“His best chance for doing that was while Low was locked up. That was why he didn’t go to meet his confederates early at Daddy Drew’s.[{35}]
“His confederates have told me all about the murder of Judson, so that they are sure to be hanged, and one of them, Jack Thompson, is ready to confess and tell just how Claymore hired them to do the deed.
“Between Jack’s confession and what I heard them say, we have got a complete case.
“If I was in Hank Low’s place, I’d give up farming on land where the water is covered with oil, and dig wells.
“I noticed the appearance of the water in the stream when I was talking with Low earlier in the night, and I knew that the place to dig for oil is near his house.”
It was soon proved that Nick was entirely right, for the upper part of Low’s farm was rich in oil.
The farmer acted more than honestly about it.
With the help of Folsom, who was greatly pleased to learn that the clergyman had not committed suicide, Low got the names and addresses of all who had put money into the scheme of which Judson had been president. And in the end nobody who had invested with the clergyman lost anything.
No attempt was made to get back the part of the farm that was sold, for the land wasn’t worth the trouble.
Jack Thompson confessed, but that did not save him from severe punishment. He was put in prison for life, and Claymore and Hamilton were hanged.