The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1916-08-10

mot very" / answered. 81 have
some good friends at Petroleum Gen.
ter who will feed me and look after
me, and keep me under cover while
the police are searching for me; and
1 guess they will get a doctor, too.
What is worrying me most just no"
is that I cannot write with my lett
hand, and I want to write letter.
You see, my folks live at Fort Erie
Canada, which is just across the Nj
agara river, opposite Buffalo. I have
been saving my money and sending 1t
to my people at Fort Erie, and they
have it all deposited in bank at
Buffalo, to my credit. have several
hundred dollars there, and If I could
only write a letter tonight and mail
it on the early morning train tomor-
row morning, it would reach Fort
Erie tomorrow night. My friends
could then send me all the money I
need, which I would receive the day
after tomorrow at Petroleum Center
George Book was thoroughly taken
off guard.
II am a pretty good penman and
would be glad to write the letter for
you," he answered. This, as a matter
Of fact, I knew already, for had
learned that George Book was good
scholar, having been country school
teacher some years before in his ma
tive county, Crawford county, Pennsyl-
vania. He was also considered an ex-
ira good penman. At the same time,
it was on Henry and not on George
that the suspicion had naturally fallen.
George Book excused himself and
went to his house, which stood near
by, returning in a few minutes with
letter paper, envelopes and big lunch
for two, including a pot of coffee
We ate the lunch together, and then
I produced cigars from my pocket
! and we liaeEp: After we had finished
George started to write the let
ter at llnsssa+slrctation. In debating this
| T used us many words as I could
which had been used in the anony
| nous letters, with whose contents
Of course thoroughly familiarized my
self.
I at once perceived that George
Book was using the same quality OF
paper as that upon which all the
anonymous letters had been written
and, in consequence, did not make
my letter very long. I also perceived
before three lines had been set down
that he used the same handwriting
the same kind of ink and, in all prob
ability, the same pen as had been used
previously. It was now obvious that
the letters had been written BY
George. Whether or not he hat
drawn the oil out Of the tank hat
| still to be shown, and that was the
more serious offense, by far.
When the letter had been writer
Book addressed the envelope, inclosee
the missive, and sealed and stamped
it. Apparently profusely grateful,
thanked him and departed in the di
rection of Petroleum Center, but /,
reality toward Oil City, which
reached early the following morning
after I had set out.
During the course of the forenoon
I submitted the dictated letter, which
had taken away, as though to pos
it, togthe- with the anonymous let
ters which had been sent to Mr.. Ack
ert, to a writing expert who was con
nected with the First National bank o
Oil City. He compared the four AM
said without hesitation that they hal
all been written by the same person
That afternoon 1 went back to tn
Ackert lease, knowing that Georg
| Book would be off duty and in bed
! and that, in consequence, there woul