Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-05-11
TRAINED WRIST IS
MANS MEAL TICKET
His Performing Bone Seldom Fails
to Win the Coin When Such
F.. is Needed.
GETS OVER $4,000 IN TWO YEARS
Man Goes Abou+ State Preying Upon
Railroads, Street Railway Com
panies and Corporations.

Minneapolis, Mimi. - There have
been stories of the man in the iron
mask" the man with the iron jaw"
etc., and now we have the story of the
mar with the performing wrist bone"
His name is Lester Edward Mills and
he has just been introduced as a new
inmate of the Saltwater penitentiary.
During his stay there, which may be
for two and a half years, this perform
ing wrist bone, before mentioned, can
hol, out of joint seven times day and
nobody will be liable for damages.
Nevertheless, the performing wrist
bone, according to the police and a
partial confession made by the owner
of said bone, has been an obedient
meal ticket for Mills these last two
years, perhaps longer.
On propitious occasions, generally
while his person was in the custody
and safe keeping of some large firm or
corporation, the wrist bone would hop
| out of it's WOnted socket and the owner
of The wrist bone would >oon after
proceed to collect for injuries sus-
tanned. Records so far produced show
that the wrist bone meal ticket has
produced some $4,000 for its owner
during this year and last, which is a
wrist bone better than wish bone.
Were it not for the suspicious nature
of Chief Troyer of the Duluth police
the wrist bone might still be producing
| checks from corporations.
Mills boarded street car in Duluth.
He carried a suitcase. The street car
swung around the curve at Third ave-
nue. west and Superior street. Mills
stumbled over his suitcase. Mills did
not seek to stifie the cry of pain which
came to his lips. The conductor dashed
forward. The hand fell limp at the
wrist. The conductor looked sympa-
thetic. He sent for doctor and be-
gan to take names Of witnesses.
On the sidewalk stood Chief Troyer.
He had to have a look. Mills did not
look as pale as the chief thought he
hould. Neither were his lips blood.
less and all that sort of thing. The
chief, in fact, at that moment was look.
ing for burglar. And why not the
man with the broken wrist? He might
be the man.
While the doctor was examining the
wrist the chief had look inside the
suitcase. He found therein shirt and
two letters. There was nothing sus
picious about the shirt but the letters
were from Minnesota attorneys and
each spoke of a claim the recipient
had against some Minneapolis firm OF
corporation for personal injury.
The claim agent of the street railway
company in Duluth took look at these
letters.
1.-TWO personal injury suits on in
Minneapolis and now one against US,
he remarked. That's too many"
The man with the broken wrist gave
his name as Adolph Faig, but the let
tiers were addressed to Lester Edward
Mills.
81 turn this man over to you," said
Chief Troyer. "a fellow with all these
personal injury suits on has no need
to be burglar. He is wrongfully sus-
pected of that crime"
Released by the Duluth police, Mr..
Mills asked the Duluth Street Railway
Company for 1910. The company pro-
tracted the case and when Mills left
for Minneapolis had him Swallowed.
Together with admissions made by
Mills lis record was deemed sufficient
to cause his arrest here. He gave his
address as 1904 Stevens avenue. His
wife gave hers as Sc Thirteenth street,
south. 1t was the hope of the prose
cutor that the entire story of the per-
forming wrist bone would be revealed
in court, but this entertaining yarn
was not to be told for Mr.. Mills plead.
ed guilty and Judge Leary sentenced
him to not more than two and a half
years in Saltwater.
He told the judge that fifteen years
ago he broke his wrist in a fall and
that ever since he has been able to
throw it out of joint without pain or
inconvenience. However, now that its
owner is behind the bars claim agents
may laugh with impunity whenever
the performing wris. bone pops out OF
joint.