The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1916-03-09
A Singular
Vmdication
By DONALD cHAMBERLIN

I
Nearly hundred years ago. when
New York city was what would now
be considered a small town. a y9nns
man stood on dock la the East river
waiting for the arrival Of sallship
{ that was coming up the bay. When
the ship arrived. was doeked and tue
dozen passengers thar had come from
England on her began ~ descend the
gangpIank the young man meh'ioneu,
scrutinlzlng each person. finally pointer
10 woman with a patch over her 'e1s
eve ana called upon constable staiia
Ing beside him 20 arrest her, she was
taken 10 the headquarters Of the WATCH
where she proved to he a man. Ihen
Young Woman who stood ~ threw
her arms about the man who had eaus'
ed the arrest aud silently wept tears
Of relief. with her head on his shoulder
Ten years before. az seventeen, she
had married Abel Williams. two years
her senior. a clerk IN the counting room
II Edward Hooper. a china merchant
rhey were very happy. and liitie siFi
gas born 10 them. one evening When
the Young husband was playing VITA
hIs little daughter several men catered
aud arrested him on a charge of EN-
lezzling money from bis employer.
For some time Williams was AZ loss
10 understand why be. CONSCIOUS 81 Dr.
ing perfectly innocent. had been ehars
ed with crime. Then. remembering ser.
tain stsspiciOus circumstance connect
ell with a fellow clerk named Skinner
he came 10 the conclusion that Skinner
was the slefaulter and had laid his pee.
nlatlous AZ Williams door, Abesa
books were brought Into court at hls
trial and showed conelusiveiy that
some one had been covering up q iosp
81 about $4,000 He was not an ex
pert accountant and louudeFed hope.
lessIy 10 his defense. He was e0nviet
ed aud sentenced 70 nye years luprls
eminent.
During bis Incarceration bis wife
stood by him and when be stepped
from prison she took him houie. ansi
The two began 10 plan Tor his Vlndlea
ton. Unfortunately an Investigation
would cost money Resides. there WIS
20 clew. nor were there IA th0ee dayr
detectives. a. there ure now After
the matter for some time
hey gave ~ hope ~ removing the
stigma. Abel. having been . criminal
'ould not secure q position aud was
ibliged 10 make q living 81 working
e home lie was very handy with 4
iuife and carved ouf tflnkcfs that bis
wife sold for him
One difficulty 10 the way 81 his vim
ication was that skinner bad left New
FORK and no one knew where he hail
one. Ills disappearance confirmed
lbels suApiciou that be was the real
rimluai aud had covered W his own
efaication through the books kept IS
bel. A criminal IN one case T. likely
, be a criminal IN other cases. au.i
ad skinner remained IN New York
ossibly he might have got into tr0u
e that would have explained Abel's
I'm. But Abel was not sure that Skin-
r. was guilty.
While In prison one Of the inmates
hose cell WIS directly over Aheia az
'nled 10 him % assist him IN making
} escape. The man cut . hole in the
'or and lee himself down into Ahera
W Abel permitted him % hide an. !
= his cot Abel. who was employed {
the prison books and accorded ste. y
y privileges. also consented that the I
m should take advantages Of them. =
, thus escaped. and Abel lost hls lob X
the books and was relcgated 70
)ue day when Abel wins AZ work y
king toy ship man walked IL sufi q
I'd looking NJ him. ia
You don't remember me- he anfd. o.
~ the man yOu helped to eacnpe Z,
M prison. I've come 10 pay ron FOR \.
~ you did and suffered for me
~ know whether you are q bad uu y
good un and don't care. / only pl
Nv that I'm bad. A pal Of mine m
. mas got some valuable Jewels that III
ana took together on the other "a
OF the biz water h goiu' to beat A
out o my share. ! can Ak Il so 4,
{ he'll have TO divide with you ~
bel told the man that be would NOT V
rive stolen goods. ~
Well. then continued the iailhlrd. OF
an fix Il this way. There's 4 big re-. co
d offered Tor the property. You're
come to e.
bel READILY assented to this. and the
Informed BIN that the partv wna
'ging the jewels from Paris. where az
had been stolen. 20 dispose of or
y IN America. lie was q one eved an
and readily Identified. He wouId =,
We on q certain day aud Abel could -.
him over to the authorities and ~
IRE the reward. cia
return to the party who had iust an
overed that the person arrested Oh
a man. Mrs. Williams recognized gr,
Iner. lie was much changed from rid
4 be had been and had lost an ~,
The fact that Abel was or womb
by the arrest was 4 re-
70 the poor woman which caused