Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1886-02-26
THE oREEN-LooklNa cAsllEEr
An Ex-Csnv;ct Tells How He was SPOTTED;
Captured and Sentenced.


IN. Y. sun.1
"It ain't no use in saying that haven't
been Q crooked man in my time" he re-.
marked ss he leaned back against the door
and pulled his hat down. You all know
that Pm just out of the Ohio Penitentiary
after serving ten long years for trying to
work bank, and it's no use in me deny.
ing it. Howsomever, there was more ID
that case than the papers ever got hold Of,
and it will be no harm to yarn it of.
"To begin with, was knocking around
Cincinnati; hard up and discouraged,
when an old pal of mine comes along one
day with d soft snap. He had
struck something to gladden. our hearts:
In q village about fifty miles away
was bank. That wasn't so very curious
as you may think, but it was a new bank,
and the officials were a set of greenhorns.
The President was an old farmer, the
bookkeeper former miller, and the CASH
ier-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 il any one came in be.
tween twelve and half past one, and the
two of us could do that cashier 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 layoat I ever
came across. As you entered the bank
there was an inclosed space to the right.
with a gate to enter. This was the Presi-
dent and bookkeeper's quarters, whils
further 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 stool at least twelve feet
from him against the other wall, with all
the doors wide open.
"Why, when l came to enter that hank
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 q draft on New York than about the
complexion of the man in the moon, and
after l had detained him at the window
fully ten minutes on one Pretext and an
other, just to sac if it coald be done, we
went out feeling that we had the Doodle In
that safe dead TO rights.
"The time appointed was the next day
noon, and when we had seen the President
and the bookkeeper out OF the way my pal
entered and walked to the pay window
and got bill changed, and then began to
dicker about draft. entered the bank
on tip-toe soon after him. The gate was
open, as also the door of the safe, and the
cashier, with his back to me, was feeding
himself as he talked. Why, sirs, it makes
my mouth water to think OF what glorious
opportunity was before me! had on rub
bers, 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 ZIng himself
upon me. 1 went down with a crash, ami
the dog held me there; but while it was
happening heard the click! click! of a
revolver, and the greenhorn OF cashier
/ coolly saying to my pal
"'I'm on to you, my friend! II you
move hand or foot III let daylight
through you. Tiger, hold that fellow
fastv
"His left hand slid down to button, and
the next moment bell outside was ring
ing fire alarm and collecting a crowd oi
people. They came rushing into the bank
by the dozen, and, of course, our cake was
done for. / got ten years for that little
operation, and my pal took seven for hi;
share. 1t turned out that the bank was
guarded in all sorts of ways, including
dogs and spring guns, and that the seem
ing greenhorn of a cashier had been i'm
ported from a Philadelphia bank. III,
had spotted US at first sight, and had giver
US rope to hang ourselves"