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Show The Katydid Mine Swindle By an of the Secret Service Ex-Operati- ve flicied upon the bare brick wails of the bullions With great caution 1 n.lsed the ltd upright and crawled out ol I he openl.ig. I was indeed within the mysterious building. In my excitement at this discovery I released my hold of the upright lid and it fell to with a metallic report that sounded, to my tense e senses, like the boom of a gun. The next instant I heard a voice, which I recognized as Mason's, excitedly bellowing: ' "Who's that," he demanded. "Hey, Helden," he continued, "something's broke loose." I didn't know what to do, so great was my surprise at my own rash act and Its consequences. I could hear Helden sleepily call back something that I could hot make out and Mason reply. Then there was a creaking of springs and two dull thuds as the men sprang from their beds. It was a ticklish situation, and I certainly thought the jig was up. Luckily, neither of the men had a match and I could hear them swearing luridly over this fact, the rattle 'of a tin lantern punctuating their profanity. This gave me an opportunity to take a hasty survey of I sprang from my my surroundings. perch astride the big pipe to the concrete floor six feet below and scrambled, beneath a long table that stood at one side of the room. There was just enough moonlight sifting through the dirty, Iron barred windows to give me a bare idea of my situation. .. The building was 30 or 40 feet In length and I was near the farther end from the room where I could hear the men stumbling about In the darkness and swearing like troopers. On every hand were tables and boxes and maNot a chinery and washing-troughs- . second too soon had I concealed myself, for scarcely had ! reached the coast-defens- Captain Dickson's Own Story of Unearthing a Colossal Fraud 8 S A RULK the inspectors of the department look after matter of fraudupost-offic- e lent uses of the malls, said Capt. Dickson on a certain occasion w hen had I dropped In for a quiet smoke and a glass of cherry, but when a cane develop unusual difficulties the Is called service department This does not often happen, upon. however, for there is a lot of rivalry between these departments and not a little Jealousy, It Is only as a last resort that our branch of the machinery of government Is brought into e requisition, and not until the inspectors have failed utterly. A case of this character occurred a few years ago in one of the larger western cities. , a company It was a mining-casbacked by 150,000,000 capital stock and, to all appearances, It was a legitimate scheme. Among its directors were four or Ave well known western mining men, one I remember States senator. It being an advertised extensively in the newspapers and by circulars. 'Orders1 for stock were pouring into the company In such large quanitles that it re quired two and three sometimes, to haul a single day's maii. The advertising matter of the coin puny, which operated tinder the name of the Amalgamated Gold Syndicate, was cleverly written. It stated that the discoverers of the mine were two poor prospectors without kith or kin but with hearts overflowing with gen erosity, who, from the two millions of stock that each owned, derived a revenue greater than either could spend and, appreciating the afflictions of the poor and the scant opportunities for a man of Binall meaus to find a safe and profitable investment for his sav ings, they had decided to share their wealth and prosperity with their fel low men. The company placed 12,000,000 of stock upon the market each year, (1,000,000 in January and $1,000,000 In July, It advertised that no one person would be allowed to subscribe for more than $100 of each Issue and that the subscription-bookwould be closed as soon aa the requisite million was subscribed. The post office department became suspicious as soon as the advertisements began to appear, and the inspectors were immediately put upon the case. They worked for six months and found nothing that supported this suspicion in the slightest On the other band, they established be yond doubt that the mine had been discovered by two poor miners who bad no relatives living, so far as could be determined; that they had Induced capitalists to invest $1,000,000 In cash in the venture, and had then organized and Incorporated the Amalgamated Gold Syndicate with a paid up capital of 15,000,000, selling the mine to the corporation for $ .000,000 of stock. The mine was called "The Katydid." and it had been worked for a time by the corporation at a big profit. The two miners, poor no longer, had. after a time conceived their charitable .scheme, and had put It through much against the wishes of the minority stockholders, who were powerless to prevent it. Accordingly, the capital stock hod been Increased from $5,000,000 to $50,000,000 and the charter authorized $2,000,000 of the increased stock to be sold each year. The company apparently did everything that It advertised. It regularly paid Its stockholders an annual dividend of 20 per