The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1915-01-20
A Three Cornered
SwindIe
By Nj. QUAD
Copyright. 1914. by Associated Lit
e!ury Press

1t wasn't what conservative Old
lawyer would cal! ii straight case,
had been sent to London to look mp n
sharper and make him diSgorse Tor the
benefit of the heirs of another sharper
The widow of one John Saunders, an
Englislinan. who had died III Buffalo
several years previously. mad put htf
claim in the hands Of IL New York law
yer This Saunders had been mixed
up in big swindle before leaving Eng
land The name of the living partner
was Smallwood, and it was understood
that he had set up as u money lender
The papers eliminated Slnallwood In
a sense, but in case he was defiant we
could not push the case against him.
After some little trouble found
Smallwood and his den He was
burly. big man. with loud voice ana
domineering way. In assisting to
perpetrate that swindle he had Il mar
row escape, and he realized That III
way he was still under the surveillance
of the police, but put him down as
man not to be easily frightened. |
found was right in this When had
stated my errand he laughed III my
face and called me Il fool The one IN
terview satisfied me that my mission
was a failure. and | babe Mr. Small
wood good day with as much courtesy
as | could assume. 1t was about lunch
con time when left his office, and !
dropped into modest restaurant Tor
light meal. had scarcely got seated
when a stranger, who had a seedy gen
teel look about him. asked permission
to take the opposite side of the table
saving he bad some information to
give me. When we had begun on our
meal he said:
Il saw you leave old Smallwoods or
fee, and | followed you. Has he done
you bad turn!
| did not give my case away In reply
ing but gave him to understand that
the money lender had refused to do the
square thing by me.
Hes n cur, a cheat. n swindler and
all that's mean and contemptible.' con
tinued the stranger with a good deal
of feeling. "iIe has cheated ana
wronged me. and ! can get no salts
faction. Today. however. | learned
Of an incident in his past life that
will give me good hold on him. !
must go to Liverpool to complete my
information. If you will 20 along and
become responsible for expenses will
share the information with YOU"
thought it might be Il good thing to
hold over Smallwood as a BLUM, any
way. and | promised to reward my in
formant. whose name was Dun, II any
thing came Of it. In Il couple of hours
! returned to the money lenders office
He greeted me atfably and said:
~ have heard that you Yankees are
a persistent race. but In this case you
are simply wasting your shoe leather
! suppose you have come to make a
new ofTcr:"
II have, about that Liverpool affair."
I replied, and | went on and stated the
nature of his crime and the name he
used to sail under.
The shot told The man grew nerv'
GUS and pale faced. and when ! had
concluded he said:
"IIow you secured your information
do not know. but ! will frankly adj
NIT that 1t is partly correct. | have
little fear that the police would med
die with me at this late date. hut !
do not care to have the affair stirred
up. am willing to make fair tinan
cial arrangement with Saunders wild
ow."
That was matter to be talked over
at another meeting.
When ! made my third call on Small
wood | was cordially received, and
while waiting for supper to be served
we came to an understanding. He
was to give me $1,000 for Saunders
widow. and was to give him receipt
in full He grew sociable and Jolly
as the affair was concluded. and my
glass was no sooner empty than he
pressed me to drink again. OF a sud
den things began to whirl. and then
came Il blank. When | recovered con
seriousness 1t was morning and was
lying on a cot bed in a strange room.
where am II" | asked of a man
who was in the room.
I'm DR.. Coldwell's private lunatic
asylum" he replied.
"Who brought me here?"
your friends. The loss of your
money in that Peruvian speculation
unbalanced your mind You will be
we'll cared for here. and If you aid me
as you should your detention will not
last over three months"
II see how it is" said as | looked
him straight in the eye. II am in
debted to Smallwood for this. He
drugged me and had me brought here
that he might have time to fix up his
affairs"
was given plenty of reading matter
and the doctor played chess with me.
and. taken altogether. the time did not
pass unpleasant!y. In the three weeks
] was in the house l saw only the doe
tor and an old woman. At 0 O'Clock
one evening | was told that the cure
was complete and ten minutes later