Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-04-10
A WELL
LAID PLAN
But One Element In
II Had Not Been
Provided For

I ~ kz00 Vot been I
I Prouided For !
! By F. A. Mitchell !
@<<<-<<<>>-<<->@
When I entered the detective busi-
ness I was very young. I had not
grown beard and had a peachlike
complexion. My voice was Of q me-
dunn pitch for man; but, having once
taken girls part on the stage, I had
learned 10 speak In falsetto, very Ike a
woman.
One day was handed q newspaper
In which there was q personal that
read as follows:
II Annette Thurbsr win communicates
with II. L. B. she win hear something to
her advantage.
Il was explained 10 me that Annette
Thurber was q niece Of one Nicholas
Bradford, who had recently died, leav-
ing q large estate. Miss Thurber had
kept house for him and nursed him
during his last illness. He had told
her thatehe had made viii leaving all
bis property to her and she would find
It In certain tin box In which he kept
bis papers, the box being on a shelf in
the closet Of his home Office After his
death she had looked In the box and
had not found the document.
No will forthcoming, the property
would be divided between the tesla
tors nephew, Henry Lathrop Bradford,
the son Of an older brother, and An
nette Thurber, the daughter Of his sis
ter. This Henry Bradford was a
scamp. His uncle had befriended him
and tried to make a man Of him, had
failed and had disowned him. Miss
Thurber believed that he had stolen
the will from the tin box In order that
he might under the law obtain half the
estate. The personal had undoubtedly
been inserted by him with q view to
some arrangement with her. What
that intended arrangement was she did
not know.
A reply was made by Miss Thurber
stating that she would receive Henry
Bradford at her home any day he
chose to call between 2 and 8 o'clock in
the afternoon. No attention was paid
to this, and, the case having been placed
by Miss Thurber In the hands Of detec-
uves, a new note was dispatched in her
name saying that she would meet
Bradford at any time or place he might
appoint. Miss Thurber then received
bit Of paper on which was written,
Lincoln park, g, 25, 8 p. M"
It was evident that Bradford did not
propose to give Miss Thurber any EVIL
dence against him. He might deny
that the personal had been inserted by
him or that he had sent this bit of pa
per, his object being to meet her with.
out witnesses for some rascally pur-
pose. The opinion Of the chief was
that Bradford had stolen the will; that
he feared to be accused Of the theft
and wished to make compromise by
which he might receive his share Of his
uncle's estate.
Miss Thurber and I were brought to-
gether, and 1t was observed that we
were about the same height and build.
Having secured all the information
that was to be had on the matter,
was arrayed In one Of her costumes,
and at o'clock in the evening on
the 25th Of June (the sixth month"; I
tripped daintily into Lincoln park. ]
had been shown a photograph Of Brad
ford and Miss Thurber was known to
him, so, since Lincoln park was simply
a block set apart for breathing space,
there was no difficulty In meeting and
recognizing each other.
It was not long after my entry into
the park that a well dressed man step
ped up to me and remarked that 1t
was fine evening.
"Are you Mr.. Bradfordr ! asked.
"Yes."
'What Is the meaning Of al this
secrecy"
1Come this way" was his reply, "and
I will tell you"
He led the way to bench. I sat
down, and he sat beside me.
"I wish to see you," he began about
Uncle Nick's viii. It has been intimat-
ed to me that a certain person knows
that a will exists beQueathing all the
estate to you. This person win pro
duce the will for consideration"
"How much does he wantr asked,
coming at once to the point.
'The estate Is worth $4,000 The
will will be surrendered for a third Of
the value of the property. You give q
note for the amount to be taken up
three months after receiving the prop
erty."
mo" I said, after feignins to think
the matter over. If win exists ]
would rather take my chance Of its
coming out. And II 1t does" I here
assumed q threatening tone, Il shall
send the person who stole 1t to the,
penitentiary for long term Of years"
There was silence for few minutes,
at the end Of which he asked me how
much I would consent to pay. I told
him that I would not bind myself to
pay anything until I had seen the viii
and was convinced that the property
was left to me and the document was
genuine. If 30 convinced ! would give
a note for $4,000. BE keyed me up to
$50,0 900, which closed the bargain. ]
had no object In dickering with him,
except to induce MIN to believe that I
was making real deal
asked him when. and whore the ex-
change Of the note for the win should
take place, and he replied that 'hs had
made arrangements for that The
transaction could be executed at once.
He had cab In waiting, and we would
drive to house where I could Sign
note and receive the viii. ] was rather
taken aback BY this. for I had expected
b report to tho chief what I had done
and receive his instructions a. 10 my
next step. I protested against such
haste, but my objection tended to con-
vince the man that I was making .
bona fide transaction.
II need time to think this over" I
said.
.And to make arrangements to tap