Haps and mishaps of Jack Haselton; a story of adventure

Contents

CHAPTER PAGE

I. The Plot and Arrest 5

II. The Trial 16

Chapter I. The Plot And Arrest

“WEED, Hal, we’re in a pretty mess.”

“I really don’t know what I’m to do, George.”

“How much did you lose?”

“Over two thousand dollars.”

“And I lost twenty-five hundred.”

“The worst of it is, George, this was not my own money. It belongs to the company,” said Hal, “and I’ll have to make it good or stand the disgrace of exposure, and perhaps imprisonment,” continued he.

“That is awful rough, old man, and I can’t help you any, although I lost my own money, I lost my pile, all my savings since I have been in the bank,” said George.

There was a short silence, then George continued :

“Did you lose it all on the Firefly?”

“Yes, all in one pile,” said Hal.

“And they said it was a straight tip,” said George.

Haps and Mishaps of Jack Haselton.

“Yes, they are all a lot of swindlers. I depended on that tip. They said it was straight, and that the jockey was in it, and I was sure to win, and now I’m disgraced for life,” said Hal, mournfully.

“When do you have to make it up?” asked George.

“Oh, it may come out at any time. It was given to me yesterday by the cashier of our company to hand over to Mr. Warrington at Albany, and take his receipt, and now it's gone, and Mr. Warrington may inquire for it at any time. And what am I to do?” said Hal.

“Well, you’re in a bad fix, old man, and I’m awful sorry, but I don’t see any way out of it. I guess this will be a lesson to us to leave horse-racing alone,” said George.

“Yes,” said Hal ; “but it all comes too late for me. You see,” he continued, “I’m already done for.”

There was a long silence between the two friends. George seemed to be thinking deeply. It was Saturday afternoon, and a half holiday, and they were sitting in the smoker of a train speeding along the banks of the Hudson towards New York. They had been attending the races, and had both lost more money than they could afford. One of them at least had ventured money that did not belong to him, and had lost, and was now placed in a very embarrassing position.

“Well, good-bye Hal,” said George as they parted at the depot. George was to take another train, while Hal was to stop over in New York until the next day. “I’ll see you again Monday evening. There may be a way out of this mess, old man,” he continued.

“Mr. Seers, one of the members of our bank, dropped a hint to me the other day. I don’t know just what he was driving at, but I think he wants to take advantage of my little trouble with Haselton, our cashier, to advance his own purpose someway, and hinted that there was considerable money in it for me. I don’t like Mr. Seers; he does little mean things, and I don’t

The Plot and Arrest.

believe he would hesitate at anything, however dishonorable, if it would only further his own interest. I think I’ll give him a chance to make his proposal, whatever it might be, and see if there is money enough in it to help you out of this difficulty. Anyhow, I’ll see you again Monday evening,” continued he.

George Hampton was employed as one of the bookkeepers of the banking firm of Broughman, Seers & Co., a private bank of one of the Eastern cities. Jack Haselton was cashier of the same establishment. Jack had been raised in a little Western town by an aunt, his mother having died during his infancy. His father had kept the village store, with a miscellaneous stock of goods, where anything could have been bought, from a quart of thick molasses to a dress-pattern. Seers at that time was a clerk in this store, but having appropriated to his own use some money that did not belong to him, was discharged. Through the disgrace which followed he lost the affections of a very estimable young lady to whom he was engaged to be married, and vowed he would have revenge upon the elder Haselton, but before the opportunity occurred Haselton, Sr., died, and Seers then transferred his revengful feelings to the son, and vowed that he would ruin and disgrace Jack at the first opportunity. Soon after this Seers came into possession of considerable money through the death of a relative and went East and engaged in the banking business. After Haselton, Sr., died, and his affairs were settled up, there was very little left. Jack managed to finsh his college course, but came out well-nigh penniless, but with a good education, good, well-developed muscles, and an undaunted spirit he had no fear of making his way. He had immediately come East to look for employment, believing that here was a better opportunity for an energetic, reliable young man.