rent. Hudson, one of the miners, was president of the company, and In charge of the offices It maintained In the western city, which I have already mentioned, while Mason, the other of tbe dlcoverers, was geueral manager and In control at the mine, Itoth Hudson and Mason bore out the characters that the advertising matter of the syndicate gave to them. They dressed In rough, cheap clothing, chewed tobacco, and showed a disregard for money that Is characteristic of men who have worked bard all their Uvea against an adverse fortune and who have suddeuly come into In everything great wealth. they acted the parts of uncouth, uneducated sons of the soil. At the Katydid mine, visitors were always welcome. They were shown over the properties with Uie greatest freedom, only one place, the small building where the metal wus separated from the amalgam, was denied to them. Mason explained this by saying that the company possessed a socret process for refining which he had discovered and which was known only to himself, to Hudson, and to Helden, the company's chemist. This, In brief, was tbe status of the case when I was put ou It. It was given to me because I hud been a miner and pnspector and had studied geology and Maying. After working a week on the case I was euilnfli"! that the company was se-;r- , post-offic- e a fri'ud, but I readily saw that 1 had no common crooks to deal with. My figures showed that the mine was producing less than :100 of ore a day, little more than enough to pay the expenses of operating, and certainly not enough to sustain the expensive offices In the city and pay the fabulous dividends on the stock. I didn't take a bit of stock In Mason's claim of a secret process of refli.lng. I knew that was a fake outright, but I wanted confirmation of It, and the only way to obtain this was to get inside the little building at the mine where Mason and Helden slept and where the separation of the gold from the amalgam was effected. I had almost worked myself into a fever over it when, one night, I went up to my room at the little hotel of the mining camp after supper and sat down to read myself to sleep. I had bought a couple of paper back novels , at the from its rather limited stock, and among them there was a copy of Victor Hugo's masterpiece. I had read the book before, but it was a favorite of mine and I hadn't much chohe in the matter of selection. I was .10 wrought up over the question of getting Into the refining plant that connected reading was out of the question, so I skipped about through the btk, reading a chapter here and drug-store- It was something after ten o'clock when I completed my investigation, and I decided to explore the pipe without further delay. I removed, my shoes and hid them beneath a bowlder, looked to tbe cartridges In my revolver, a precaution I have always taken since a certain adventure down on the Rio Grande, Then I crept into the pipe. It was cool and clammy and as dark as a dungeon. L had a little but was pocket electric flash-lighafraid to use It, as the distance to the reduclng plant was less than 100 yard from the ravine. My progress was slow and tiresome. Nevertheless, In good time, I came to a point, where the pipe made an abrupt turn straight down, which convinced me that I was about at the end of my journey. I reached down the hole as far as my arm would go, but couldn't touch bottom - ho, after listening for a time and hearing nothing more than a distant drip, drip of water which was most lonesome, mysterious, and melancholy, I tore my f into strips and weighted it with a cartridge so that I might sound the inky depths below. I was sensible enough not to drop down Into the pipe without making a reckoning, as I had learned this preTo my caution by sad experience. great relUtf the plummet struck bot- t, mall-wagon- cause I know every door Is locked. 1 seen to 'era myself before we turned in Just as I does every night." "That don't matter," retorted Mason with warmth, "we can't take chances, and we must find what made the noise if we have to look all could have fell If it hadn't been pushed over and it takes someI thing live to push things over. balnt liked the way that stranger has been poking around here lately. I've had my suspicions of him all the tlmr and I came near as anything taking a pot shot at him that day L found him hid out behind a bowlder watching the mouth of tbe mine through his spyglass." "Why didn't you," queried Belden in a sneering tone. "I'd a done it, If I had been the one to And him What's the. matter with you Is yoii don't want to do a thing but copper your share of the swag and play safe all the time. Wish I'd 'a' found him. He'd been wolf feed In less'n no time." "Well, taint no use fussing about It "I'm glad I now," replied Mason. didn't Bhoot him, for it would have brought a lot of detectives and government men about here and would have spoiled our game right off. "Well, let's go back to bed," yawned Helden, ignoring the taunt. "Not until we've found what made that noise," answered Mason. "You wait here until I get the headlight from the office. This blamed