gradu-
ated from college.