Gunnison news-champion., 1924-01-04
True
Detective Stories
BY PERSONS
UNKNOWN
csp,nss, ., Tn. wA-.s.r s,aaie.r. La


cep,nss; BY The wh.,l.r syadiesis. Is<-
ffYr Is absolutely essential" said
the secretary Of treasury. gianc-
ing across his desk NJ the short,
ruddy dy-compiexioned. rather stout man
who sat opposite him. that the per-
sons responsible for these lynchines
st Versailles be arrested, tried and
convicted. I don't think II is over
stating the matter tn shy that this
case In more important than any
counterfeifing plot or smuggling
scheme which the department has ever
worked on. for the governor of In
diana has applied to the federal gov
ernment for troops 20 handle the up
rising which threatens TO sweep over
that part Of the country. and the en-
tire state Is taking sides In the mat
ter.
Naturally we do not wish to send
tro"ps TO Versailles unless II Is abb
lead to additional bloodshed and dis
order. What we need Is someone
who has the nerve to go out there.
investigate the case from every pos
slble angie and make . report as TO
the persons responsible for the lynch
inga. That's why ! sent for you."
The man on the other side OF the
desk smiled and tapped thourhtfully
with the forehnrer OF q hand which
indicated strength and determination
Of character.
.-Of course" continued the secre-
tary. ~ must warn you that the case
II one that is apt To prove dangerous.
More So in fact. than anything you
have ever attempted. Compared to
H. the roundup Of gang Of moon
sinners Is child's play--for here you
viii have 10 work entirely In the dark.
enc man agninst practically an entire
state. A single slip would mean your
death and would force the govern
ment to take steps which might lead
20 protracted bloodshed."
I'm which case" replied the other.
cit would be well for me TO get out
TO Versailles as soon rs I can. The
longer we wait the less chance there
Is Of success Don't make any at
tempt 20 hear from me or to locate me
for At least a month. II, at the end
Of that time. you haven't received
some kind OF q report. you will know
that they've got me. But, somehow.
I've got . hunch that they won't"
II was two days later that the train
which stopped af Versailles. Ind,
halted Just long enough to permit q
single passenger to aliEht-a man
who was short and rather plump and
with q ruddy complexion. Q man who
registered at the local hotel Ms .James
n. Beck" and who allowed II TO be-
come known that he was an insur-
ance agent. representing one Of the
best known companies In the country.
But Versailles, as Beck soon ,iiscov-
ered. was q poor field for life lnsur-
ance at that time There was only
one topic Of conversation In which
the natives were Interested: the lynch
ing OF the hve prisoners who had
been taken from jail and murdered by
an infuriated mob. This. coupled with
epen threats Of defiance agninst the
governors edict that the guilty men
must be punished. kept the town In .
continual state Of simmering. seething
by frequent state
ments that any state or government
official who tried TO find OUT the names
Of the men Implicated in the lynching
would he shot on sight.
Peck. apparently. wasn't I'm the least
interested In the local turmoil. He
had been sent TO Versailles to sell in
surance. and he was determined to
sell u. no matter how many people
he had to Interview The fact that
he WAS stranger led. of course. to
and some two weeks passed before he
WINS able 10 aIiay this.
About the end Of the third week
matters were brought to head by
reason Of wire which Beck sent to
New York. n dispatch which was In
code md which caused the operator
TO spread the report that the .Iife
Insurance agert- was detective In
disguise. Getting wind Of this and
realizing that Re must take some rad
ical step TO offset suspicion Reck ap-
preached the man who appeared to be
the leader Of the trouble-faction. Tho
agent explained TO him that he was
getting tired Of the quarters at the
hotel. and wondered n II would he
rossihle to secure lodgings in some
private house where he would be
little more comfortable.
Certainly" said the native. "I
reckon we can put you up all right"
And he smiled at the thought OF this
man whom he suspected placing him
self entirely I'm his power. That. how
ever, was precisely what Beck wished.
nnd II only took a couple OF DAYS OF
clever acting to convince the local
leader that he ~as only what he an
peared TO be-a slow. ploddiny and
insurance agent. II was
in the house Of the most dangerous
cItiZQn NJ Versailles .tplar ty,n $500.