The Monticellonian. [volume] (Monticello, Ark.) 1870-1920, 1916-06-29
Copyright BY W. G. Chapman


/ "Furlong," said Mr.. Glover, al
looks as though Brookes will go free
How is that?" | asked
Because" replied the other, while
there is scarcely any doubt that Max
we'll caused the death of Preller by
chloroform, yet he may have done il
innoeently, and if such is the case
he could not be convicted of the muir
der. Now, Tom, / want you to get
the facts in this case for me-"
asked for day to think the mat
ter over, to which suggestion they
agreed When my visitors returned
said:
| Gentlemen, I have been thinking
about the case in question, and have
| become satisfied that there were but
two persons who knew the whole facts
| connected with the case. One of these
| persons is now in jail, and the other
Is dead. In my opinion Maxwell is
the only living person who knows the
facts, and therefore he is the only
person from whom these facts can be
| obtained. ] believe | can get these
| facts from him. shall be glad to do
anything that | can to assist you in
unrayeling this case, with the under
standing that l am not to receive any
compensation for what | do myself.
| but | expect you gentlemen to pay
| the operative that | may use in this
work the same amount of salary that
we are paying him, and his actual ex-
| penses."
This being agreed, telegraphed to
| Philadelphia for a man in my employ
| there named John McCulloch, truth
| full, honest man, but little thick
headed: just the man who would in
terpret his instructions to the letter,
and carry them out in this way
which was what | wanted.
| began by obtaining possession of
a few blank checks from the office of
d. s. H. Smith, who was local treas
urer of the Missouri Pacific Railroad
company in ST. Louis. My chief clerk
was a good penman. and | set him to
practice until he could not only initiate
Doctor Smiths signature, but could
initiate it just badly enough to arouse
suspicion in the mind of bank cash
Ter. | next had my clerk fill out a
blank check for the amount of
$1,1S8.10. This check | gave to Nc
Culloch, instructing him to present it
to the paying teller of the Mechanics
bank, which was then on Fourth
street. | had received a genuine
check from Dr. Smith few days be-
fore, and had purposely held this out,
and was waiting across the street
from the bank when McGulloch. who
Is now to be known as Frank Ding
felter. entered to cash the forged
check. AS soon as Dingfelter entered
the bank | followed him.
The paying teller examined the
check curiously. and then. seeing me.
excitedly motioned to me to come
to the window. AS l approached, the
teller, in an excited voice, commanded
me to arrest Dingfelter He has pre-
scented large fake check bearing the
name of DR.. Smith. for nearly twelve
hundred dollars" he said. why. you
know DR.. Smiths signature"
Yes. Here is one of DR.. Smiths
checks" | answered. Il know this is
genuine, for | saw the doctor sign it."
The two checks were compared by
me, and | continued:
while | am not an expert on hand
writing, | do not believe that DIR.
Smith wrote that signature"
Where did you get that check ?'
demanded the teller of Dingfelter.
Il got it from DR.. Smith," was the
reply.
viii you go with me and see DR..
Smith," | asked.
We'll, | don't know whether ] will
or not" Dingfelter answered. Are
you an ofticer2"
Il am the chief special agent for the
Missouri Pacific Railroad company"
| replied.
"Oh. well, that is different will
go with you and see Dr. Smith," said
Dingfelter.
We started for Dr. Smiths office ac-
cordingly, At the corner of Sixth and
Pine streets | gave Dingfelter the pre-
arranged signal, which was for him to
hit re a good. stiff punch in the face.
A large, clumsy policeman, wearing
raineoat, was standing under an
awning near the corner saloon. Ding
felter hit hard, as he had been In
structed. and struck me above the eye,
knocking me down and inflicting a
severe confusion. Dingfelter stun