Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-11-17

ne. Something's worrying you, and
worrying you bg--or you wouldn't
look like you do.
Uncle George might at times be cum
ming, even shifty, but just now all his
impulses were kindly. Come on,
Jerry. get it off your chest. M.ebbe I
can help you out. | saw Casey leave
as | came in. Did that plainclothes
copper have anything to do with this
smile of yours that won't come onT'
Casey did try to throw it into me, 4"
admitted Black Jerry. But | didn't
let him get away with anything"
"Caseys pretty square guy-for a
copper"
"What did he want? IF you don't
mind telling me-.
Casey" returned Jerry in his heavy
voice that seemed to have its origin in
sub diaphragmal regions. Casey
comes in about a guy named Morrison.
Five or six weeks ago this Morrison
blows in here, already carrying lot of
booze. with a party of friends. He
orders the best cats and drinks in the
house he's short of dough and asks me
to cash a check for fifty. | feel he's
safe and cash it, and it goes through
the bank all right. While he's here,
being already stewcd. he loses his
chcckbook But it's found and give
back before he leaves,
And that's all you know about p
"rhat's all ] knew till Casey shows
up tonight. Casey says this Morrison
has made holler about a forged check
not the check he give me, but another
check for twenty five. Morrison didn
discover the forgery until he got his
cancelled checks from the bank the other
day. Casey says he's gone over Nor
rison's talk and all the evidence. Casey
says he's handing it to me straight, and
he says there amt no doubt that the
forged check came ont of Morrison
pocket checkb0ok no doubt that it wa
torn out by some one while his check
book was lost in my place; and Casey
saws there's no doubt it was forged by
copyiug from the good check which
/ had in my cash drawer. So Casey
/ tells me straight ont that the trick
was turned by some one in my place,
/ and he orders me TO come across and
| help him grab the guy that done it.
"Does he think you wrote the check
Jcrry?' .
Nav" with growl of contempt
"I'm no good with the pen, and Casey
knows it Besides. if | did go into q
crooked deal. it wouldn be for no sucl
piker's stake as twenty five
'But even if you had nothing to dc
with it. wouldn't it be better for yor
to Square the sucker by Slipping hin
back the twenty -tiveF,
THAT'S what | offered to Casey.
Black Jerry was mcditativey silent fo'
moment. "What I'm wondering
about is, who wrote that chcckE'
Plenty of clever crooks hang on
in your joint, Jerry suggested Uncle
| George
But which one of them was clevc
enough to get hold of that good chccI
to copy from THAT good check bcinj
| in my cash drawer. That's what's go
me guessing, Uncle George. Casey
coming in to see me about it again II
an hour.
He was grimly composed again. Tt
be little thing for anybody else, bu
it's damned serious for me. With tn
police watching for a chance to fall oi
me. I cant afford to have anything
crooked happen in my joint.
''It does have a nasty look, Jerry
considering your situation.
For a moment Jerry's cleaning eye
were fixed on the old face of Cncl
George. Then he remarked abruptly ::
'But that phony check - that's tn
least of my worries.
"TEen what is the matter with you?
exclaimed Uncle George. staring.
But Jerry, as though he had ne
heard the question, stood up. "Excus