Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-07-02
A Dealer In
ForeiignFruits
BY LUIGI ooNTA

ed the shop and. seeing the proprietor
working on his books, said to him In
the Italian language;
"Slgnor. have Just come from Ma
Piles to America to better my condition.
I wish position"
a'I cannot afford clerk. wish
could. am poor at accounts. They
bother me-"
az kept books for one OF the largest
exporters of oil in Naples. / know all
about bookkeeping"
That may be, but / have told you
my business does not admit of an as
Eistant''
LET me work for you without pay
I have brought over with me little
money on which | can live while am
getting knowledge Of America will
serve you for. say. year. BY that
time my money will be all gone, but
can then find position with salary"
!. ,Martelli was much captivated with
The proposition. He told the man. who
gave his name as Giovanni Micele, to
take hold of bis books and straighten
them out II he showed that he knew
how to do so he would teach him bis
business. He told Micele that his face
was familiar to him. but he could not
tell where he had seen him, to which
Micele replied that nothing was more
likely, since they had both lived In the
same city.
Aicele did not know anything about
bookkeeping. but he talked very learn
eddy about Martelli's accounts and sue
ceeded in confusing the merchant and
showing him that his affairs were in
much better condition than be had
supposed. Micele became a great ia
vorite with his employer, and. with
the formers assistance, the business
seemed to improve II did not appear
that the sales were larger. but some
how or other when Micele took of
statement from the books he always
showed an increased profit Indeed.
so pleased was Martelli that he told
his clerk he might draw IS week for
salary. But Micele said that be pre-
ferred to stick to his contract and
would not accept any pay for his work.
Marteln lived In a room in one Of the
narrow streets of lower New York.
When he left his shop after business
hours he invariably went to this sleep
ing apartment alone. But one day.
after drinking a bottle or two Of wine
with his clerk, he invited Micele to go
home with him and have e game of
cards. Micele accepted the Invitation.
Martelli bought some more wine on
the way, and during the evening the
two finished It The wine came from
California and is much stronger than
the wines one gets in Italy. MartelIi
showed its effects When he got up
from his seat to get some tobacco MI
cele slipped a little pellet into his
glass. When MartelH returned he was
too drunk to notice 1t lying in the bot
tom of his glass. and ii was soon dis
solved. Soon after he had finished his
glass his eyes began to look heavy, his
head sank down on the table. and he
was unconscious.
Micele arose and began to search the
room. Producing skeleton keys, he un-
locked everything that was locked and
searched under the bed and In every
nook and Granny Unlocking the closet.
he found an old pair OF shoes Thrust
ing his hand down into the toe OF one
he withdrew q chamois bag. from
which he poured a number of valuable
diamonds into the palm of his hand
From the toe of the other shoe he Sc
cured several papers. which he hastily
glanced over and put them In his pock-
ct Then he turned and contemplated
for a few moments the senseless fig
ure of his victim
Taking up the glass from which Mar.
tell had drunk. he rinsed and wiped IL.
then partly filed it with wine. His
bed. take or his outer garments and
= put the bedclothes over him Then,
putting out the lights. he left him.
In the morning Martelh awoke and
looked about him. Empty bottles and
his own half filed glass stood on the
table. He got off the bed. staggered to
the table, took up his glass. smelled of
1t, slipped il and. discovering no taste.
seemed relieved. Going to the closet
he felt in the toe Of one of his shoes.
He started Thrusting his hand into
the other shoe. he gave cry of an
guish- Rushing to the door. he tried
to open it, but found 1t licked He
was looking Tor some other avenue of
exit when he heard footsteps without.
the door was opened. and MiceIe
backed by two policemen. stood in the
opening.
Good morning, Signor Fabroni." he
said II shall have to trouble you to
make a sea voyage with me to our be-
loved Naples. Signora Martelli missed
some valuable diamonds and at the
same time her butler disappeared. He
was traced to New York. and l was
deputed to come over and bring him
back. The government, being interest
ed in a murder case of which he Is