Seers was the means of Jack becoming employed in the bank, and for no other purpose than to bring about his ruin. Jack, from an inferior position in the bank, through his energy, industry, ability and undoubted integrity, soon won his way to a

Haps and Mishaps of Jack Haselton.

responsible position, and at this time, at the age of only twentytwo, was the cashier of the establishment. Now was the time for Seers to exercise his petty, malignant spirit, and bring about his long-deferred revenge.

It was on the following Monday evening, soon after George Hampton had left the bank, that he was overtaken by Seers. “Well, have you been thinking over what I said to you the other day?” asked Seers.

“I don’t know what you want me to do, Mr. Seers.”

“Well, I don’t care about saying anything about it, unless you would be willing to do what I want,” said Seers.

“And how am I going to promise what you want before I know what it is ?” asked George.

“You can at least promise to keep your mouth shut if you don't take up with the idea,” said Seers,

“Oh, yes,” said George, “I can promise that much.”

They walked along in silence for a short distance.

“You are still at outs with Haselton, aren’t you?”

“There is no real trouble between Jack and me,” said George. “He misunderstood me in a little personal matter, and I wouldn’t take the trouble to explain, and so there is a little coolness between us, that’s all.”

“Wouldn’t you like to see him ruined, and lose his place?” asked Seers.

“Not through anything that I might do,” said George.

“Well, if you don’t want to do this work, there is no use in saying any more about it,” said Seers.

“But what is it that you want me to do?” asked George.

“Will you promise not to mention what I say to you, except to your friend Hal Sheldon?” asked Seers.

“Is Hal in it too?” asked George.

“Yes, we can do nothing without him,” said Seers.

“Well, I promise,” said George.

“Will you swear to it ?” asked Seers.

The Plot and .Arrest.

“Yes, if you’re so particular.”

“And will you make Hal do the same?”

“Yes, I’ll ask him to,” said George.

“Well,” said Seers, “I want to ruin Haselton, curse him! I want to down him, to disgrace him forever. I want to smirch him so with the mire, that when I get through with him he’ll never hold up his head again.”

“Say, Mr. Seers, that’s going it pretty strong.”

“He’ll find out that I’ll do all and more than I say.”

“But what do you want me to do ?” asked George.

“Hal is still employed by the New York Central Railroad, isn’t he?” asked Seers.

“Yes.”

“And has charge of the baggage car on the last train out Wednesday evening?”

“Yes, that’s his run,” said George.

“Well, Jack Haselton goes on that train. He starts then on his two weeks’ vacation. I simply want Hal to open his trunk and put something in it. He can open any ordinary trunk with the keys he carries. If he can’t let him break it open and say it broke in the handling,” said Seers.

“What do you want him to -put in it?”

“Merely a small package,” said Seers.

“Where will he get the package?” asked George.

“You will hand it to him.”

“And where will I get it ?”

“You will take it out of the safe at the bank.”

“Money?” asked George.

“Yes, a package of ten thousand dollars which I received Saturday from the Western part of the State, but I have not yet handed it over to Haselton. I will do so to-morrow at noon, just as he is about to start for lunch, when he will in all probability simply place it in the safe, after giving credit for it on his books,” said Seers.

io Haps and Mishaps of Jack Haselton.

“I will be sure,” he continued, “that some of the other clerks are aware that I hand him the package.”

“And you want it to be found in his trunk, and make it appear that he stole it?”

“Exactly,” said Seers.

“When am I to abstract it from the safe?”

“Just before closing. You have access to the safe and can do that at any time necessary.”

“Then,” continued Seers, “you are to hand it over to Hal to-morrow evening.”

“He may have use for this money during the afternoon. At any rate, it may not be in the original package at the closing hour.”

“Then you are to take any other package that you can lay your hands on. The larger the amount the better. You see, the bank won’t lose anything for the package will be recovered,” said Seers.

“This is an awful dirty business, Mr. Seers.”

