The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-06-05

when they were getting into the train. It
/ Immediately occurred to him, from their
general get up" and appearance, that
they must be bent on some mischief,
though, at the time, he had not any par
ticular idea Of their having any design on
me. However, partly to keep me
safe, but chiefly to follow them, he got
into my compartment and took his seat
Nothing particular happened during the
run to Stafford. When the train arrived
there the party in the next compartment
got out, and Sergeant Sharp got out also
lie had no conjunction in leaving me,
as the box and | were, apparently, quite
safe, though | was asleep, and as the
guard was evidently looking after US.
While they were getting into a cab, on
leaving the station, he had the whole
were conveyed to the police station,
where eI5.0OO in bank of England
notes, issued only the day before, and
$1,000 in gold were found about
them. The sergeant and the police
authorities in Stafford at once guessed
that, in some way or other, this money
must probably have been distracted from
the box which was in my possession,
though 1t was not until some hours after
ward that they discovered how the rob-
berry had been committed. Accordingly,
they telegraphed to Mr.. Church, who,
when he received the advice / gave him
from the London manager, informed them
OF the numbers OF the notes. and thus had
the money sent on to Marlborough, where
IT arrived at a few minutes before s
o'clock.
When the train from Euston arrived at
Its terminus, the carriage in which
travelled was thoroughly examined, and it
was only then that the mystery was ex-
planned of how the money was abstracted
from the stronghold, and the rags and
weights and paper substituted for it. Un-
der the seats and immedi ately where the
box was placed, piece had been cut out
OF the partition which divided the COM
partments. II appeared, from the evi-
dence Of the informer, that the operation
OF cutting the partition was carried on
between Euston and Rugby. at
Rugby, Hill signaled that I was snloK-
ing the drugged cigar; when sufficient
time for it to take effect had
elapsed, the part Of the partition which
bad been sawn away was removed;
through the aperture thus made the box
was drawn into the next compartment,
AiA4DLs StunCd Will rays du0 MEAEulcs anu
then restored to its place. The noise OF
the train prevented Sergt. Sharp from
hearing what was being done. Alter this
the piece OF wood, which had been cut
with wonderful evenness from the parti-
ton, was replaced and secured with clasps.
The instrument used in cutting through
the partition is one that is known
as the watCh-saw;" that is 10
say, a saw which is made out
OF finely tempered piece of wire, such as
the handspring of a watch. Such an in
strument cuts noiselessly and quickly, and
passes through iron almost as easily a.
through wood. The chief danger the
thieves had to fear was, that if | were
awake, might feel with my heels when
the box was taken from under the seat.
For this reason the first cigar which Hill
offered me was not drugged. as the rob-
bers did not want me to be insensible un-
til the box was brought into their COM
partment during the two hours run from
Rugby 10 Stafford.
need hardly add that the gold and
notes which were taken out of the box
in the bank had been put into it again
that morning by Mr.. Church as joke.
why did you not get into my COM
partment at Euston when you saw me in
Jne company OF Sucn man as I1lli i
asked Sergt. Sharp.
Because" he replied. ~ know Hills
character quite well. knew that he was
safe not 10 attempt any act of violence,
and l wanted TO find out what his little
game was. The only way to do that was
to try to watch him unobserved, which ]
could not do If got into your compart-
ment, as he'd have been suspicious, and
very II kelly he knew mo
I'm other words" / said, ''you were
afraid you might have missed a case if j
were properly protected or even warned"
'Well, perhaps there's something in
that" he answered good-humoredly. "No
doubt prevention is often better than cure;
and I've had a narrow shave of being able
to cure this time"
On nv return to London 1 was, OF
course, ''chaffed" good deal by my con-
freres in the Lombard-st. bank, where,
however, l now occupy a very responsible
post. Shortly after Mr.. Hill and his asSo-
ciates had been provided for some years
with board and lodging at their countrys
expense, | was united to the young lady
whom l visited before l started on my
eventful journey to Marlborough; since
which time my calculations as to what il
would cost to keep house have become
much clearer than they were in the train.
| have only to add that the bank authori-
ties have the highest confidence in me,
but that, somehow or other, they have
never since employed me to take gold or
notes to the provinces.