Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1922-01-28
True
Detective Stories
ALL EVIDENCE

tlOn department VI ihc ANuAi'i"i
Association OF Credit Men,
leaned bnck in his chair and placed
the tips of the fingers of his left hand
precisely against the tips Of the lin
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 20 me with this story befOref
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
~ useless In cases connected with COM
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 ileeced you, and pos
sibly make grubstake for yourself.
Listen
Less tlnn six months later Abe Elm.
stein. who called himself credit
manager" wandered into the Office of
Henry W. Easton. lawyer and after
seeing that all the doors were care
fully closed, inquired II Easton re-
memhered Edwards. the shoe dealer.
whom they had nicked some time be-
fore.
"rhe names familiar" replied the
lawyer but don't recall the de-
tails"
"Oh. II was the same old game.
grunted Einstein. Il got him To come
up and talk 10 you-you suggested
that he ship the bulk of his stock ont
of town To me-I'd sell II. and we'd
split with him after the usual fees
/ had been deducted"
Il remember now. Then when he
came back here and timidly asked for
his part of the rake-off, | told him he
was lucky not Ia he in Jail for vio-
latin. 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 MS money. You should
have seen his face then. But what's
the trouble? Has he made peep to
7 the police?
"No. nothing like that" Einsten re-
piled but | happened to be pass
ing through Wilkesbarre the other day,
and who should | run into but Ed
wards. Prosperous, too. | 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 )"
"Mha.: or the "cr.e - hank
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 II by himself.
CHATS what figured" said Elm.
stein. But, naturally, didn't put the
matter up TO him. Things have been
pretty duh around here for while.
Why don't you run up and see Ed
wardsf Admit that we didn't do ns
well for him the first time as we might
have. md make him guarantee of
$500 en- n 1000 split.
Fright" snapped the lawyer. an
take Il ran up there tomorrow"
Tna following afternoon. In the pri-
waite office of his store, Edwards and
l.aSton thrashed out the details Oi
Their former arrangement the lawyer
stating that he had come to pay over
S5.OON. (which had been unexpectedly
saved from the wreck"
Incidentally" he added. II under
stand that you won't be here much
longer. Going 10 try the same game
yourself:"
Possibly" replied the shoe dealer,
"Why not?'
"You can't do IL without IN Organ.
zatlon." 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 10 be shipped, how Elm
stein would handle them, and the ST.
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 "a 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 voice behind him
say: