The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-12-11
BY SPECIAL
DELIVERY
CcOpyright. 1917, western Newspaper UnIOn.)
By ELIZABETH S. COBB

AGoP9TlknNs 4HAAs NtsAtEu epdpt GAlOn.l
/ am John Bevins, detective. You
will not find my name on the police
roster, however, for l am not listed in
my professional capacity outside of the
law office which employs me-Walton,
Burlingame & Evans. But, If you
search back, you will find me in the po-
lice records under my alias, Lee Gan
drin.
There will ever remain with me the
memory of a wicked, misspent year. l
came to Chicago from a peaceful coun-
try home with several hundred dollars
inherited from my only relative, an
uncle. / was caught with the white
lights glare and royalty l scattered my
money. My liberality brought me In
contact with men who were bad at
heart. When my last dollar was gone,
leaving me In debt, they coolly invited
me to replenish my resources by join
ing them in their criminal career.
My instructions were simple. The
boss of the gang had given me a whis-
tie and a revolver. I was to signal with
llit ulEI IL n BOAiNNllbh VI a ndNNll~
man came along. I sat back far in the
shadow.
Just then from the mansion there
rang forth a shrill cry, followed by the
echo of a pistol shot. With a shrek,
as though pursued by haunting demons.
/ dashed TO the mouth of the alley. One
way was clear, but l did not seek it.
Approaching from the opposite dlrec-
ton was a policeman. / ran straight
way up to him. I seized his arm fran
tically, shouting into his ear:
"Oh, come into this housed Muir
der is being done!"
We got inside to find family and
servants rushing about In bewilder-
ment and terror. The butler had dis
covered my evil companions making
way with the silver. They had fired
at him and escaped with their booty.
AS we came outside the policeman, for
all my activity in fastening him to the
scene, placed me under arrest.
81 was one of the crowd" I con-
fessed instantly and told my story.
At the trial the judge appointed a
young lawyer to defend me. He was
Wayne Milton. "You are incriminat-
ing yourself" whispered the young
man as 1 told my story.
81 deserve and expect punishment"
/ replied definitely, and then, listening
intently to the minutest detail of my
experience, the judge motioned my
nffnrnnu RI hfg afdn Thnu kaT1 =. -.
toned consultation and Mr.. Milton
came back to me, took my arm and
led me from the court room.
II have pledged my word that you
will never appear here again." he
said. my man, truth has saved you.
Wayne Milton, he with the frank,
fathoming eyes, and a golden smile
and tender heart for all humanity
OH how much he did for me. His
firm gave me work, at first serving le-
gal papers and watching cases in
court, and later working into the intri-
cacies Of cases where my knowledge
Of criminals developed an instructive
detective ability. Mr.. Milton at the
end of the year removed to Clyde, a
little town 200 miles distant from the
city. I was living respectfully, earn
ing good money and never forgetting
the kindness and friendship of my pa
iron. 1t was during his second year
Of his practice at Clyde that / re-
ceived an urgent telegram.
sect leave OF absence for a week
and come on" 1t read. Important"
l was at Clyde by first train. Had
Wayne Milton asked me to give up
my position to assist him I would have
willingly done so. I went at ono to
the Office of Mr.. Milton. I found him
troubled, restless, serious.
He locked the door and placed a
chair close to his side for myself.
He drew a photograph Of a lovely
girl from a desk drawer and held II
towards me.
"She is beautiful" I said, simply.
"And as good as beautiful. She is
Miss Ruby Ashton, the daughter Of a
wealthy widower who, up to a month
ago, sanctioned our union. Then sud-
denly he forbade me the house and
announced that he was getting his
business affairs here adjusted, and In
tended to remove permanently to a
distant country. To be brief, Ruby
discovered that he was being harassed
by a soulless b~lackmailer, receiving
letters mailed locally. She managed
to get hold of one mailed two days
since. There 1t Is"
read the missive. II was brief and
to the point. 81 shall not write you
again, unless You notify me by six
o'clock Tuesday evening next that you
are willing to hand me over $4,000
for the three notes.
AS / studied over this letter In my
room at the hotel that night, l noticed
an odor emanatlng from Its envelope
Frying the pasted flap I found a mum
Der of small particles evidently at
tached to the tongue of the sealel
when he closed the envelope. The