The Little River news., 1922-03-29
True Detective Stories
ALL EVIDENCE

D. WEST, head of the prosecu- \. tion department of the National
 Association of Credit Men, leaned back in his chair and placed the tips of the fingers of his left hand precisely against the tips of the tin- gers of his right, habit that was sec ond-nature to him during the consid- eration of difficult problem.
 "Why on earth, Edwards, didn't you come to me with this story before1 It's too late to help you now. Your stocks gone, your credit ruined, and they've milked you dry. word to the association in time would have saved you money and us time."
 II didn't dare to come out In the open" groaned the man on the oth- CT side of the desk. "They had the goods on me, too, remember. l did hire private detective agency, but J
 Private detectives" snorted West. Detectives of any kind are practical ly useless in cases connected with con- mercial crimes. "There's nothing that can be done in this case, but there is a way in which you can assist the law. land the men who feeced you, and pos- sibly make a grubStake for yourself. Listen
 Less than six months later, Abe Fin. stein, who called himself a credit manager" wandered into the office of Henry w. Easton, lawyer, and after seeing that all the doors were care fully closed, inquired if Easton re- membered Edwards, the shoe dealer, whom they had nicked some time be- fore.
 "The names familiar" replied the lawyer, but I don't recall the de- tails"
 "Oh, 1t was the same old game" grunted Einstein. "I got him to come up and talk to you-you suggested that he ship the bulk of his stock out of town to me-Fd sell it, and we'd split with him after the usual fees had been deducted"
 'I remember now. Then, when he came back here and timidly asked for his part of the rake-Off, I told him he was lucky not to be in jail for vfO- lating six or eight different statutes. Our fees as I carefully explained to him, more than ate up the proceeds of his stock at forced sale, and he really owed us money! You should have seen his face then. But what's the trouble? Has he made a peep to the police?
 "No, nothing like that" Einstein re- piled. But I happened to be pass ing through Wilkesbarre the other day, and who should I run into but Ed wards. Prosperous, too. l knew him in minute, and wondered where he'd gotten his money. Followed him down the street aways, and found that he'd opened another store. Flashy but good-lOoking Somebody's evidently staked him, and he's trying his luck. but--and here's the part that concerns us-he's nearly on the rocks again l"
 What? On the verge of bank ruptcy?"
 Exactly; only this time he evident ly intends to work the game all his own. You can't blame him for that, after he's been burned once."
 But" protested Easton, "he can't handle 1t by himself!
 That's what I figured" said Fin stein. But, naturally, didn't put the matter up to him. Things have been pretty dull around here for a while. Why don't you run up and see Ed wards? Admit that we didn't do as well for him the first time as we might have, and make him guarantee of $2,50O on a 40-60 split.
 "Right!" snapped the lawyer. "Tll take a run up there tomorrow"
 The following afternoon, in the pri- vate office of his store, Edwards and Easton thrashed out the details of their former arrangement the lawyer stating that he had come to pay over 5000, "which had been unexpectedly saved from the wreck"
 incidentally" he added, q under stand that you won't be here much longer. Going to try the same game yourself?"
 Possibly" replied the shoe dealer, "Why not?'
 You can't do it without an organi- zation," insisted the lawyer. You need us and we need you.
 Then, while Edwards nervously played with some papers on his desk, Easton outlined his plan-how the goods were to be shipped, how Fin stein would handle them, and the $2,- 800 guarantee which would be paid the shoe dealer for his part in the fraudulent bankruptcy proceedings. Terms were finally agreed up, and the whole court proceedings went for ward without q hitch.
 The day after he had been declared bankrupt, Edwards accompanied Vast on to the bank. and there receiy the $2,50O which had been promise m. AS the lawyer handed him ov( he |