Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1917-07-13

hoWSpupcTS III u phbJepOdIu DO1 Will
Edgar Washburns name on 1t and
send 1t to ITO Elm street by messenger.
He was to ask II 1t belonged there and
In any event ask II Mr.. Washburn did
not live there who did. He came back
with the information that the person
who had answered the bell had said
that Mr.. Washburn did not live there
and when he asked the name of the
resident the door was shut In his face
Every afternoon at about o'clock I
showed myself at my window, looking
for another message and having cord
ready on which l had written In large
letters, what name2" One evening
the card with Help" on 1t appeared
again, and at once displayed my own
but for very brief period. got no
reply at the time. but the next morn
Ing before going out, as l stood at tho
window. a card was dropped between
the Stats with agnes Howe" on 1t.
Here at least was beginning. The
person requiring help was a woman,
and possessed her name. I felt sure
that could pull on this thread and get
hold Of something more I consulted
the directory and made list Of oil the
Howes listed there. No Agnes Howe
appeared. selected several Howes
who might be Of the better class and
Investigated them. One-the Howe es-
tate-interested me, and, going to the
office laid down, asked for the names
Of the owners.
was Informed that the owner of the
estate, James Howe, who had made q
fortune in cotton, had recently died,
leaving the estate in trust to his broth
ers widow. Ellen Howe, for James
Howe's only child, Agnes Howe.
had struck bonanza, and struck
1t all at once. refrained, however,
from displaying the interest I felt In
the matter, asking how could collect
a claim against Agnes Howe. l was
told to file 1t at the office where then
was. Further information was given
me that Agnes Howe was In poor
health. She was living with her aunt.
who was her guardian.
The next question for mo to solve
was what poor health" in this case
meant Judging from the call for help
she was either q mental invalid or was
being confined as such for some espe-
cial purpose. had heard of cases
where helresses had been confined as
lunatics or persons Of feeble mind that
some one else might keep control Of
their property, and It occurred to me
that this might be one of these cases.
concluded to act on this theory,
and, assuming to be Agnes Howes at
torney, drew up papers that would
require her guardian to bring her into
court. This led to an item In q news
paper stating that Miss Howe, heiress
to the estate of her late father, James
Howe, the multimlllionalre, would be
brought to court on a certain day by
her aunt and guardian, whose the
legal documents had twas keeping
her in duress. for what purpose 1t was
not known
was In for 1t and must see the
matter through. In case my theory
was wrong would make myself
laughingstock Nevertheless the ap-
peal for help. the fact that the pris-
oner was an helress. that she was
supposed to be In bad health, all con
splred to convince me that | was on
the right track. Nevertheless | trem-
bled. working on theory as | was. and
with no actual proof OF the correctness
Of my theory, Moreover, | was claim
ing to be Agnes lIowe's counsel, while
had no other commission from her
than mOmcntary sight OF card on
which was written the word Help"
When the day came round for the
production Of the body Of Agnes Howe
In court found 1t necessary to sum
mon all the assistance there was IN
me- was In the courtroom when my
assumed client entered In company
with her aunt and guardian, an elderly
lady. richly attlred and with cold
heartless expression OF cOuntenance
Miss Howe was n very pretty girl and
evidently In robust health.
Near Inc at the lawyers table was
Samuel Graves. an attorney whom ]
knew. I wondered what he was doing
there. was not long In finding out.
| was endeavorlng to improvise some
way OF opening my case when this at
tOrney arose and said:
May 1t please the court, | represent
the interests OF Robert Ainsworth In
this case, the husband Of Agnes Howe"
There was hum Of establishment In
the court, Miss Howe's guardian being
as much amazed as any one else.
Robert Ainsworth being sutton for
the hand Of Agnes Howe, she was re-
moved from him and the world and
has been kept in seclusion II was not
known to the guardian that he had
secretly married her ward. and he has
been ignorant Of the place of his wife's
detention. Learning that she was to
be brought into court-for what reason
is not apparent-he retained me to gain
for him the control of bis wife as her
husband"
/ was thus left out OF the case, and,
although my theory had been incorrect,
was saved from humiliation. A con.
ference took place between those pri.
marily interested. and the guardian.
VINO had endeavored to prevent a mar.
rlage OF an helress with poor man,
her ward having been welded, gave up
the struggle. The husband, a young
naval officer, was permitted TO take
away with him his bride. and the
episode was ended.
Mrs. Ainsworth before leaving court
called for me TO be presented to her
and thanked me for the part had tax
en- in gaining for her her freedom. She |
took my address and soon after receiv. |
Ing her property sent me a check for |
a fee which set me up In my profes.
sion and resulted In a fortune. have
ever since my efforts in her behalf been
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