The St. Johns herald., 1921-09-01

WdS SIlll III government employ, al" though unassigned, and felt this dis cOvery to be a direct call upon my service. While my first inclination should naturally have been to turn the whole matter over to the proper bu- reau for investigation, two facts led me in another direction-I was sufti- ciently young to seek adventure, and l desired to verify my suspicious be- fore creating any false alarm.
 As l rested there, sleepless, staring up at the black ceiling, the words of the strange fragment of letter re- mained vividly before me. Little by little l dug at the truth, coming finally to this cOnclusion: HOS" was, no doubt, the recognized number of some agent who had been dispatched to America on a special errand to the cOnspirators in this country. He had sailed Saturday, a month ago, or more, and must have long since arrived at some port, bringing with him instruc- tions not to be intrusted to the mall, and sufficient money, in form of letter of credit, with which to finance what ever nefariouS scheme of revolution might be contemplated. This money was to be paid out to the authorized party through a man named Krantz. Who was Krantz? There was a we'll known banking firm, Kulb, Krantz & Co, in Wall Street, and 1t was quite probable these might prove the ones involved, although to my knowledge they had no outward junta cOnnec- tions of this nature. "Gans" was evil dently street, although could recall none bearing so peculiar appellatiOn. while the password was in itself proof almost positive as to the South or Gen. tral American sympathies of the con- SpiratOrs.
 These facts were fairly clear as ] thus weaved them together, but they were rendered more damning by the other name standardization. Ii this was Ivan Waldron, I had good req son to know the fellow, and to con- meet his activities with any scheme destined to embarrass the government. He was a professional agitator of the most pronounced type, socialist radi- cal, who in the past had openly advo- cated opposition to all law and order. Moreover, the fellow had a large and desperate following, to whom he was Q high-priest. He was reported to be a Russian by birth, but spoke English without an accent, and felt no doubt but what a sufficient amount of money would engage his interest in any des- perate cause. The desire to ''get him" added ZeSt to my interest. in the affair. If he was actually at the head of these fellows, these plotters against the neu- trality of the United States, the catch would be worth while.
 As soon as possible next morning 1 sought out Burke, the manager of the hotel, with whom had a speaking ac- quaintance, and, without cOnfding the extent of my discovery, questioned him relative to the mysterious box, and the guests who left it behind. Two men, he said, both well dressed, but with nothing particularly to distinguish them, had registered together late in the afternoon of Friday, September p, and on request had been assigned to one room with twin beds and a bath. l The larger man, who had inscribed him. self as ''P. s. HOrner, Detroit" alone had bag; his companion, known to the hotel as "Gustave Ava, Toledo | OhiO," being without baggage. The bill was paid the next morning by | Horner, and the two departed together. | It was an hour later when the cham | bermaid on that floor reported finding | the box in the room vacated. After | holding 1t for day or two in expec- tation that 1t might be called for, no | such inquiries being made, the hotel | endeavored to trace the men, but to | no avail. The fellows had either false | ly registered, or were entirely unknown l where they claimed residence. The first was the most probable condition. After thirty days, and having exhaust ed all reasonable efforts to find the r1ghtful owner, the hotel felt legally justified in selling the trinket. That was all Burke knew of the matter, and his interest in 1t was not keen.
 l am inclined to think now that went at the problem without much system, and that any success achieved was through pure accident. During the forenoon dropped in upon Clem- ent Breckenridge, cashier of the Do ver's National bank. We had been classmates at college and 1 generally called on him when in the city. This time I led the conversation to Kulb, Krantz & O., on the pretense that I had received mail from them relative to some recommended investment Clement knew Krantz we'll and favor