Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-05-23
THE TELL-TALE DIAMOND.


Or the nigbt Of Japuary 10, 49,, th'
Clifton bank was entered by burglars, WHIT
made good their escape with $50, 600 il
their possession. As soon as the robbery
became known, I repaired to the bank and
sought the President, to whom presented
my credentials and made known my inten-
ton of commencing work at once The
old gentleman readily acquiesced. and to
gether we passed into the main Office, where
several spruce looking men were scratching
away as unconccrnedly as if they had moi
been engaged in any animated discussion Of
the robbery Only minute before.
glanced at them sharply, but saw nothing
sus piciols in their looks, and concluded il
would be waste Of time to question them.
| examined the lock of the door opening
upon The street, and found it had not been
tempered with, although the first arrival
bad found the door al r. [ next turaed
my attention to door opening upon the
rear, ard found i, securely 'cked, 10 W hich
condition it bad been, so the President as
sured me, since the night before
Who has charge of the key of tais
door ?" I enquired.
"Mr. NJ, the Cashier, has one, and
our Jantor the other
"Can either of these gentlemen be sum
moned? =
F." Yes, both, il needs be- Here, War.
rem, run around to Mr.. Ms and tell
him that I wish to see him Immediately"
The clerk addressed was about to obey,
when sudden thought struck me and ]
called him back.
8. You need not troubls Mr. N; bu,
if the japitor can be found ask him to steI
down for a minute or swo'
Ia less than two minutes the clerk re-
Turned with the jantor-a broad shoulder
ed Irishmap. whose answers to my questions
were given in such straight forward man
ner that [ once exonerated him from al
blame
i" You lock up after the clerks have gone
home, do you not ?" inquired, looking
the man in the eyes.
Eyes, sometimes I does, an sometimes
doesn' was the laconic answer.
"When do you not"
"When Mr.. N worruks lete
onighs's, IS has l,een the cass mush o'late
did you lock up last night ?"
" Yis, sir, fwats more, tried every durt
afterwards"
- At what time did you lock that door,
and pointed toward the front entrance
Well. as near as I can recollect, half
past siven."
Are you sure you shot the bolt into It'll
sockct?
"Aye. could swear that | locked tina
dure an left it locked"
/" How about the windows-did you
fasten them as well 2?
:" Yis, livery wan ov them"
Every good, sir you may go now, i
YOU like" and / turned to the President.
"Now then. Mr.. J.. with your per
mission, I will investigate matters below
stairs"
The old gentleman conducted me to The
vault belo~. The heavy iron door of the
large vault in which the banks funds were
stored, stood wide open, affording vie.
Of the interior, which presented eceue Of
confusion not unfamiliar to my eyes. Books
and papers lay upon the f"or in every di
rection, where they bad been thrown aFtel
gratifying the curiosity of the burglars.
I stopped to pick upa crumpled docu
ment that lay at my feet, and as did SO
the sparkle Of gem. heretofore concealed
by the paper, caught my eye. With
quick motion of the hand I picked the stone
from the floor, and held it concealed in the
palm of my hand. while perused the docu
ment, more for the purpose of conceallns
the exultation I felt at having gained Sc
i'm portaot clue, than for any other reason
Having glanced at several other papers
similar to tho one I had first picked up,
began a thorough search of the vault
which proved frultless ; out the diamond
in my possession was sufficient foundation
on which to weave network of clrcum
stantial evidence.
Having no further business at the banb
took my departure and went direct to
celebrated jewelers. establishment in Som
ers street The proprietor Of the store
knew me, and intuitivelv guessing my bus
mess, conducted me to his private Office.
We'll, Tracy, what's up 2" he inquired,
when We had become seated.
Nothing unusual" replied. You
have heard Of tho Clifton bank robbery,
presume. -,
1.-The Clifton bank ? All yes, | die
hear some one remarking about it. There
was no account Of it in the morning papers,.
"No. I believe not. The affair was moi
discovered in time for the reporters to ge'
held of it. Well, sir, the bank has been
robbed to the tune Of thirty thousand dol
lars, and am engaged on the case"
"Hum indeed Hope you'll catch the
rascals, old boy. Dreadful state OF thng'
to exist in small city like this" and the
little man twisted uneasily in his chair.
mot SO bad as you may imagine. D.
calm. my friend the parties that robbed
the Clifton bank will not be likely to pa!
you visit