Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-06-26

watch over everything until he should
come back, and hurried away.
He presently returned with two OF
the banks directors whom he took into
the vault, pointed out the suspicious
appearance, and explained his theory OF
the cause
The bank building stood on the
southeast corner of the intersection of
two principle streets. AT the rear was
an alley, and across that a large brick
building. On the east side, touching
the bank, was frame structure occu-
pied by a clothing firm Beyond, with
a three foot passage intervening, stood
an adobe house. The passage way ran
through from street to alley.
In the building across the alley there
was no opportunity, Mr.. Axtell thought,
! for working a tunnel; therefore lie con-
cluded the attack would be from the
east. The members of the firm next
door were old citizens, and not to be
suspected. OF the adobe house he knew
I nothing. This, then, was the first point
| for examination.
Mr.. AXtell put a revolver in his
] pocket, and going out the back door of
our building walked up the alley 10 the
adobe house, and entered rickety door,
which he found unlocked Here he
I AlSCONtItu Il AOOAAs CNA-
! IDENTIFY long occupied. But on the hoor
were tracks of muddy boots
/ Upon examination he found that the
| flooring in the corner of the room was
cut through, and a trap door had been
placed there. At one side of the door
an iron staple was driven, apparently
serving as handle for lifting it. He
raised the trap cautiously, and saw a
barrel set into the ground pointing in
tthe direction of the bank. Then he
lowered the trap carefully, and as care
fully left the builGing.
I There was no longer any DOUBT. The
tunnel was there, and the robbers might
be ready to make their final movement
on the bank that very night. II was
Scarcely probable that they worked III
the tunnel during the day, at least, now
that they had got so near the vault.
At night no one would be in the bank,
and they could work without fear OF
being heard.
| AS it was probable that a watch was
kept over our movements, our prepara-
itions for the capture of the burglars
were deferred until after dark. During
the afternoon we worked at our desks
as usual, and left the building for our
homes at the usual time, having re-
port again at s O'Clock. We were TO
come up the alley, which was always
very dark, and quietly enter the rear
room OF the bank.
Meanwhile the president had seen the
sheriff, who was to come to the bank
with four deputies at O'Clock.
When | cautiously stepped through
the back door into the building little
before s, | found these men already
there. The other clerks came III
promptly.
Two men were sent to a room IN the
second story of building across the
street, where they could watch tile
ss.Aobe. Il they saw any one enter the
;assage way, they were TO notify us 10y
drawing a match across the window anC
Immediately blowing il out. Each oI
the clerks, beginning with the book
keeper, was to be stationed for certain
/ time near the vault door, to listen foI
: sounds from the tunnel, and to watcl
for the signal across the way. The resI
of the party were to remain In the bach
room, ready to respond TO any call.
- Thus the night was commenced. III,
: time dragged along slowly enough. W.
could only sit in silence. No sound haC
: reached US from the tunnel, and nC
e communication had been made to u
; 10y the clerks i'll the banking room, III
{ 10 IL O'Clock. At that hour anothe
= man was to relieve the first watcher
A and the exchange was silently made
= The bOokkeeper had heard nothing
5 below, and had seen no signal from TIL
opposite eide of the street.
e Again the time dragged. Nothing
l unusual was reported by the watcher
: One O'Clock came, and it was now m
: turn to relieve HIM. L took my plac
e under the counter After brief con
V sultatiOn by Mr.. AXtell and the sheriff
a il was decided it was probable the rot
e bers were at work in the tunnel, ami !
: they were they would leave it at a
e early hour The sheriff and two of hl
e deputies took their stations outside
e two of them going into the alley, an
!, the other into the street in front, thu
5 guarding both ends.
At about two O'Clock l heard di:
1 tinct noise from under the floor ned
h the vault door. 1t was a steady suS
!. cession of strokes, as i'll digging, mil
Y gled with a slight sound of tool:
!. Presently came noise as though som
), heavy body was being lifted or forced
crept to the front of the vault, an
a could catch the sounds very distinctly
1, They seemed To come from inside II
" robbers were either In the vault, {
!e Just about TO enterl
d Now was the time TO act. The otht
At end of the tunnel was guarded, and ;
J. this end, of course, there was no poss
Is bilIty of escape. l stepped back two
IS three PAGES, drew my revolver, an
IN fired three shots in quick succeSsiC
Ia through the floor at the point at whlc
AZ | judged the tunnel must terminate.
o. There was only a slight chance
ID hitting any one in the tunnel, but u
q. robbers in their fright would undoub
A I t,dly rush for the other end, TO I'll
themselves confronted by the sheri
TO and his assistants. As those in the re
al room were hurrying forward, CALI
ii 10 them TO run TO the a lobe
le We found the sheriff and his deputl
w on the alert, as they had heard Il
er firing and waiting developments. Il
e. men who had been stationed across q
an way quickly came over. / explains
ld rs briefly as possible what had occure
| and, reyolyers in hand, We surround
al the adobe.
as After waiting some minutes we l
came impatient, and the sheriff det'
,n mined 10 enter. Dark lanterns we
h. procured, and the sheriff directed US
IL fol ow him closely
We crowded into the passage wa
ed the sheriff at the head When the dc
iSe was reached, he flung it open witho
at moments hesitation, threw up
right hand with cooked revolver VIA
ell two deputies Immediately behind hi
a reached forward with dark lanterl
Use aud flashed the light throughout
by room. There was an instant OF intel
lie suspense. Then the sheriff said quiet
TO ! There's not a soul inside
We All hurried into the room. The Il
door was down. There was no oil
ssi- door, window or opening OF our h
The / nv which an e5paDe might have De