The Portland daily press., 1886-01-04
NOT so GREEN AS HELooKEo.
A Well Planned Bank Robbery that
;Miscarried.


''It amt no use in saying that haven't
been crooked man in my time" he re-
marked as he leaned back against the door
and pulled his hat down. "You all know
that I'm just out of the Ohio penitentiary
after serving 10long years for trying to work
a bank, ard it's no use in me denying it.
Howsomeyer, there was more in that case
than the papers ever got hold Of and it will
be no harm to yarn it off.
To begin with, Twas knocking around Gin
cinnati, hard up and discouraged, when an
old pal of mine comes along one day with a
soft snap. He had struck something to glad
den our hearts. In village about 80 miles
away was bank That wasn't SO very Gu
rious, you may think, but it was new bank
and the officials were set of greenhorns
The president was an old farmer, the book
keeper former miller and the cashier
well, he was described as just the greenest
specimen ever brought in from the corn
fields
My pal had 'piped the bank until he knew
how everything went When noon came the
president and bookkeeper went to dinner,
leaving the greenhorn alone Indeed, he ate
a cold luncheon at his desk 1t was a
chance if anyone came in between u and
L
up as slick as grease with any of the old
tricks.
Well, in day or two we went up there,
and it worked like the biggest layout ever
came across. AS you entered the bank there
was an enclosed space to the right, with a
gate to enter. This was the president and
bookkeeper's quarters, while farther along,
on the same side, was the cashiers place. but
not divided from the other by any railing.
When the cashier was at the pay window his
back was toward the other space, and also to
the big safe. The latter stood at least 12
feet from him, against the outer wall, with
all the doors wide open.
Why, when | came to enter that bank and
see how easy it was to sneak that safe,
was laid out with astonishment And then
the greenneSs OF that cashier! Why, gents,
he didn't seem to know. no more about
draft on New York than about the complex
ion of the man in the moon, and after / had
detained him at the window fully 10 minutes
on one preteXt and another, just to see If it
could be done, we went out feeling that we
had the Doodle in that safe dead to rights.
The time appointed was next day noon,
and when we had seen the president and
book-keeper out of the way. my pal entered,
walked to the pay window and got bill
changed, and then began to dIcker about a
draft. | entered the bank on tiptoe soon af-
ter him. The gate was open, as also the doors
of the safe, and the cashier, with his back to
me, was feeding himself as he talked. Why
slrS, 1t makes my mouth water to think of
what glorious opportunity was before me !!
| had on rubbers, and slipped half way to
the safe as softly as the serpent creeps. Then
there was a growl and a rush, and dog
about the size of yearling steer flung him
self upon me. went down with crash,
and the dog held me there, but while it was
happening | heard the click clickl of re-
volyer and the greenhorn of a cashier coolly
saying to my pal:
''I'm on to you, my friend! If you move
Tiger, hold that fellow fastl'
His left hand slid down to button, and
next moment a bell outside was ringing a
fire alarm and collecting crowd of people
They came rushing into the bank by the doz-
en-, and, of course, our cake was done for. l
got 10 years for that little operation, and my
pal took seven for his share. 1t turned out
that the bank was guarded in all sorts of
ways, including dogs and spring guns, and
that the seeming greenhorn of a cashier had
been imported from Philadelphia bank
He had spotted us at first sight, and had Civ
en- us rope to hang ourselves"