The Opelousas courier., 1886-03-06
NOT so VERY GREEN.
A Thief's Account Of How He
Tried to Rob a Bank.
Expecting an Easy Time Because the New
Cashier Looked Verdant

at amt no use in saying that I haven't
been a 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 peni-
t~entiary after serving ten long years for
trying to work a bank, and it's no use in
me denying it. Howsomever, there was
more in that case than the papers e got
hold of, and it will do no harm to ,7arn it
off.
"To begin with, Twas knocking around
Cincinnati, hard up and discouraged,
when an old pal of mine comes along one
day with a soft snap. He had struck
something tGi gladden. our hearts. In a
village about fifty miles away was a 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 book
keeper a former miller, and the cashier
well, he was described as just the green
est specimen ever brought in from the
corn fields.
'My pal had 'piped' the bank until he
knew how everything went. When DON
came the President and bookkeeper went
to dinner, leaving the greenhorn alone.
Indeed, he ate a cold luncheon at his
desk. 1t was q chance if any one came
in between - and 80, and the two of us
could do that cashier up as slick as grease
with any of the old tricks.
well, in a day or two we went up
there and it worked like the biggest lay
out I 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 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 stood at
least twelve 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 I was laid out with astonishment.
And then the greenness of that cashier!
Why, gents, he didn't seem to know nc
more about a 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 n pre-
text 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 VIC had seen the Presi-
dent and ~bookkeeper out OF the way my
pal entered and walked to the pay win
dow and got a bill changed, and then be-
gan to dickcr about a draft. | entered
the bank on tip-toe Don after 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, sirs, it makes my mouth water to
think of what a glorious opportunity was
before me! l had ON rubbers and / slip
ped half way to the safe as softly as the
serpent creeps. Then there was a growl
and a rush, and a dog about the size of a
yearling steer flung himself upon me. I
went down with a crash, and the dog
held me there, but while it was happen
ing l heard the click! click! of q revolver
and the greenhorn of a cashier coolly say
ing to my pal:
I'm on to you, my friend! IF you
move hind or foot I'll let daylight
through you! Tiger, hold that fellow
fast!'
ellis left hand slid down to a button,
and next moment a bell outside was ring
ing a fire-alarm and collecting a crowd of
people. They came rushing into the
bank by the dozen, and, of course, our
cake was done for. I got ten years for
that little operation, and my pal took
seven for his share. It 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 a Philadelphia bank.
He had spotted us at first sight, and had
given u rope to hang ourselves ."-New
York Sun.