Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-03-31
lHg OREIOVN BANK ROBBERY
FAN The Year Rauad.l

0lnND tai% ono Dhturdhy htkuts "he VIZ
information was obtained lie this wise
frank Jackson, junior clerk who
lodged on the opposite side OF the street
q little distance down, was sitting that
evening at bis window. He fingered
over quiet pipe. listlessly watching the
passers-by, aud dusk crept on unnoticed
by him. he was about 30 draw the blinds
and light the gas when two men passed
on the other side, one OF them pauslng
and looking up toward his window,
while the other went on to the bsnk and
Knocked at the private door. The young
mans curiosity was aroused upon seeing
the one. who remained enter a doorway
as IL fer conccalment 50, standing be-
hind curtain, be watched them.
The duh. gray front OF the bank was
1t by street lamp. and as the man who
knocked Turned round while waiting
jackson recognized Mark Seeley, the
senior cashier. After little delay the
door was opened by the resident porter,
and no and Seeley entered the building.
in minute or two they came out again,
and the porter went toward cross street,
while the cashier stood ut the door, APP
parently awaiting his return. However,
no soOner had the man turned q corner
than Seeley again went IN, and bis COM
panion hurried toward the bank. As the
lamp-light fell upon him Frank recog-
nized another OF the clerks, an intimate
OF Seoley's named Williams They re-.
appeared in two or three minutes. and
Williams, carrying in each hand q small
Gladstone bag. hasteued down by
street, and was out OF sight before the
porter returned. Then. after minute,
the cashier took the same direction.
Jackson was puzzled TO explain these
movements, especially as Williams had a
couple oil days leave and was supposed
70 be far from Oretown. Seeley was
high and well-paid officer. possessing the
entire confidence of his employers.
Frank sometimes thought that conf
dence misplaced. At all events. he had
reason 70 believe that both men specu-
lated in stocks-a practice which the
partners strictly forbade to their staff.
1t was only few days before that one
OF the clerks, glancing through an eve
ming paper, cried: "Hallo ii Do
radios are gone down to nothing the
affair is a complete smash By Jove, l.
know a fellow who had some OF them.
jackson noticed Seeley turn white ; the
hand that held the pen shook, aud he
turned round to speak in a whisper to
Williams. who listened with dazed look
on his face.
Frank felt uneasy. He knew nothing
certain, and it was an unpleasant task TO
mention his suspicious TO his employers
1 1 4 -, do, anil ot
once set OF to seek ar. Ebenezer
Grubb.
Hardly knowing what result TO hope
for, dresding Mr.. Grubb's annoyance on
the one hand, il hrs suspicions were
wrong, and fearing robbery on the other,
Frank accompanied the principal TO the
bank. Mr. Ebeuezer walked straight to
the strong room and opened it with his
private keys. and then, throwing open
the chest in which the cash was kept,
proceeded TO examine It's contents. \
gas jet Just above them threw a bright
light into the recesses Of the safe and
showed the banker some parcels OF bonds,
o small pile OF silver and copper, and
nothing more.
The chief clerk. an old man, who. as
well as the porter, lived on the premises
was by this time ON the spot and held
open a cash book.
"Ihere should be there" he SAID in
m agitated voice, in reply to Mr..
Grubbs question, "thirty-One thousand
=. six hundred and seventeen pounds eight
shillings aud nine pence.
There was no sign of force having been
used, and the chief clerk produced his
KEY, which he averred had not left his
hands since the safe was locked that af-
ternoon, when the money was certainly
there. Mr.. Seeley often borrowed it
during business-hours. With that excep-
ton he never lost sight OF 1t.
The porter returned to ray that Mr..
Seeley was not expected home until
Monday morning, and the man explained
that the cashier called that evening for
something he forgot in his desk, and
sent him on an errand which occupied
perhaps ten minutes
There hardly remained doubt that
the two clerks were the culprits, and Nr.
Grubb o. once placed the matter III the
hands o. the police.
Frank Jackson long lay awake that
night, wondering whether the events of
the past few hours would bring him pro-
motion, and if SO, what effect 1t would
have on certain cherished scheme OF
his.
Six or eight months before hehad met
Mt picnic Mary Grub, the junior part
ners daughter, a fair. winsome little
thing, with dimpled cheeks and eyes
soft as those OF fawn. she had just
returned from school, and before Frank
knew who she was be admired her.
Upon learning that she was MIR. Ebene-
zer's ouly child he was keenly disap-
pointed, for the daughter of the wealthy
banker was, he feared, beyond his reach.
In spite OF this his attentions were not
an end he s1Ored her. She received
his little services with marked favor, he
thought, and even sober reflection could
not prevent him from entertaining hopes
which any one but q lover would have
. considered wild.
Mary often drove down for her father,
and il generally fell to Franks lot to
take message out asking her to wait or
70 call again, which furnished opportuni-
ties for q pressure of the hand and q
few words He was not endowed with
an undue amount of vanity, but he could
not help seeing that on these occasions
her eye frightened and vivid flush
sprang 10 her cheek, and he could not
help thinking that. if his happiness de-
pended on her, il would not be long de-
ferred. But the social gulf between
them kept bis lips sealed. The events
OF the evening would probably bring
him promotion, and he wondered If
they would bring him nearer TO Mary.
His thoughts few from her TO the rob-
berry and back again until sleep deserted
him and his brain grew dizzy.
Suddenly u thought flashed through
his mind, and, in the midst OF the dark
room, on the walls, on the ceiling, there
appeared before him, as in letters OF fire,
remark of Seeley's uttered months be-
fore.