The Jasper news., 1918-06-20

grant, a concession from the Brazilian
government, the long term lease of
good sized tract of land on the upper
Amazon. 1t was very valuable be-
cause of its rubber trees.
"Hey? Captain Elisha leaned for
ward. "Say that again" he COM
manded sharply.
Sylvester repeated his statement.
"He got the concession by paying $780,
900 to the government of Brazil" he
continued. ITO raise the $4,000 he
formed stock company Of 250 shares
at $100 each. One hundred of these
shares were in his own name. Fifty
were in the name Of one Thomas A.
Craven clerk at that time In his
office. Craven was only a dummy,
however. Do you understand what /
mean by a dummy?"
II can guess. Sort of wooden i'm
age that moved when Bite pulled the
strings. Yes, yes, understand well
enough. Go ahead; go aheadT
That's 1t. The fifty shares were in
Craven's name, but they were trans
ferred in blank and in Mr.. Warren's
safe. Together with his own hundred
they gave him control and a voting
majority. That much we know by
the records"
81 see. But this rubber con-con-
traption want really wuth anything,
was it?"
Worth anything! Captain Warren,
l give you my word that 1t was worth
more than all the rest Of the invest
ments that your brother made during
his lifetime"
"No" The exclamation was almost
shout.
"Why, yes, decidedly more. Does
that surprise you, captainT"
Captain Elisha was regarding the
lawyer with a dazed expression. He
breathed heavily. go on" he COM
What was the name of this rubber
concern of Bije's?"
"The Akrae Rubber company" =
II see-yes, yes. Akry, heyl Well,
what about it? Tell me the rest"
For the first year or two this com.
pany did nothing. Then in March of
the third year the property was re-
leased by Mr.. Warren to persons in
Para who were to develop and oper
ate. The terms of his new lease were
very advantageous. Royalties were to
be paid on sliding scale, and from
the very first they were large. The
Akrae company paid enormous diyi
| dendS."
Did, hey? 1 want to know"
Yes. In fact, for twelve years the
company's royalties averaged $4,000
yearly"
"Whe-e-w!" Captain Elisha whistled
Fifty thousand year!' he repeated
slowly. "Bije! Bier
"Yes. And three years ago the Akrae
company sold its lease, sold out COM
pletely to the Para people, for $780,
0OO."
"Godfreys mighty! Well" after a
moment, that's what I'd call mid
dim fair profit on a $4,000 invest
ment-not to mention the dividends"
Captain" Sylvester leaned forward
now. Captain" he repeated, ut is
that sale and the dividends which are
troubling us. l told you that the Akrae
company was organized with 25C
shares of stock. Your brother held
100 In his own name and fifty trans
ferred to him by his dummy, Craven
What did not tell you was that there
were another hundred shares, held by
some one, some one who paid $4,000
for them-we know that-and was
therefore, entitled to two-ffths Of ev
cry dollar earned by the company dur
ing its existence and two-tifths Of the
amount received for the sale of thu
lease. So far as we can find out thi!
stockholder has never received on,
cent"
"You don't tell mep'
Graves broke in impatently: II think
Captain Warren" he declared, "tha
you probably do not realize what thi
means. Besides proving your broth
er dishonest, 1t means that this stock
holder, whoever he may have BEEN
Hey? What's that? Don't you know
who he was?"
mo, we do not. The name upon tn
stub Of the transfer book has beei
: scratched out"
Captain Elisha looked the speaker IL
the face, then slowly turned his lool
upon the other two faces.
Scratched out?" he repeated. "Wh
scratched it out?'
Graves shrugged his shoulders.
"Yes, yes" said the captain. "Yo
: don't know, but we're all entitled t