Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-05-03
"A BANK IN A hole"

DROvERS' DEFRAUDED BY AN OLD EMPLOYE.
What was that? The Drovers' Bank
dcfrauded? Why. he used to be CASH
Ter at the Drovers' Bank. What long
time it seemed since he had stood at
the cashiers desk. and yet it was only
yesterday. He would read the article
anyway. He didn't care now about
Mr.. Knicker's no:e. Beth's message
had inflicted so much deeper sting
that he had almost forgotten the note,
but he would read the article, and he
thought he should feel pleased to learn
that Knicker had been cheated.
This morning, when P. V. Knick-
err. the president of the Drovers' Bank.
reached the Office, he found a note
telling him that his cashier, John
Jones, was ill, and would be unable to
be at his desk to-day. Mr.. Knicker is
Il very careful man in business mat
tiers, and he decided to take the duties
of cashier upon himself until Mr..
Jones was in a condition to relieve
him. He, accordingly, unlocked the
vaults and prepared for work. Soon
Adam. Meale & johnson presented a
check for large amount, and, by re-
ferring to the record of yesterdays
business. MIR. Knicker found that a
package of ten one thousand-do.lar
bills had been deposited He imme-
diately decided to use one of those
bills in cashing the check. and. going
to the vault removed the package
supposed to contain them. In count
ing the money, he found nine one
thousand-dollar bills and one hum
dred-dollar bill. On Investigation. it
transpired that the last person who
had handled the bills was John Jones,
the cashier. Before passing into the
hands of the cashier, the bills had,
however, been handled by tour sub
ordinates, who reported that there
were ten of the one thousand dollar
notes in the packet when they saw it.
1t then went to Mr.. Jones. and one of
the clerks happened to be standing
near by when Jones took it. The
clerk noticed particularly that Mr..
Jones seemed to find it all right. hut
that instead of piIning the little slip
of paper with the amount marked on
it, which it is customary to place
around packages Of money, he with
drew one of the bills and laid the
others loose on his desk. The clerk
was then called to some other part of
the room and can give no fruther in
formation. Other evidence conclus-
lively shows that Notwithstanding Mr..
Jones' previous integrity. he has
yielded to temptation and gone the
way of many others. 1t is mentioned
incidentally, that that very morning
Mr.. Jones had said he was in great
need of 5000. the exact amount ex-
tracted from the package. Mr.. knick-
er. in consideration of Jones' former
uprightness and strict discharge of
duty. will not prosecute.
John read this once, twice. three
times. He only uttered two words:
my God"
Falling back in his chair with wide
open eyes he sat staring at the wall
The clock licked away on the mantel
shelf. the fire grew lower and almost
died. the lamp sput:ered and smoked.
but still John Jones sat back in his
chair. staring. staring at the wall
Finally it gradually became light and
the noise of traffic began in the street.
John moved uneasilY. looked around
the room and got up His head. he
thought. was aching somewhat harder
than on the night before. and he
bathed it There was spot on his
cuff and he put on fresh pair. Yes,
he was sure his head was aching
harder. What was that noise? Why.
of course. some one was knocking ct
his door. He would open it and see
who il was-a messenger boy. He
took the message. opened it and forgot
to read it He was standing still and