Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-06-10
The Bankers Suicide
OR, IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOOSE.

Wdo 1diSO OnouSu w omH q uonAAh6
house which did thriving business.
The President of the institution, who
also filled the position of cashier, was
Jasper Trentham, white haired old
man, who was we'll up in the seventies,
but still possessed of much physical and
mental strength.
His family consisted of a rather beau
tiful daughter named Amy. She did
the honors of the bankers house.
Those who pretended to be well in
formed said that good deal of love was
being wasted between Amy and young
Mr.. Walters, the corporations teller.
AT the same time others declared that
the teller had been supplanted in the
girls graces by Jerome Mcdonald, a
dark faced, ex-army officer. who had
lately taken up his residence in the
place. This latter parsonage had serv-
ed with some distinction in the late CIV
il war between the States, and was re-
ported to be worth considerable.
He seemed to WOO Amy Trentham
boldly and in the face of the gossips,
and there were not few who openly
said that she had best capture the Ma
jor while the opportunity remained.
But Amy appeared to know what was
best, for she suddenly broke off with
Mcdonald, and. much to his chagrin,
smiled upon the teller.
About this time new patent chro-
nometer lock was attached to the safe in
the vault of the bank, and was proving
nine-days' wonder to Liberty. Such
precaution had been deemed necessary
by the robbery of banks in neighboring
towns, and, as that of Liberty contained
a great deal of money, many depositor:
did not feel safe.
But the new lock brought security tt
their thoughts, and all fears of bank
breakers were abolished.
1t was quite late, one cold night
when Amy Trentham had occasion tt
enter her fathers sleeping room. She en-
tered on tip-toe, believing that he slept
and proceeded to complete her errand.
But all at once she stopped, and tn,
next moment wild and despairine
shrek welled from her throat. A horric
sight had encountered her gaze.
In the strip of moonlight, on the Zoo
near the desk, lay the body of man
and the CHASTITY face visible in the ligh
instantly proclaimed his identity.
The girl swooned upon the inanimat
form, and the frightened servants, VIII
had heard her cry, found her senseles
there
The banker was dead, and the knit
wound in the breast told the story o
assassination.
J Liberty was startled to its utmos
suburb by the fearful crime, and, dc
spite the bowling winds of winter an
the cold snow drifts, an excited crow
. assembled before the house eager t
catch at every report.
Amy was unable to give any informa
: tion concerning the death of her fathe
that night owing to her critical nervous
ness, but on the following morning sh
made statement, which, coupled wit
} the reports already in circulation, caus
e ed the arrest of the teller. The youn
man was charged with taking the life {
the bank President.
> There seemed to be evidence again.
him sufficient to warrant his arrest, an
n it amounted to this:
9 For several months prior to the mul
der, the banker and his teller had M
v been sociable, and report was curre1
that the removal of the latter was M
: among the improbable things. The tel
!, er had been the last man seen with ia
per Trentham, and Amy said that |
t had accompanied her father to his be-
room a few hours prior to her discover
= = of his dead body, and she furthermol
3 said that the teller had left the hou
alone, while her parent had remained
e the chamber. Added to this was ii
e testimony of no less person than Ma
+ Mcdonald, who deposed to having see
J J the teller emerge from the President
: residence in an excited manner, and tn
he had heard him say, cit is all ovel
If we've settled accounts at last !"
d The coils were tightly drawn arour
the young man, and he found publ
$ sentiment decidedly against him. 1t W
n with great difficulty that the mob spir
was kept in allegiance at his prelimina
r. examination, and an excited crowd fc
J. lowed him to the very doors of the jail
= By the accused the murder was sire
I uously denied. He said that on the f
es tai night he had been summoned to t
Presidents house by that person hir
( self, and that an adjustment of their d
- ferences had there taken place. He d
= MED that he quilted the house in an e
ne cited manner, and said that, if t
tie words quoted by his rival, McDona
be had fallen from his lips, they REFER
u to the happy reconciliation between I
banker and himself.
&c The majority of the people of Iiber