He visited Beard at his home, and there the scheme for the substitution of prisoners was unfolded.
"It seems that soon after Whitmore's arrest, Beard made a deal with the deputy marshal whereby the deputy was to receive fifty thousand dollars to permit the substitution to be made on board the train on the way to Atlanta.

Of course, the warden of the prison had never seen Travis, hadn't the slightest idea what he looked like.

But in order to be on the safe side, the deputy insisted that Beard get someone who resembled Whitmore, alias Travis, in general appearances.

For a week Beard searched and finally lit on Timson.

Although the resemblance between Timson and Whitmore is not sufficient to have fooled anyone who knew Whitmore, nevertheless a description of the merchant as he appeared in court, might easily pass for a description of the substitute.
"For one hundred thousand dollars Timson agreed to go to jail in place of Whitmore.