“Well, it’s not exactly the kind of a thing that is taught in the Sunday schools,” said Seers ; “but I’ll make it pay you and Hal pretty well.”

“How much?” asked George.

“I’ll give you five thousand dollars to divide with Hal,” said Seers.

“And will you give that much to ruin Haselton?”

“Yes — curse him! — I would give more than that, if necessary, to see him disgraced forever,” said Seers.

“Well, I don’t know, Mr. Seers. This is an awful dirty business ; but Hal is in a mighty tight place just now and might possibly take this matter up, but I very much doubt it. I’ll see him to-night. By the way,” continued George, “when could you pay the money over? You see, if it is to do Hal any good he will have to have it soon.”

The Plot and Arrest.

1 1

“If you secure the package to-morrow, come to my hotel with it, and I’ll have the money ready for you and Hal,” said Seers.

“Well, I’ll see Hal to-night,” said George as they parted at the street corner.

George passed on down the street shaking his head. “I don’t like such dirty work. I wish I could see some other way out of it for Hal. I don’t believe he’ll do it, anyway ; it’s not like him. Poor Hal, it’s awful for him either way, and I’m just as much in it as he is. It’s awful hard all around.”

When George called that evening at Hal’s boarding-house, he found him in the very depths of despair.

“Well, how are you, old man?” said George as he entered the room where Hal was sitting at a table with his head resting on his hand.

“Oh, George,” said Hal, turning his woe begone face towards him, “I’m just about crazy.”

“Oh, you mustn’t give up that way, Hal. Cheer up, old fellow ; maybe things won’t turn out so bad for you,” said George.

“They couldn’t be any worse, for even if the amount was larger, the disgrace is all the same. Just think, George, what’s before me. If it was all over and everything known, perhaps I’d feel better. Anyhow, I couldn’t feel worse. If I wasn’t such a coward I’d commit suicide,” said Hal.

“Oh, it’s only the cowards that do commit suicide,” said George. “But, Hal,” he continued, “I came around to-night to tell you Mr. Seers’ proposal. There is a way out of this business, but you’ve got to drag yourself through the mire ; and the worst of it is, the filth will stick to you for the rest of your life. But if you want to do this thing, it will help you out of your present trouble.”

“What do you mean?” said Hal. “What did Seers propose?”

And then George told Hal what Seers had proposed, and the part that each was to perform. Hal sat and listened, with wideopen, hollow eyes, until he had finished.

Haps and Mishaps of Jack Haselton.

“And he wants me to do such mean, treacherous work as that ! I wouldn’t stoop to it ; I would die first,” said Hal.

“Yes, it’s awful business,” said George; “but it’ll help you out.”

“And put another man — and an innocent one — into my place,” said Hal.

“Yes, that’s what it would do, Hal.”

“Oh, how could I, George?”

“Well, I told Seers that I did not believe that you would do it,” said George.

“It is such an awful, low-down, mean trick,” said Hal.

“Yes, but it would help you out,” said George.

“Yes — but oh, how could I ?”

Hal was walking the floor by this time.

“Have you seen Warrington yet?” asked George.

“Yes, and I told him the money was locked up in the safe at the office, and that I would bring it on my next trip,” said Hal. “O God, what am I to do?” continued he in despair.

“I’m sure I don’t know, Hal ; but I’m willing to do my part in this dirty mess to help you out, though how I can ever look Haselton in the face again afterwards I don’t know.”

Hal was still walking the floor, looking pale and haggard, and t>ervously kicking over the things that came in his way.

“How much does he propose to pay for this thing?” asked he.

“Five thousand dollars between us,” said George.

“Oh, heavens !” said Hal, “how much I need that money. If there was only some other way of getting it,” he continued.

“But there is no other way,” said George. “It’s either this or a prison cell, old man ; that’s about the truth of the matter.”

“I’d probably receive the money too late anyhow,” said Hal.

“He said that if we would promise to do the work he would have the money for us to-morrow night,” said George.

