an ornament to that
good city of Chicago. Once there, his ambition will not be satisfied
until he takes his seat as Alderman, becoming one of the City Fathers.
Many more immoral and dangerous than he write Alderman after their names
in that windy city.

[Illustration: BIDWELL PICKING OAKUM.]

CHAPTER XLIII.

A BATTERED HULK STRANDED ON A SHORE TO WHICH NO TIDE RETURNS.

I am glad to say that during the almost lifetime I passed at Chatham
there were only a scant half dozen Americans who came down to keep me
company. One, Stoneman by name, interested me. He was a man of great
nerve and quick apprehension, and very truthful, therefore I found his
stories of his adventures most interesting, besides the fact that his
history was another proof of the truth that wrongdoing never pays.
Stoneman was of good parentage, and had entered the army in 1861, making
a good record up to and including the battle of Gettysburg. There, owing
to a quarrel with his captain, he deserted, and became a bounty jumper,
making a large amount of money, but when the war ended, finding his
occupation gone, he entered upon a life of crime, starting out first as
a very successful express robber. The last robbery he engaged in in that
line was on the New Haven road near Norwalk. His share amounted to some
thousands, but he was literally bowled out, and by a singular
circumstance. One of his confederates by the name of Riley had been
arrested, and was confined at Norwalk. He engaged as counsel for his
chum a well-known criminal lawyer of New York by the name of Stuart, and
arranged with him to go up to Norwalk to see Riley the following day.
Although Stoneman had plenty of money, he told Stuart he had none, but
Riley had. Then he gave Riley's wife $2,500, and told her to be present
at the interview between the lawyer and her husband. At the interview
Riley told him he would give him $2,500 if he cleared him or $1,000 if
he got him off with a sentence of two years or less. Stuart was hungry
as a shark to finger the money, and writing out a receipt for the full
amount inserted the conditions agreed upon. Putting the money in his
pocket he started back to New York with Mrs. Riley. Stoneman was on the
train waiting for them, and as soon as they started he joined them. It
happened the train was crowded, and they had to stand. It seems some
pickpocket saw Stuart pull out the money, and determined to get it from
him. On the arrival of the train in Ne