Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1917-04-27
A WELL
Aid PLAN
1t One Element In
II Had Not Been
Provided For
BY F. A. mitchell

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When l entered the detective busl-
ness / was very young. / had not
grown a beard and had a peachlike
complexion. My voice was Of me
dun pitch for a man; but. having once
taken a girls part on the stage. had
learned to speak In falsetto, very like
woman.
One day was handed a newspaper
IN which there was a personal that
read as follows
II Annette Thurber will communicate
r~ith Ia. B, she will hear something to
her advtntags-
1t was explained to me that Annette
Thurber was a niece Of one Nicholas
Bradford. who had recently died, leav-
ing large estate Miss rhurber had
kept house for him and nulsed him
during his last illness. He had told
her that he had made will leaving all
his property to her and she would find
1t in a certain tin box in which he kept
his papers, the box being on shelf in
the closet Of his home Office. After his
death sse had looked in the box and
had not found the document
No viii forthcoming, the property
would be divided between the tesla
tors nephew. Henry Lathrop Bradford,
the sen of an older brother. and An.
nette Thurber. the daughter Of his sis
ter. This Henry Bradford was
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 a 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 3 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-
tives. 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. 6. %. 9 p. M"
Il was evident that Bradford did not
propose to give Miss Thurber any evil
denee against him. He might deny
that the personal had been inserted by
him or that be had sent this bit of pa
per, his object being to meet her with
out witnesses for some rascally puri
pose. The opinion Of the chief was
that Bradford had stolen the will; that
be feared to be accused of the theft
and wished to make a compromise by
which be might receiEMhis share Of his
uncle's estate. -
Miss Thurher and I were n3ougfr 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 al 0 o'clock In the evening on
the 25th OF June 0he sixth month";
tripped daintily into Lincoln park.
had been shown photograph Of Brad
ford and Miss Thurber was known to
him, so, since Lincoln park was simply
block set apart for a breathing space.
there was no difficulty in meeting and
recognizing each other.
1t was not long after my entry into
the park that well dressed man step
ped up to me and remarked that 1t
was fine evening.
-Are you Mr.. Bradford2" 1 asked.
"Yes."
what is the meaning of all this
secrecy"
Come this way" was his reply. "and
Twill tell you"
He led the way to bench. sat
down, and he sat beside me.
Il wish to see you" he began about
Uncle Nick's VIII. 1t has been intimat-
ed TO me that certain person knows
that a will exists bequeathing all the
estate to you. This person will pro
duce the viii for consideration"
How much does he wantf" l asked,
coming at once to the point.
1.-THE estate is worth 100000 The
viii will be surrendered for third OF
the value OF the property. You give a
note for the amount to be taken up
three months after receiving the prop
erty."
NO" I said, after feigning to think
the matter over. 'If a win exists ]
would rather take my chance of its
coming out. And If it does" here
assumed a threatening tone, Il shall
send the person who stole It to the
penitentiary for a long term Of years.
There was silence for few minutes
at the end Of which he asked me how
much l would consent to pay. l told
him that l would not bind myself tc
pay anything until had seen the will
and was convinced that the property
was left to me and the document was
genuine. II so convinced would give
note for $4,000. He keyed me up tC
$4,000, which closed the bargain.
had no object in dickering with him
sxcept to induce him to believe that
was making a real deal
asked him when and where the ex
change Of the note for the will should
take place. and he replied that be had
made arrangements for that The
transaction could be executed at once
He had cab In waiting, and we would
drive to a house where I could sign 8
note and receive the will. was rathel
taken aback by this. for bad expected