“And then I could pay Warrington. Oh, heavens, what a

The Plot and Arrest.

temptation ! But could I ever hold my head up again ? Could I ever look in the glass without cursing the reflection there ?”

“Well, Hal, what will I tell him?” asked George.

Hal was standing with his back to George, looking out of the front window. He did not answer for a time. Finally he turned his haggard face around. “My God, George, I’ve got to do it,” said he. “I’ve got to do the most dastardly thing a man was ever called upon to do. I’m going to send an innocent man to prison that I may go free. I’m going to do this most deplorable act. I’m going to do all this and then move about among my fellow beings as if I was a man. A man ? A brute — a beast, rather — worse. A dog would prove faithful and honest, even unto death. And yet, George, I’ve got to do it or go mad.”

“Well, Hal, I know it’s awful rough, and I wish there was some other thing to do ; but the fact is, that the part I do is just as bad, so there are two of us,” said George.

“But the part that you do is not so bad, quite, for you simply sacrifice one friend to save another, while I do it to save myself,” said Hal. “I don’t suppose,” said Hal, “that I would have to appear in court.”

“Of course not,” said George. “What would you be supposed to know about it?”

“Well, I’ll do it, George,” said Hal, “and may God have mercy on my miserable soul.”

“All right,” said George, rising. “I’ll do my part, and have twenty-five hundred dollars for you to-morrow night. So good-bye, old man. Try and keep a stiff upper lip, and take it more easy.” *

Everything come about as Seers had predicted. The next noon as Haselton was putting on his coat preparatory to going to lunch, and while several of the other clerks had turned from their desks and stood quietly chatting, Seers handed Haselton the package containing the ten thousand dollars, at the same time calling his attention to its importance.

Hazelton took the package, casually turning it over in his hands, then turned to his books and giving the proper credit, placed it unopened in the safe, swung the inner doors to, and went out to lunch.

The hours of the afternoon passed slowly. It was getting on to time for closing the bank. George Hampton had been in and out of the safe several times on errands connected with his duties, and had recognized and located the package, and so knew just where to put his hands upon it. Entering the safe for the last time before closing, he slipped the package into the inside pocket of his coat and returned to his desk, lounging about until he heard the inner doors of the safe closed. Then the great outside doors were shut with a bang, the combination turned and the time lock set, and George knew that the safe could not be opened until a certain hour in the morning, and he breathed a sigh of relief, as the first act in the dastardly business was thus successfully performed.

Seers was true to his promise, and when George called upon him at his hotel and showed him the package, Seers handed him the five thousand dollars, to be divided with Hal.

George next called upon Hal and gave him the package to place in Haselton’s trunk, together with his share of the pay.

Hal took the package, turned it over mechanically and said : “My heavens, George, but this is nasty business. But I suppose I’m in for it now.”

“I guess we’re both in it now,” said George.

“This is the night for your usual run, isn’t it?” asked George.

“Yes. I must start pretty soon.”

“Will you see Warrington this trip?”

“Yes. I’ll make it a point to see him. I want to pay over this money and get rid of it,” said Hal.

“Well, so long, old man,” said George, rising to go. “I hope we’ll come well out of this.”

“Oh, we’ll come out of it all right,” said Hal sarcastically.

The Plot and Arrest.

“No doubt about that. It’s the other man that has to walk the floor now. Well, good-bye, old fellow, ,, shouted Hal after George, who was going down the steps two at a time.

Jack Haselton was arrested the next day at Albany, where he had stopped over before resuming his journey. He was returned and committed to jail to await his trial for grand larceny.

Haps and Mishaps of Jack Haselton.

Chapter II. The Triae

The jury was impaneled and sat waiting.

The judge was in his place, and was also waiting.

The prisoner, with his counsel, occupied seats at a table immediately in front of the judge.

The witnesses, scattered here and there, and occupying seats just behind and inside the semi-circular railing, were also waiting.

