The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-11-06
What He Found
Written Under
Prison Bench
By AUGUSTUS sHERwIN
90. 1924. Western Newspaper Union)

T HAD been the employee of pri-
- vate detective agency for ten years
when Dan Haley was released from
the penitentiary. 1 had been advised
of the day when he was to be re-
leased.
The warden fixed a serious look
upon me. "See here, Blake" he said,
you have been a good man in your
line, and wish could give you some
suggestions regarding Haley. OF
course you, who made his famous cap
ture ten years since. have never for
given him for hiding the booty and
keeping 1t hid"
"At least l know 1t Is hidden" l
declared with positiveness. 81 am
satisfied that when closely cornered,
he disposed Of his plunder In some
safe secret place"
"That all sounds reasonable" nod
ded the warden. The only thing is,
that while Haley has been not only
our best behaved convict and close
mouthed as q clam during the past
year. he has changed"
'How changed?" asked.
lapse of memory. 1t would be a
strange retribution, would 1t not"
added the official insinuatingiy, III
after all his cunning planning Haley
had forgotten where he concealed that
plunder-heyr
"Zounds" l could not refrain from
remarking-''that would upset all my
fond calculations indeed"
They were fond. those same, for q
very superior reason. was In love.
More than that, was In love with the
daughter Of John Marsh, and John
Marsh was the then wealthy merchant
from whom Haley had stolen cool
hundred thousand dollars.
At the time of the deed the lawyer
Of Mr.. Marsh paid me a five hundred
dollar reward for capturing the cul-
prit At the same time he advised
me that In case l recovered the booty
or any part Of 1t, twenty-five per cent
Of the same should be mine. At the
end of few months 1 gave up hunt
ing for the hidden fortune-for ten
years.
At the end Of the ninth year 1
sought out Mr. Marsh. He was no
longer a capitalist. found him liv-
ing in a very humble way, supported
By the earnings of his daughter. Con-
stance, 4 music teacher.
When 1 recalled his former loss, he
was aroused to desperate excitement.
He offered me half Of what might Sc
cure.
tic mt NJ MI a.
cent reward, however. that impelled
me to perfect my plans with renewed
diligence and fervor. 1t was because
had seen and now worshiped Con-
stance Marsh. l think I first won her
kindly attention by my steadfastness
Of purpose in pursuing an apparently
hopeless case to the end.
had not seen Dan Haley since he
entered the penitentiary. was
shocked at his aged appearance. He
seemed lost in his new environment.
The free air, the bright sunshine and
varied crowds did not inspire him,
they rather confused.
His first move with the money the
prison authorities had given him was
to board a train for the town where
he had formerly lived. He was a
widower. Haley proceeded to the
site of the house where he once lived
1t was easy to shadow him.
The house he expected to find had
been burned down for two years. A
new one was now In course of con-
struction. Finally, after an hour, he
turned from the place.
Ny heart sank within me-Dan
Haley had forgottenl
knew 1t surer than ever the next
day. when he left the httle lodging
house he had put up At. with myself
for q vigilant neighbor in the next
room. He started out to seek work.
was near to him when he approached
q carpenter building 4 fence. The lat
ter held board across a saw horse
and was just turning 1t to mark where
II should be sawed with the pencil in
his hand. when noticed a sudden
glow in Haley's eyes. He uttered
what was almost a scream. He start
ed from the spot on dead run.
Straight to the railroad depot Haley
proceeded. thence by train to the
prison town and then to the very
doors of the penitentiary he had left
less then twenty-four hours previ-
ously.
am a detective and therefore have
to think. l mentally connected the
carpenter and the prison, and when
heard Haley humbly solicit the war
den to allow him to revisit his former
cell I nodded to the latter and fol-
lowed.
Once inside the cell Haley got
down and looked at the under surface
of the bench riveted to the wall. He
transcribed some words written there.
traced those tell-tale words later.
They were: Under the woodshed
floor" Then was on his trail again.
l took him In charge as he returned