Willmar tribune., 1914-09-30
CHAPTER XVI.
Restitution.

VoSIIIUIloO.
~ He last act OF Inspector Rams
combe. before turning over bis
office to his successor. was to
send to John Nelson the original
police records taken Of James Mont
gomery. He offered his services in any
step that be might take to have the
courts of New York right the wrong
that had been done him. The inspec-
tor also wrote cOnfidentially to the gov.
ernor of the state giving rull details
OF the case.
Nelson, his hands again healed, and
his wife and her family grateful that
he had not been permanently crippled
took Mr.. Bryan into his confidence
and placed the whole matter before
him. asking his advice
The police Of Tucson provided the
New York authorities with ample de.
tails of the confession Of the dying
yegg. He was too far gone to send
east prisoner. When Nelson learn
ed Of this be asked that efforts be
made to let the man die outside Of
prison. The yegg's own Maker had
taken his case from the hands Of the
law.
Mr.. Bryan engaged eminent counsel
In New York to have the case Of James
Montgomery formally reopened by the
al4'ellate division of the supreme court
A reversal Of the verdict found by the
lower court was entered in the rec
ords and Acquitted" replaced the word
Convicted"
The name Of Nelson had its value
In the world. value made by ter
rife effort. by kindness. by compass
sion. by struggle and by intellect The
woman he loved had taken that name
The people among whom he had work
ed had accepted it as representing all
that was fine and high and noble.
The supreme court Of Sonth Carolina
In chambers gave to James Montgom-
cry the right to have legal use of the
name Of John Nelson. This document
from the court was placed in the ar.
chives Of the state without publicity.
While the last Of these details. clear.
ing away the past and making straight
the future for Nelson. were being at
tended to by lawyers. John Nelson him
self. his wife and her parents were
walking impatiently up and down the
station platform Of the Southern rail.
way in Greenville.
Mr.. Bryan's finest horses and traps,
his negro coachmen In the freshest
Of linen suits and brown straw bea-
vers, were there also. Guests-and Very
important guests, evidently-were ex-
pected.
The crowd that always gathered to
greet the express train from the north
fdgeted with impatience. Perhaps a
party Of famous milli0naires or re-
nowned statesmen was coming to
Greenville. The Bryan family had
never turned out so conspicuously at
the station In all its history.
The faint shrek Of the locomotive In
the distance brought the idlers nearer
the tracks to peer northward and get
q glimpse of the oncoming train.
Molly Nelson clapped her hands with
delight Mr.. Bryan's face was wreath
ed with smiles. The coachmen f1icked
the ears OF their fine teams and start
ed them to capering jauntily and gayly
If the president Of the United States
and his cabinet had been coming to
Greenvi.le on that train no finer wei
come could have been given them. The
train thundered up, and white capped
porters jumped from the steps Of the
coaches.
Among the passengers were two old
people, one bent white haired man
with long arms and face that would
have been grotesque in Its ugliness
but for a smile Of patience and gentle
ness that played about his clean shaver
lips; the other was slender woman
we'll beyond middle age, dressed II
black, with a dolman and hat that ha6
been long years out Of fashion.
To this homely and humble pair tn.
Bryans and the Nelson's rushed witt
cries of joyful greetings
The Bryan servants fought to viii
the honor of carrying their two pieces
OF luggage. The coachmen made theil
horses dance afresh.
The crowd exclaimed in one Ions
drawn "Ah! as the pretty Mrs Mel
son deliberately kissed the bent olC
visitor and then put her arm about the
waist Ut the woman who had come
with him.
A strange word OF greeting for thu
ears OF the rich and the fashionabl,
came from the lips OF the old man t,
John Nelson.
"Kid!'
"Bill"' was the reply.
The stately Mrs Bryan was maxim,
Gs much Of the t1ustered. little, old wo
man whom the crowd heard called b,
the name OF Jennie as Mr.. Bryan ant
Mr. Nelson were making Of the homel,
man called Bill
The train pulled out on its way t
Atlanta. and the party bundled int
the fne carriages.
Mr.. and Mrs. Hawkins were taken t
their new home-their tirst real home
1t might have been called cottage Il
the south, but to the woman from Col
lears Hook 1t was q mansion such a
she had never dreamed Of entering
even as O servant.
Fresh and spick and span In ne,
co. rn1n NJ oil