Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-02-27
Another Cashier Gone.

ed that that useful officer was missing
81 believe, sir" said the clerk adj
dressed, that he left last night on a
little vacation"
"Mid-winter is rather curious time
to take vacation in" growled old
Armstock. where's he gone to-"
81 don't know, sir. / think he went
to Milwaukee. His folks live there.
The director said no more. He and
the cashier had never been the best OF
friends and it was rumored that on a
certain OCCASION when Armstock was
a trife short the cashier had refused
to accommodate him temporarily un.
less sufficient collateral were put up
or orders brought to him from the
president. Armstock thought it rath'
er hard to be refused by one Of his
own understrappers in his own bank,
or at least in a bank that was partly
his, and he claimed that q cashier
that was so obtrusive honest was sure
to come to bad end. So when Mr..
Armstock found that the cashier had
taken vacation at such an untimely
season he made little investigation
on his own account and the next day
sought an interview with Mr.. Vindex
the bank president.
"Mr. Brown has taken a few days
off, l understand ?"
"Yes. He was somewhat run down
and he asked for couple of weeks
and got it. Business is very slack
just now, Mr.. Armstock."
at didn't strike you as a little un-
usual that he should ask for leave of
absence in the depth Of winter, did
t?"
81 can't say it did,"
EDO you know where he has gomez"
81 did not ask him where he was
going. | think he went to Milwaukee,
not sure though. Did you want him?'
81 hope we shall not all want him.
Would you be surprised to know that
he bought a ticket for Montreal and
that he is undoubtedly member of
the great American colony there at
this moment"
Montreal ?" exclaimed the presi-
dent, looking trife taken aback, for
he had every confidence in Mr.. Brown.
Eyes, Montreal. Doesn't the name
strike you as a trifle ominous There
are quite number of financial operat-
ors in that city"
The president sat few minutes in
silence. Then he said:
"Did you wish to make any propo-
sition, Mr.. Armstock ?"
"Yes. | wish to know how the
books stand. think a meeting of
the directors should be called at once" "
Very well. Supposing we act on
your first proposition. think you will
then find that we need not act on the
second. l might say that it is advis-
able not to say word about this to
anybody until we are certain that
there is something to say"
at seems to me that the directors
ought to know without delay what has
happened"
"Well, what has happened? What
have you to lay before them? That
Brown is in Montreal, that's all. |
have every confidence in Brown, but
still see that perhaps it is better to
have q look at the books. But until
something more defnate is known |
must insist that nothing that might
jeopardize his reputation be said"
~
The expert speedily made his report.
Everything was all right if they knew
where bundle of government bonds
were. This bundle amounted to $780,
600.
DO you know anything of these
bonds 2" asked Mr.. Armstock.
"They are in the cashiers private
drawer in the safe" replied the presi-
dent.
"Have you key ?"
"No, ! have not"
"Then l propose that the drawer be
burst open. If the bonds are there l
will pay for setting the drawer right
again"
The drawer was burst open.
IL Was empty
There was rather a serious meeting
of the directors that afternoon, and it
was agreed that if possible all public
ity should be avoided and that the
president and Mr.. Armstock should
proceed at once to Montreal and see if
it was possible to get back any or all
of the bonds.
The rotunda of the Windsor Hotel
in Montreal presented strange sight
to the two gentlemen from Chicago on
the night of their arrival there. Such
a sight could probably be seen in no
other place in the world. Everybody
seemed to be in snow shoe costume,
and some even had on their snow shoes