lantern ain't worth shucks." "All right," grumbled Helden, aud Mason went towards the door, swing ing the lantern as be walked. I bad heard enough to justify me In arresting the men and in going to any length to accomplish It. Mason would not be gone long, I well knew, so I decided to capture Belden before his partner returned. I stealthily crawled from under th table, my stocking feet making nc noise upon the concrete floor, and warily approached the unconscious Helden. I could just make out his bulk, where he stood In a dark nor-Hon of the miilding, and I could heat Ha the rustling of his clothing. scratched a match and I held my breath. Fortune favored me. He wat lighting a corn-copipe, his back fair ly to me. Like a shadow I glided to ' ward him and with a quick, sure stroke brought my heavy revolvei down upon the back of his neck with a sickening, crunching impact. He fell without a groan and lay like one dead. Nevertheless, I took the precaution to slip a pair of handcuffs upon his wrists, and then I sprang towards the door through which 1 could see the light of Mason's lantern advancing. I was not a second toe soon. As Mason crossed the threshold I struck him a heavy blow npon the head and he went down like an ox In the shambles. I handcuffed him and picked up his lantern. f Next, I packed the unconscious men Into the room where they slept and deposited them upon the bed, aftei which I set about restoring them tc consciousness. This room opened Into the office where was situated the vault. After some little time Mason groaned and sat upright. "Well, pardner," was his crestfallen greeting, when be bad looked me over carefully, "I guess you bold the trump-cards- . What do you mean to dc next?" and He showed no resentment seemed, at first, to think that I was a bandit. I showed him my badge which had an electrical effect upon him. In my brief acquaintance with him I marked him as a man who would confess everything and endeavor to escape punishment by Implicating his confederates, so I explained to him as much of my suspicions as seemed expedient and made several guesses. This quite overpowered him, and after It he was as pliant as wax in my hands. He confessed everything and opened the big vault for me and showed me the books of the company I had expected to have some difficulty, with him and to have to do more bluffing than proved necessary, but he did everything In his power to help me. He said that he, Helden, and Hudson had turned the trick without as aistance. They had conceived the gigantic fraud when the mine begac to fall, and had experienced little difficulty in putting It Into effect. On the fine showing the mine had made al first, they succeed) d In getting $1,000, 000 invested in it, after which thej had Incorporated and begun to sell stock. They took the money they re celved for stock and converted It Into gold coin, which they shifted to tht mine, where It was melted down, run Into bars, shipped back to tht city, and sold as bullion, a part of it going to pay dividends. I bad suspected this when I had tha quantitative analysis of one of thelt bars of gold made, for It had showed the percentage of amalgam that used In gold coins. Tbe last shipment of gold coin was in the time-locsafe, which wouldn't open until eight o'clock next morning, so I made a hasty examination of the books and then trussed my two prisoners up liks turkeys while I went to rouse th marshal. He was an Intelligent Irishman, who had knocked about the world a good deal, and It didn't tak long to explain the situation to him. He accompanied me back to the mine, after I had wired Instructions for Hudson's arrest, and relieved me of my charges. I spent the night going over the books end examining the records la the vault, and by morning I had every thing I wanted to lay bare one of the most colossal swindles ever attempted. night-Nothin- TIME "TABLE SOUTH-flOUN- No. For No. or Sanlaquln and Pajtion. I n .Till r ... Nepbi sod Payaon, , NORTH-BOUN- No. 6:flS pm A Mantl 9:ti air D Prove Pl.Orove. American Kork. Lehl, Mercur, ef-- Fof SiliUtt Provn, .. ...,lt:Wstn Salt Lake aud S IX) pm Intermedin nolnu Palatial trains are now runnlnif dully between Suit Lake and the Paollio Coast. UTAH COUNTY is la direct touon with tw treat oltlei. Beet local train eervlce. Afent. sr. Dlatrlct Panaensar J. H. Busts Tlokel Agent. N. PsTBMBit. No. W-- For la-p- fits Qj?ninriRANnp DFN R 10 GRAND Arrival and departure of trains from Depot: Sprlnfrrllle.Provo.Salt Lad and all point rant and wel....8:10aro No. 29 KorSprlngvllle Prove.Salt Lake and all points east and wwt....l:Cpra No. S For Ktiroka, MammoUt and Silver t'ltv S:CTpm No. 8 For Kureka, Mammoth and SilNo. For ver City ;ISsra , Connection made In Ogden Union depot wlttt all trains ot Southern Paclflo and Oregon Short Line. OFFERS CHOICE OF 3 1 AST THROUGH TRAINS 3 DAILY SCENIC ROUTES AND THREE DISTINCT Pulman Palace and ordinary Sleeping car to Kanaa City, St. Loult sua without change. Free Reclltlng Chair Cant; Pernonally cona perfect IMnlng Car Serducted Denver, Omaha, Cbli-ag- vice. For ratea, folder, etc.. Inquire