Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-06-15
WHY | WAS SENT TO PRISON.

1t was the invariable custom of th
night-watchman of the Merchants ant
Mechanics Bank at Clio to throw open tn
front doors and raise the curtains at 49,
each morning. By that time all the store
were open and the streets full of people
From 7:S0 to s he swept and busted, ant
the bells had scarcely struck the latter
hour when the bank officials began to ar.
rive. Then the watchmau went home
the doors were closed and at O'Clock tht
bank was ready for business.
One September morning the Cashier
Teller and two ot the clerks arrived tC
find the heavy doors still, closed. Peter
the watchman, had been nine years il
service, and this was the first time he had
oversight his hour. The grocer on one
side and the shoe man on the other had
pounded on the bank doors at q quarter to
eight, and, not receiving any response,
were certain that something out of the
way had occurred. There were nine Of us
who entered the bank as the cashier un-
locked the doors.
The curtains had not vet been raised
when we knew thac robbery and murder
had taken place. When we got the full
light we saw Peter lying on his back on
the floor outside Of the railing. He was
fully dressed and had been struck on the
back of the head: and the blow had
crushed the skull The body was cold.
showing that death had occurred some
hours before.
Further investigatiou showed that the
door of the vault had been drilled and
blown open, and the haat, had been robbed
OF every dollar of lis cash On hand. Taking
the loss Of bonds, stocks and cash, the ag-
gregate was about $4,000. about half Of
which fell upon the bank Burglar tools.
fuse, q flask of powder and other articles
were lying about, and on the desk the
loaded club which had dealt Peter his
death-blow. When we came to Investigate
as to how the robbers had Effected an en-
trance every body was at sea. They could
only have come and gone by the front
door. None Of the windows had been
raised, he back door was heavily barred
and the door leading to the cellar had not
been tampered with
Peter had no key to the lock Of the front
door. He could open it from the inside
but not from the other. The cashier and
book-keeper, both old and trusted men and
stockholders, alone had KEYS. He must,
we concluded, have admitted the robbers
III the bank, but the fact OF his having
been murdered was proof Of his integrity
Had he put up Job with them, they
would not have finished him off. He was
4 sharp, shrewd fellow, and what excuse
they could have urged to gain admission
was beyond our figuring Detectives were
put to work on the case. but not the slight
est clue could they get for weeks. 1t
seems as if the robbers had taken wings as
they left the bank. Three months later
Two men, who were suspected of being
"good fellows were arrested at point 200
miles away, and in another state, for steal
ing a horse and buggy. In following up
this case TO conviction, i was proved that
they had arranged to do a bank in a coun-
Try town, and that the rig had been stolen
as part Of the programme One of the
men was recognized as 4 person seen in our
town about the time of our robbery. and
the bank people became satisfied that both
Of them had a hand in it. They had no
proofs, and the matter would have been
permitted to drop but for me.
,- The loss OF cash was only about Sll 600
About $50 900 in securities belonging to
deposltors, and the balance was the loss of
the bank. None of these securities had
been negotiated thus far, and it was my
theory that the robbers had them securely
hidden away somewhere. While | could
not be positive that either of the men ar
rested for stealing the horse and buggy was
the party wanted for our lob, two of our
Citizens were so positive in identifying one
of them that was ready to chance it. The
bank had offered big reward for the ar
rest of the robbers and murderers, and
after due deliberation with friends I de-
termined on a plan. The men had been
sent to prison for three wears apiece. When
arrested they made a fight and burglars
tools were found in their possession.
visited the prison and found that one
had been assigned to the boot and shoe de-
partment, while the other had gone to the
chair works | walked through this de-
partment and saw him engaged in chair
painting The two were so widely separ-
ated that there was no possibility of a
meeting except in the chapel on a Sunday.
The one in the chair department was the
younger by several wears.
One day, when | had my plans all laid,
which the men had been sentenced, and
asked to look at some watches 4 tray Of
them was set out, and grabbed one valued
at $40 and ran out. | could have got clear
off as well as not, but my object was to be
arrested. On my examination pleaded
guilty and was bound OveR When the
case came to the higher Court a lawyer
was assigned me, and had l worked with
him the jury would have cleared me.
refused to answer any questions, admitted
my guilt, and was regarded by some as
light in the head. The jewelsc did not
desire my conviction, and but for my inn
pudence / should have failed in my pur-
pose A verdict of guilty was finally
reached, and his honor gave me year in
prison, though | believe he was ready to
suspend sentence in case broke down and
promised to reform.
When | arrived at the prison gave my
occupation as chair tinisher, and, to my
great satisfaction, | was assigned to that
work, and soon found myself alongside the
man | was after. He was recorded on the
books as Jordan Hatch, No. 2,lS0. | was
down as Charles Merritt, No. ?, lS5. We
were at least thirty feet apart for the first
three weeks, and | had been there a full
month before We had passed word.
Then, as we were carrying some work to
the stock room, got chance to growl to
him:
81 thought the horse thieves were put
into the slop department
He gave me fierce look and gritted his
teeth, and the next time we passed he
whispered
And | thought the cheap-watch grab
bers were used as kitchen mop
He knew, then, as | suspected, what l
had been sent for. No convict is in prison
a week before his ofIense is pretty generally
known. As we passed again l whispered;
It's good thing sometimes to be laid
by"
His reply to this was:
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