The court-room was crowded. Some were personal friends of Haselton; some were entire strangers drawn hither by curiosity; some were the usual court loungers. All who were fortunate enough to obtain seats occupied the chairs placed in rows across the room, the others standing in the passages in the rear. All were waiting. The silence was almost oppressive. All eyes turned instinctively to the prisoner and watched his every motion. Haselton sat erect in his chair and looked straight before him.

The prosecuting attorney stood at a table a little to the right arranging his papers. Having finally got things to his satisfaction, he straightened himself up, looked around at the audience, at the witnesses, at the prisoner, at the judge, and finally at the jury. Then turning again to the judge, he said : “If your Honor please, this is case No. 1410: The State vs. John A. Haselton for larceny. ,,

The judge, after looking over a great book that lay on the desk before him, addressed the prisoner, asking him to arise.

Jack stood up and looked him square in the eye. The judge continued :

The Trial.

“Mr. John A. Haselton, you are accused of taking a package containing, or said to contain, the sum of ten thousand dollars out of the safe belonging to Broughman, Seers & Co., and appropriating it, or intending to appropriate it, to your own use. Are you guilty or not guilty ?”

“Not guilty,” said Jack, firmly.

“Mr. Horten,” asked the judge, addressing Jack’s counsel, “are you ready for trial?”

“All ready, your Honor,” answered the counsel.

“Let the trial proceed,” said the judge.

The prosecuting attorney arose. “If your Honor please, and gentlemen of the jury,” bowing first to the judge and then to the jury, “this is a simple case of larceny. We are going to prove that the prisoner, Mr. John A. Haselton, was a trusted employee of the banking firm of Broughman, Seers & Co. ; that he held the responsible position of cashier of that institution; that on Tuesday, the 20th inst., a package said to contain the sum of ten thousand dollars was handed to him by Mr. Seers, a member of the said firm in the presence of a number of witnesses ; that Mr. Haselton took the package, and after examining the inscription, placed it in the safe ; that the package was afterward abstracted by him and placed in his trunk, where it was found, at the time of his arrest, at Albany, whither the prisoner had gone, and from whence he had intended to take a train on that same evening for the Northwest. The first witness I will call,” he continued, “is Mr. James D. Seers.”

“James D. Seers,” cried the clerk.

Mr. Seers stepped forward and was sworn to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

“Now, Mr. Seers,” said the prosecutor, “please tell all you know about this matter.”

“On Saturday, the 17th inst., this package was paid over to me by the firm of W. D. Brown & Co., on some personal notes of theirs that became due. This firm is doing business at Spring- 2 dale, a small town in Pennsylvania. I turned this package over to Mr. Haselton on Tuesday, at about noon, and saw him deposit it in the safe, and thought no more about it until Wednesday morning when on looking over his books, and examining into the cash, I found a shortage of ten thousand dollars. I at first naturally thought of the package containing just the exact amount that was missing. I looked into the safe, but it was not there. I looked through the waste-basket, where the wrappings of such packages are usually thrown, but could not find the wrappings of this particular package, so it looked very much as though the package had been taken intact. I made inquiries of the other clerks, and they said ”

“That will do, Mr. Seers,” said Mr. Horten. “We do not wish to hear what the other clerks said.”

“Well,” continued Mr. Seers, “the package was gone, and after consultation with Mr. Broughman, I thought it best to arrest Mr. Hazelton. I telegraphed to a detective agency at Albany, giving a description of Haselton, and ordering his arrest.”

“Is that all you know of the case?” asked the prosecutor.

“That is about all I know personally about the case,” said Seers.

“You saw Mr. Haselton place the package in the safe?” asked the prosecutor.

“Yes, sir,” said Mr. Seers. “After crediting the amount on the books, he placed the package in the safe.”

“That is all,” said the prosecutor.

Mr. Seers was about to step down from the stand.

“Wait a moment, Mr. Seers,” said Mr. Horten. “May I ask you, Mr. Seers, how long you have been connected with this banking firm ?”

“For about ten years — ever since its organization.”

“Who are the other members of this firm?”

