Graham guardian., 1912-11-15
STMSON-
. CONOVER
By MART. a v. MONROE
Copyright, l7!3 uy American Press
As.-Dciation.


the sergeant at the desk In a police
court charged with burglary.
Hello, Stimson," said the sergeant
"You turned up again7 haven't seen
you for 80 long that thought you'd
reformed"
"I'm not stimson," replied the man.
| who was dressed in working costume,
"and I've never been here before"
Take him in
The next morning the case came up
before the court. There had been a
burglary In Ben Warfeld's store. War
field had entered his place Of business
with q light and cornered a man rob-
bing his cash drawer The robber
knocked him down and ran. The store
keeper got up, followed, called a 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!
iy knowing he would be captured, he
hoped to go by them unrecognized. But
| Warfield 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 picture in the rogues' gal
| lery which, though 1t was not a fiat-
tering likeness, was near enough like
him. taken with Warfield's evidence, to
convict him. -: y a.. ~... ..r
| The prisoner claimed that he was
John Conover.. a workman In q foun-
dry. His employers superintendent
| was called to the stand and testified
that the man. under the name of Con-
orer. 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 hysterically and de-
claring that she and her children were
starving This only confirmed the ver-
dict. though 1t excited sympathy. No
one ever beard Of Stimsop having had
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 pny lawyers
and costs for little matter like that
to attract even attention.
One night three years later man
was brought into the same sergeant as
had received StimsOn. whereupop the
sergeant. who was u facetious man.
said:
Hello. Stlmson! You here againf I
haven't seen you for so long that
thought you'd reformed"
I'm not StimsOn. My names Con-
over"
We'll. | like that. I'd know that
mug Of yours among thousand.
We've got you In the gallery. But
what did you say about being
"Conover?' .~.
'Yes--Conover. II seems to me the
names familiar. Now ! remember all
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 for,
seven years. fop couldn't get out this
early on good behavior. When did you
break jail?" -.
Sergeant" said the prisoner. chang
ing his tone. II was clingtn' to a
straw. and that remarkable memory Of
yours has broke 1t. Three years ago
you sent up an innocent man who look
ed like me, and this time was think
in I might possibly get of by elaimin'
to be him. But 1t won't work."
The sergeant looked at the man.
grertly puzzled.
did you do the burglary Conover
was sent up for?" he asked.
Yes, | done II. They chased me,
and all of sudden | heered 'em stop.
The next day sor in the Grim news In
the paper that bloke as looked like
me was took. He's doin' my time now.
II you wasn't on to II I'd a. tried to
prove was him. No credit to the way
you cops work things that ] didn't.
Your memory foored me-"
The real Stimsop went up, and In
time the real COnoyer came down. One
night he walked into the station and
stood before the sergeant. He was not
recognized. Maddened by his impris-
onment for an offense he had not COM
mitted. deprived Of the power to work
for his 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 twen-
ty years. - ., 4
"Who are you?" asked the sergeant.
John Conoyer!' .,.. ..:
Used as he was to the hard side Of
life, the sergeant started. s".''
. Are yoa,sure I'm not Stimson?"
~ had nothing to do with your case;
the court did it. Yom were unfortunate
In looking like jailbird."
& 81 came to say that while I've been
in jail my two little ones bave died for
want OF proper attention. My wife
still lives tiIf this were not so you
would go after my children"
The man walked out. and the ser,
geant wiped the sweat from his brow
with his coat cuff. He knew by Con.
overs look that only life stood be.
tween him and death,
The next day Conovcr walked into
Warheld's store. Warfield. hearing q
footstep behind him. turned. He. had
heard Of bis mistake and was brood
ing upon 1t at the time; otherwise he
would, not have known thi: ghost Of