Wichita eagle., 1889-08-11
A BANK R0BBER.

About four years ago, while was paying
teller of the State National bank, in -four
fishing town in the west, the events | am
about TO relate occurred The story is almost
exactly true being changed here only in I'M
important details. A partial account Of the
affair was published in local paper, and
some of my readers may have seen it.
When left Ohio Grated up my bicycle,
and sent it along by express. 1t arrived in
perfect order, and when the roads were in good
condition | took many pleasant spin after
banking hours
One summer morning, after delightful
after breakfast run in the bracing noun
tain air, rode up to the bank, and having
cleaned and oiled my bicycle, stored it in one
of the rooms at the rear Of the banking Office.
Then l went leisurely about my work. The
first thing to do was to open the vault, sub
stantial structure Of masonry with iron doors
md bracings, and floor of square blocks of
stone
The vault was rot made specially strong
against burglars, for the cash was kept in the
safe within. The vault was intended only to
protect the books and records from fire. Any
mere bungler of a crackslnan could have got
into it In an hour or two. The safe, however,
wasas nearly burglar proof as the best steel
and latest improved locks could make it.
The vault had two doors, an inner and an
outer which were fastened by combination
locks. Between the two doors was a stone
floor, like that inside Of the vault
swung the outer door open without diff
Guilty but when pulled the inner door, to
my surprise it scraped on the stone floor, and
considerable force was required TO pull it
over the obstruction, and swing it fully open.
What was the cause Of this obstruction?
Had the hinges of the door been worn so as to
Jet it down? Had faulty construction in the
floor allowed one of the stones to slip gradually
out of place and interfere with the doorl Had
the building been settling and the vault floors
thrown out of levell Grand my heart beat
faster at the thought-had some one been
tampering with the hinges.
In any case there was need Of thorough
investigation, but what was to be done? The
cashier was out Of town; and the president
had told me the night before that he would
leave on the mornings train for Enterprise,
TO settle up disputed balance with our cor
respondent there. The absence OF both Off
GERS left me in first authority.
But before decided what to do, the safe
must be examined TO see If it had been tam
pered with. 1 hurriedly entered the vault,
and scanned the exterior of the safe. No
marks Of violence appeared. The door was
protected by a time lock, and by three COM
bination locks TO hold the bolts after the time
locks had released them. The clocks had
been set for o'clock, and were now run
down. The tumblers of the combinations
clicked in quick time as l hurriedly whirled
the knobs Bills, gold and silver lay undis-
turbed, just as l had left them the evening
before.
Now what was to be done! did not like to
resume responsibilities which properly be-
longed to some one else. And here was a
problem which possibly concerned the very
life of the bank. Unless l was forced by cir
cumstances, the solving of it was not for me.
gave myself three minutes for a decision.
The cashier was out of reach, and the presi-
dent was now on his way to the station. If l
could reach the station before the train
left, / could bring him back. The train was
due at SIS, and the clock now marked $50.
The station was about four miles from the
town When the railroad was built it was
found necessary to run down the valley; and
SO the town which lay back on the tableland
was left that distance to the west. It would
be impossible to get horse and buggy, and
get to the station in the time allotted My
bicycleI l could try il, there was chance
of success.
The two other clerks had come into the
bank, and were at work at their desks. got
out the cash needed at the counter, remarked
quietly TO the clerks that WIS going out for
a few minutes, and told the receiving teller
to attend TO my window meantime Then l
slipped on my riding shoes, ran my machine
out of the rear door and mounted The road
was good, and was nerved to great exer-
ton; and although it required twenty min
ntes Of as hard work as ever did, succeeded
The dark roof of the low station building
came in sight, just as up the valley saw the
smoke of the approaching train. | was not
too late. ! whisked up to the station and
hurried to Mr.. Axtell, the president, who,
yalise in hand, was looking up the track at
the train.
/ related to him all there was to tell in a
very few words He asked ME a few ques-
tons, and then said: "Of course | will go
back to town You return by your bicycle,
and l will follow by the stage. Go to the
bank and attend to business as usual When
get in we viii decide what to do"
/ made my return trip with all possible
speed, and took my place at the teller win
dow. For twenty minutes business quietly
proceeded.
Mr.. Axtell came leiSurely into the bank
soon after. He went into the vault, examined
the floor, and he ran his hand along the
cracks between the stones. 4 moments in
spection satisfied him. He came out and told
me thai he was convinced some one was tun-
neling under the vault. He asked me to in
form the clerks, and to keep a close watch
over everything until he should come back,
and hurried away.
De 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 principal
streets. AT the rear was an alley, and across
that large brick building. On the east side,
touching the bank, was q frame structure
occupied by clothing firm Beyond, with
a three foot passage intervening, stood ar
adobe house. The passage way ran through
from street 10 alley.
In the building across the alley there was nc
opportunity, Mr.. Axtel thought, for work
ing tunnel, therefore he concluded the at
tack would DO from the east. The members
of the firm next door were old citizens, and
not TO be suspected. OF the adobe house he
knew nothing. This, then, was the frs;
point for examination.
Mr.. Axtsu put q revolver in his pocket,
and going cut the back door OF our build
iny walked up the alley 10 the adobe house.
and entered q riclotv door. which he found
unlocked Here ne dIScovereG a pare, empty
room. evidently long uaoccupied- But on the
floor were tracks of muddy boots.