The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-14

trong box containing $4,000 In gold.
only $1,000 of the $4,000 1t had held when
1t was stolen.
Brady pretended the greatest establishment.
The authorities believed no was lying, but
nothing could shake his story. He went to
prison to begin life sentence still declaring
that he and his partner had buried the entire
900 and had never seen OF touched any
OF it since
Six months later, and nearly two years
after the Davisville robbery, came to
the head detective OF the express company
and informed him that he suspected man
known as Carl Norman of having gained pos
session Of the missing $4,000 in gold.
II have known this man Herman for years."
said the detectives informant. "He never
did a days work in his life. never had any
money and has always been veritable vaga-
bond. In fact everybod who knew him
called him Carl the Tramp
about two years ago, to my surprise he
blossomed out like millionaire, with expen-
sve clothes, diamonds and a pocketbook that
apparently held an inexhaustbe supply OF
ready money. He gambled heavily at the
racetracks and entertained lavishly at the
most exclusive restaurants and hotels This
extravagant way Of living has continued up to
the present time. Only last week he enter
tanned a gay party Of chorus girls at dinner
that cost $500.
when anybody asks Carl the reason for
this remarkable change in his mode Of living.
he becomes very mysterious and will give
satisfactory information. 1t Is safe to say
that he did not make the money honestly, for
he is without education and has aptitude
for any kind OF work. What strikes me
remarkable coincidence Is the fact that his
astonishing leap from poverty to wealth dates
from the very month Of the train robbery at
Davisville."
The express company officials were much
impressed by this story, and at once set
several sleuths to shadowing Herman. Their
reports made the mystery of his suddenly
acquired wealth all tho deeper Although
there was tangible evidence to connect
him with Browning and Brady or the money
they had buried, a warrant was sworn out for
him.
Herman was arrested Just as he was sitting
down to dinner with fashionably gowned
woman who for several months had been
sharing his prosperity He was extensively
attired in evening clothes Of the latest cut.
and looked like anything but thief or
receiver Of stolen goods.
A night in cell, however, followed by
cruel third degree" examination unnerved
him so that he made full confession.
"My right NAME" he said. 'is John P.
Harms. On the night of the Davisville train
robbery I was sleeping in tho woods near
place called Jackwood's Gulch. 1t must have
been long after midnight when I was
awakened by the sound Of mems voices
"Peering through the underbrush surround
ing the little clearing where had spread my
blanket, l saw in the waning moonlight two
men dragging some heavy object into the
: gulch below me. One OF them carried rail-
road lantern. and as they drew nearer saw
that they both wore black masks and that
what they were carrying with SO much diff
Guilty was an iron box, such as is used in ex
press cars for keeping valuabes.
When they were less than dozen feet
:, from me they put the box down. Then with
j their hunting knives and with sticks they
i started digging In the sandy soil. When they
mad dug a deep hole they dropped the box
i Into it. covered 1t with earth and started off
4 Ia the direction OF Sacramento.
i II had not said word all this time for fear
i that II was discovered they would kill me.
5, when daylight came, however, my courage
i returned and seeing no sign OF the men
! could not resist the tenn +otion to dig up
i the box and what was 1t.
i When l threw open the over I was
i amazed to see that it was nearly FULL Of bags
i OF gold coin and dust did not stop to
! count the money and I had no idea how
i much the dust was worth, but realized that
i this was more wealth than had ever seen
i In my life before and enough to enable mo
i to live like prince.
i II looked carefully in every direction to
i make sure that no one was watching me.
i Then filed my pockets with as much of
! the gold as could carry put the rest back
j into the box and filled up the hole again.
i when 1 reached San Francisco l found
i that had in specie and dust $50. 600"
i OF this amount Harms had spent in two
i years time $4,000 The remainder was on
i deposit in various banks and was recovered
i by the express company by civil suits
Harms was convicted Of grand larceny and
/ sent to prison.
i The difficulties which thieves have in dis
i posing OF the plumber they secure at such
j fearful risks offer additional evidence In
support Of my contention that CRIME DOES
4 NOT PAY. But even If this were not So
i even II 1t were possible for the criminal to
j spend his Ill gotten gains without molesta-
i ton from anybody do not believe his lot
i would be any the happier. 1t has been my
Il lnyariable experience that money dishonesty
i acquired carries a curse with it and leads
i the misguided man or woman who tries to
il derive some enjoyment from It's use only to
J remorse and misery
SOPHIE LYONS.