The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1859-11-22
The Jonesville Bank Robbery,
OR
THE UNEXPECTED WITNESS.
sY CARL cANrA1.

town of Jonesyille, had there been so great
an excitement as when one morning it was
found that during the night previous the
Bank had been entered and twenty thous
and dollals distracted from the vaults.-
This constituted one.ffth Of the entire
capital, and must seriously cripple the re-
sources. As the bank was chiefly owned
by citizens of the place, it can hardly bc
imagined low great conmotion this in
tclligcnce excited.
Who was the thief? This was the ques-
ton that ran from mouth to mouth. At
first no one could tell, ill lad came for
ward and produced a handkerchief which
had been found in the yarl This han !.
kerchicf bore the name of Ephriam Bates.
1t WAS found just outside the window,
through which the thief must have enter
Cd since this WAS left partly open. OF
course, suspicion, and that Of the strong
est character. was directed towards Bates.
Yet there was an under current OF sur
prise, also since he had hitherto sustained
an excellent character for probiry.
Who was Fphram B'te,G
He bad come into the place ten years
previous. having l"cn engaged as clerk
and book keeper in a dry goods store. He
had perfectly satisfied his employers -
They had never suspected, or had reason
TO suspect him of dishonesty. So much
was there in bis favor. But such is human
adduccd involving him in the bank rob
berry, than everybody began to eye him
askancc, and pronounce him unquestiona
bly, guilty before his defence was uttered.
said all Yet there was one notable
exception, and this was the daughter of
the President of the Bank, between whom
and Bates there had sprung up an affection
which did not meet tile approbat on of
her father, vs. o WAS proud Of his position,
and looked t wcalthicr alliance for his
daughter.
Under these circumstances, Bates was
arrested, and detained in prison until tho
next session Of the County Court, which
conveyed at Joncsvile, that being the
shire town Of the county.
The prisoner did not have long to wait &.
Only fortnight after the robbery the
o., o.,,,,.-.L, - Il
nrortot ch J"b had '%' occn,5,d 5I dnrin "S
the qnarter was assigned the first place on
the docket
It was Mt this time that I arrived in the
village. Living only at short distance
my curiosity and interest had both been
tLo niai ''''>' '>..'' s''' " " ''''~-'''"7 =
WLcm ,I,ol,rr o...oroa t,r ,lo trial or
,;v,l ,Lo ,,",,, uas fil,j - rar,,.;am 90
Ira, sn,,' LaI =, " J., oioarsd fir ,ho nr;s,
onrr Il, wos m,rrbcI IN between two
ri's Of " ''''.', ,' roI - war;, Gnl '%o n
On him. .1a.s f',, ,nc,: ~, cp,in.;,y o,borr. r
| bonc in symr,tIv
Ctro;,lv L,' lii r,, I,,,. Iito , o,oi,,r
no,.or II, vos ..n,ovrIot r.1, :, i
iuo. I'm, -. 10, was cloor and his ston
finn, IIo su,;., -. ovo nror ti,o ,o,,;,a
crowd and an dvrr~.,ion If sodrcss rassoi
over his f,co ne w,,I ILcra mioLt Whom
IL. indicfncrt was veal 70 him 10 nlcaJ,
Not oojItv." in, firm. unwayc,ipo voice.
III. wlo,n don,,noy IN, nros.od mo with
tho conv;c,:o, tlot thcro must bo y uis,,ko
somewhere. and lbat however much cir.
,umstonccs ,ni1bt la ocoirst him. he was
noe, Mt
After ar opantro sroccI ,lc f,s, w,,ncss
wa. ,,''r,l Ly ,Lc Di.t,t,f Attcrnov. Il
va. tLc how =, whom We have alluded
DO you lccognize th,, haudkerclicry'
irou;,oj H., ,.,orrar
~. .f." v,s tio bor'. answer
WHEN did Won ever SEQ il before I"
.Irrdo, ,I.o ,yi,5nw of ,Lo HonL an ,lo
morniro aflor tho roLLorvr
You are quite sure Ills is tho hondkor.
chef"
Yes. for I looked at the name on il
whom nicked il mn"
That name, gentlemen Of the Jury"
soil ,Lo .t,,,no,, ,r,nirc, ,owor1s ;hon,
and cxhibitino the handkerchief .is Euh.
,iam Bates" There was q sensation in tbo
court. ~ have no futhor oncs,ions 10
ask of the Wines" " h, cor,ipncd
Tho LcGonco J,cI;rod c,oss cyoni,;,o
him and he was allowed f. 90 down from
the witness stand Tho next Wines b,o',
forward was an Irish woman
"Wbm !, your occun,,ion? :" ipouir.i
,bo District Ai,orrav
The woman Locked n,,,,cl
~ mean, what do you do for = liyiro p
"Oh. lha,'. Il 7 did not know WIN,
your honor mcant. am \ woshn,wom,n =
Did YOU ever wash onv clothes for thl
prisorcr"
.Fo, Mr. Rates i.nr