The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-11-24
ALICK'S DOG STORY.

66TT was about the middle of the wal"
said Alicl, "whcn l was treasurer
of the Grafton Drilling Company. Our Of
flee safe was as unsafe as pine box would
have been and disliked to leave dollar
in it. There were several burglaries about
the place, and all of them were skillfully
planned and executed.
Gone night our Office was visited, the
safe pried open with wedges, and the con-
tents carried off. The burglars found but
a few hundred dollars, but the worst of it
was that they had hit upon night when
there ought to have been large amount of
money there. We had received large
payment the day before, but instead of
trusting it to our old safe had taken it
home with me.
"We wondered if the burglars had any
knowledge of this payment. If they had,
then they must have extraordinary means
of gaining intelligence, and would know
whenever we received any large amounts
again, and would they not come at once to
my house, now that they had seen did
not trust the safe ? The question was
avery perplexing one, and had an angry
debate over it with some of our directors.
was in favor of getting a reliable safe and
employing a night-watchma but was
out voted.
"Old Evans, indeed, went so far as to
say that, as lightning never struck twice
in the same place, neither did burglars
visit the old safes the second time. And
he was inclined to think our money would
be safer if left in the office than if carried
to my residence. And he talked so many
others into his way of thinking that reso-
luton was passed declaring it against their
wishes to have any of the company's funds
kept anywhere except in the office safe
"Of course, the effect of this was that
if carried tho money home and lost it,
the loss would fall on me individually, and
not upon the company.
81 was angry enough to have resigned
my place, but my interest in the concern
was too large to be trined with, though
determined there would be change in
that board of directors another year.
"About week after this our secretary
returned to Boston on the evening train
and brought with him fifty thousand dol
lars, and all in greenbacks, the proceeds Of
our monthly bills receivable. Ho brought
the money in bills because the day follow
ing was our payday.
al was in q more perplexing state of
mind when he handed me that money. l
knew the Office safe was NO protection
whatever and yet if l carried the money
home with me was assuming great re-
sponsibility. Without saying word to
any one determined to keep the money
with me. found an old dinner basket in
the Office and carried it home in that.
"You may be assured that did not feel
very comfortable that evening. l thought
of every nook and corner in the house, and
wondered where would be the safest. At
last determined upon dividing it, leaving
half here and the rest in my own room. ]
had not mentioned the matter at home,
not even to my wife, but plead headache
when reminded of my pre-occupied air.
~ came in here and placed twenty-five
thousand dollars in that ottoman at your
feet. See, the top is on hinges, and is fas
tened by the hook on the side. This otto
man pushed near Nap The balance
carried to my own room and put it in the
stove, thinking that would be the last place
where any one would look for it. l weni
to bed, but it was nearly midnight before
/ fell asleep.
"I was awakened to find mans hanC
on my mouth, and to be informed that h.
did not intend to harm me If I kept quiet
Ny hands were then tied behind me,
towel fastened in my mouth, and the muz
zle of pistol placed against my head
Another man was treating my wife in a
similar manner. They had dark-lanterr
and wore masks.
After securing US they began to search
the room. First my clothes, then the
bureau drawers, under the bed-every,
where but where the money was, be.
gan to think had outwitted them, when
one said to the other, ''How's that stoveP'
Another minute and they were pulling out
the money.
" Imagine my feelings il you can. Even
IL they left with this amount it was nc
small sum to lose. / could almost have
cried then and there. One ran over the
amount and said to the other, "Only hall
here" My heart grew colder than before.
They went to the easy chair and cut open