Year: 1876

cry stable where he left them and had


told the keeper that he would call 70,


them in few days.


! could not find out that he had at


tempted to sell them, at which l was


somewhat surprised. l paid the liv.


cry bill, and sent word back home for


another man to come out and continue


business with it in the same terri.


tory.


There were two hotels in Grinnell


at the time, aud / examined the reg


listers, bu, could not find his name on


either, but on questioning the land


lords and showing the photograph,


one of them recognized it, and said


the man had taken meals there, paid


his bill, and asked what time the train


went west, as he was going on it,


but he had noticed him in town few


hours after its departure.


From this slight information l was
more strongly inclined than ever to
believe that he had gone west, and
determed to follow that way. Grin
nell at the time was the terminus of
the railroad, and stages ran from
there to Des Moines, and on through
to Omaha. | had to wait several
hours for the incoming stage before /
could start, and when it arrived | i'm
mediately questioned the driver in
regard to his passengers on his last
trip out. l showed the photo again,
and he Immediately told me that the
chap had taken passage from the first
way station, which was ten miles
west.-My man had taken the pre-
caution so as not to have his name
registered on the duplicate way-bill,
which it would have been necessary
for him to do at the starting point; !;
but By going to the way ttation he
had secured seat with the driver,
and got his ride to Des Moines.


On arriving at Des Moines, ! went
from one hotel to another looking for
my man, and finally found his hand
writing, which l knew full well, but
giving an assumed name. The clerk
assured me that he had taken stage
passage to Omaha two days before.
The first stage west found me en-
route for Omaha, where | arrived in
due time, and soon found the same
signature on the hotel register. On
questioning the landlord, he told me
that the young man had stayed over
night, but next morning told him to
take care of his valise, as he was go.
ing down to Plattsmouth, and would
be back next day in time to take the
stage for Denver the following morn
ing.


l was pretty sure or my game now.
and made preparations to arrest him.
secured the services of the deputy
sheriff, to be on hand when the stage
was due from Plattsmouth, which
was about s o'clock that night.


l posted myself on the hotel porch,
and in due time the coach lantern
could be seen throwing out its rays
as the wheels came rafting up and
stopped in front of the hotel. l kept
myself well in the dark, but SO as to
see the passengers as they alighted.
Soon my man sprang out, bounded
up the steps, and entered the Office
and bar-room.


l told the deputy sheriff to stand
ready for business at the hotel door,
and while Jim was registering | walk
ed softly up ard leaned my elbo W on
the counter and rested my cheek on
my hands within few inches Of his
ACE. After registering he threw the
pen down, and met my gaze square
in the eyes. | suppose he was sur
prised, in fact dumfounded; but he
scarcely took time to show it before
he glanced around to see if had any
assistance, then gave leap for the
door, and ian fair and square into the
arms of the deputy, who threw one
arm around his waist, and with the
other at right angles placed cooked
revolver at his left ear.


The deputy pushed him back into
the Office, let 60 his grip, and while |
covered him with small Smith 4
Wesson, he was safely handcuffed.-
As soon as he could speak he said to
me:


"My God / didn't expect you,
Or | should never have come back
here!'


l told him l was glad he did, as it
had saved me following him further.
He was lodged in Jail that night, and
next morning with him handcuffed, I
took the stage on the back track
The horror of his situation filled his
thoughts at times, and he would look
down and cry like a child. He said
he had not the least idea of defraud-
ing us, but had spent more money
than he had thought, and when he
figured up and found now much he
was behind, the devil got around him
to take it oil and leave the country.


There being no Jail in Montezuma,
l stopped in Oskaloosa, and after a
preliminary examination my prisoner
-, :n,l - L..