Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1922-03-22
True
Detective Stories
ALL EVIDENCE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Copyright by The Wheeler Syndicate. Inc.
IN D. WEST, head Of the prosecu-
~ ton 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 fin
gers Of his right, habit that was Sec.
ond-nature to him during the consid-
Grafton Of difficult problem.
"Why on earth, Edwards, didn't you
come to me with this story before?
It's too late to help you now. Your
stocks gone, your credit ruined, and
they've MIXED you dry. A 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 9TH
er side Of the desk. ':They had the
goods on me, too, remember. did
hire private detective agency,
but
private detectives!" snorted West.
Detectives of any kind are practical
ly useless in cases connected with com.
mercial crimes. ''There's nothing that
can be done in this case, but there is
way in which you can assist the law,
land the men who fleeced you, and pos
sibly make a grubstake for yourself.
| Listen - as. -.
Less than six months later, Abe Elm.
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, it was the same old game"
grunted Einstein. II got him to come
up and talk to you-you suggested
that he ship the bulk of his stock out
Of town to me-rd sell it. and we'd
split with him after the usual fees
had been deducted" 49,. q.
II remember now. Then, when he
came back here and timidly asked for
| his part Of the rake-off, told him he
was lucky not to be in Jail for VIC
lating six or eight different statutes.
Our fees as 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 happened to be pass
Ing through Wilkesbarre the other day,
/ and who should run into but Ed
wards. Prosperous, too. l knew him
In u 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 !"
"What? On the verge of bank.
ruptcy?" -.
Exactly; only this time he evident.
" 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 it by himself!
'"That's what figured" said Elm.
stein. but, naturally, didn't put the
matter up to him. Things have been
pretty dull around here for q 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 a guarantee OF
$500 on 1890 split.
"Right!" snapped the lawyer. It'll
take run up there tomorrow"
The following afternoon, in the prl-
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. II under
stduu tudC you WON'T De mere 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.
i Then, while Edwards nervously
played with some papers on his desk
Easton outlined his plan-how the
goods were to be shipped, how Elm.
stein would handle them, and the S.
500 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 hitch.
The day after he had been declared
bankrupt, Edwards accompanied East
on to the bank, and there received the
$500 which had been promised him
AS the lawyer handed him over the
money, he heard 4 voice behind him
say:
NAB him, boys ~