Mr. S. H. Broughman, who is president, and Mr. D. C. Warring.”

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l 9

“What position does Mr. Warring hold in the bank?”

“He holds no position in the bank. He has capital invested, but has no active duties.”

“A kind of silent partner, then ?”

“I suppose so.”

“And what position do you hold, Mr. Seers?”

“I am vice-president.”

“And what are your duties as vice-president ?”

“Well, they are of a miscellaneous nature. I have a sort of superintendency of the affairs of the bank, and often take the place of any clerk who happens to be absent for any cause,” continued Seers.

“Who did you say that you collected this money from, Mr. Seers?”

“W. D. Brown & Co., of Springdale, Pa.”

“What was the money paid to you for?”

“For certain notes that we held of theirs.”

“Is it a usual thing for you to collect money in this way from persons or firms whose notes you hold?”

“It is done sometimes. Generally collections are made through the banks,” he continued.

“How large a place is Springdale?”

“It’s a small place, only of a few thousand inhabitants.”

“Is not ten thousand dollars a rather large amount for a firm in such a small place to have standing out ?”

“Yes, sir ; if they were in a business that depended simply upon the inhabitants of such a place for support.”

“And was not this firm thus dependent ?”

“No, sir.”

“What was the business of this firm, then?”

“They were contractors for bridge-building, and had business anywhere they could procure it.”

“So they were bridge-builders, were they ?”

“Yes, sir.”

Haps and Mishaps of Jack Haselton.

“Now, Mr. Seers, will you please tell us what especial reasons you had for personally collecting this money from this firm?”

“Well, the report got out somehow that they were shaky, and I thought it was a matter that I had better attend to personally. ’

“Was this report true?”

“I don’t know.”

“Did you have any trouble in making your collections ?”

“No, sir.”

“Mr. Seers, how do you know that this package contained ten thousand dollars ?”

“Because I counted it before it was put into a package.”

“When did you say you received this money?”

“On Saturday, the 17th.”

“And when did you pay it over ?”

“Tuesday, the 20th inst.”

“Now, Mr. Seers, why did you keep this package for three days before paying it to the cashier ?”

Seers’ face flushed, and he looked somewhat embarrassed. “It was a matter of no especial moment,” he said. “I hadHhe money, so that it was safe enough.”

“Do you not think that it was a little strange, Mr. Seers ?”

“How strange?” asked Seers.

“Did you not have plenty of opportunities of paying this money over to your cashier before Tuesday, three days after you had come in possession of it ?”

“Oh, there were opportunities enough to pay it over, I suppose, but I simply neglected it.”

“Are you in the habit of neglecting things of importance in this way, Mr. Seers?”

“Oh, it was of no especial importance as to the exact time that I turned the money over. I had it in my possession, and so was satisfied that it was safe.”

“Well, I say it seems very strange to my mind. There must have come a great relief to your mind when this money was paid

The Trial.

2 1

over to you, after the doubts that you had in regard to the reliability of this firm, doubts of such a character as to cause you a special trip into Pennsylvania. Then, notwithstanding this great relief that you must have felt, to think that you should so soon forget all about it, and neglect to pass it over to your cashier and give this firm the proper credit for it on your'books. I say all this, Mr. Seers, seems a little strange.”

“There is nothing very strange about it,” said Seers.

“How long has Mr. Haselton been employed by your firm?”

“About five years.”

“Did you not always find him capable and industrious?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And strictly honest?”

“Yes, sir; up to this time.”

“Did you ever before even have cause to suspect his honesty in the least?”

“No, sir.”

“Then, upon missing this package, why did you immediately suspect him of taking it?”

“I made inquiry of the other clerks first, but none of them knew anything of it.”

“How large was this package? Could it have been put in one’s pocket easily?”

“Yes, sir. It consisted of only a few bills, for they were all large ones.”

“Do the other clerks have access to this safe?”

“Yes, sir. It’s a depository for the books as well as for the money, and the books are always put away and locked up every night, and so most of the clerks have access to it.”