of 11. T. Utthkwb, Ticket Agent, or write LA. BKNTON, U. A. P. P., Salt Lake City. F. J. NICHOLS C. C. CRISMON b semi-annu- s a bit there until I came to the adventure of Jean Valjean In the Paris sewers. In an instant I was tingltng In every nerve, for 1 had found the solution of my problem, although it was both foolhardy and beset with the gravest dangers. The reducing plant was in a low-se- t building, adjoining the stamp mill, and the water supply was conveyed to It from a dam some distance up the canyon through an Iron pipe two feet The water supply was In diameter. limited, and at night the flow was shut off, leaving the pipe quite empty. I had observed the pipe in my rambling about the neighborhood of the mine but hud never thought of it as a possible entrance to the building until 1 read of the hunted Jean Valjean taking to the sewers like a rat to escape his Implacable foe. Possibly I never should have thought .of It If I had not chanced to buy the ten cent book at the drug store. This Is but an Instance of the Influence on our lives of seemingly trivial things. Tossing the book upon the floor I hastened out Into the night and made with all speed tor the big pipe. The water left the reservoir In a sluiceway of concrete and ran for some 200 yards In a trough of the same material until Its rourse crossed a deep, narrow gulrh. which made the pipe necessary. This wus. to be my utnt of entrance, as from here on to the mill the pipe wus continuous. torn about four feet down and I cautiously lowered myself, feet first, Into the well. It was rather close quarters, but I managed to feel about me In every direction, and to my dismay found that at this point the pipe divided Into halt a dozen smaller ones, none of them over six Inches in diameter. This was a sad blow to my hopes and I felt almost defeated, so great was my There was nothing to do chagrin. but clumber back to the straight stretch of the pipe, where I panned a moment to think. It was so dark that I couldn't see my hand before me, so I thought it and safe to take out my pocket-lamexamine my surroundings. Flashing It overhead, I was overjoyed to see that the bend In the pipe was arranged with a circular door which was held down by a spring catch which fastened beneath a flange, I released this, and was rejoiced to feel the door move upward when I pushed against It. It was an opening large enough to permit a man's body to pass through it, and 1 suppose It must have been arrunged so that the pipe could be cleaned out if It should become clogged with leaves or trash. At any rate It offered the much sought entrance to the building, for when I pushed the top upwards it few Inches aud peered out beneath It 1 could see the ful nt rays of the perfect tuoou re- - deep shadow of the table when I heard a door grate on Us hinges and the feeble rays of a lantern illuminated a few cubic feet of space about the lanky legs of the raw boned miner. With my heart going about 200 beats a minute, I crouched beneath the tabic, gripping my revolver and very much in doubt about what 1 should do if I were discovered which seemed a certainty. Of course I could have shot both men and made my escape through the flume pipe, but there was nothing to justify this conduct. Thus far I had nothing but suspicion against the two men, and such an act would have been nothing less than murder. I decided to let matters shape themselves and only endeavor to keep out of sight. The men blundered about the room for awhile, the lantern rather handicap; than aiding them In their search. I could hear every word they aid and tbe uneasiness they showed wss certainly a ausplcloua circum-stance. Finally they stopped a short distance from my place of concealment. I could see their feet, about which the lantern's light concentrated, and they were facing away from mo, which gave me a little more hope of escaping. HHden was speaking. "I tell you," he said, "It was something fell It wa'n't anything else be VM. by W. O. Clmpmaa.) (Copyright, (Copyright in Great UrIUIa.) Crismon & Nichols Assayers and Chemists Office and Laboratory 229 S.W. Temple St.. Suit fjike Citv. ITtah Reference; National Bank of Republic Both phones P. O. Box 78 moHorsfTt Whit'oo iho iiiiqi i iiu iiiuiiui i h with IDAHO 5 &d Thousands of acres of land have beeu reclaimed to cultivation iy irrigation in that State during the past 10 years. Thousandmore will be reclaimed within the next 10 years. This meant an opening for many thousands of homes. - Have It Tot) Investigated IDAHO? a ka been truthfully termed Land of Opportunities A Land of Homes The Oregon Short Line Railroad Co. will be pleased to send descriptive mat- ter regarding Idaho's resources. Write to 1). E. Hurley, O P. A or I). S. Spencer. A. (i. P. A.. Salt Lake City, I'tan. Benjamin Hughes Lteery and Feed Stables HACK MEETS ALL TRAINS. d. n. DKUWN, Livery Feed Stable AND Hack Meets All Trains 'PHONE NO. 12 , Spanish Fork rjtah Spanish Fork Co-Operali- vG institution,- - DssJsriln General Merchandise, Flour, Grain and Produce. ktaaofaotorers of Harness, Boots Shoos. JOHN JOTCKS,. Q s.ii.t. |