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


quickly lifting 1t, threw the rays of a |
dark lantern down the hole. As far as /
the light reached, nothing could be seen |
but the black walls of the tunnel. Then |
the sheriff leaned forward and shouted |
down.
Come up one at a time and surren' |
der. and we won't hurt you'll!
There was no answer, we waited a |
little, and then shouted again as before,
adding. not altogether politely, This is
the last chance you'll get. Don't make
fools of yourselves,'
The echo of his voice was the only
response. In silence we waited about
the tunnels mouth. but heard not the
slightest indication that any one was
inside The sheriff threw down the
door with angry impatience. What
next? How were we to capture them?
Should we have to starve them out, or
smoke them out?
We divided ourselves into watches,
two men were to stand guard for one
hour, while the others retired TO the
bank to snatch little sleep, if possible.
In the meantime several policemen,
having heard the firing, had come TO
the vicinity of the adobe. One of them
stationed himself in the passage, and
two more took their stands in the street
and alley ready TO spread the alarm II
an escape was attempted. Before leay-
ing the watch to their duty we fastened
the trap door down securely.
From this time until $50 III the
morning nothing occurred. The
watchers were regularly relieved, and
none of them had reported any signs of
life in the tunnel. But AS the banks
business must go on without Interrupt
tion, 1t was necessary to open the vault.
There was less chance of the robbers
trying to escape that way than by the
other end of the tunnel. When listen
ing to them working l hardly supposed
that they had got into the vault. Be
sides, it was now broad day, the streets
were full of people, and the bold cracks
man must know that we would be pre-
pared for them.
Half a dozen men gathered about
the vault door, fully armed and ready
for any emergency. As | was the one
most familiar with the combinations
Oh the vault doors, it was my duty to
unlock them. l did not relish the posi-
tion of first target for a bullet from the
inside, but mustered up my courage,
said nothing, and went to work. The
outer door | drew open without hesita-
ton, the inner door was the one TO be
| feared.
When the bolts of the inner door had
| been thrown back l found that it
scarcely could be moved, as the stone
under IL was raised more than before.
At length three of the strongest i'll the
| party managed To force 1t open, and
the inside of the vault could be seen.
! No one was there. But the floor showed
a startling condition of affairs.
| 4 "a laroa S4npa i'm front of tlp safe
was raised up at one side nearly two
feet. 1t was supported by jack screws
which had been used to force it up. In
ten minutes more the robbers, if unin-
4 terrupted, would have been in the
vault Unfortunately for them In their
| workings of the previous night they
had accidently displaced the stone that
ran under the inner door, or their plot
might not have been discovered till too
late to arrest it.
After a few minutes of surmiSe and
| speculation, Mr.. AXtell stepped up TO
the hole and shouted down the same
proposition the sheriff had made at the
other end. There was no response
whatever lie then directed me to
open the safe and proceed with the
business of the day as usual. Two men
were left on guard III the vault, and the
All who knew of the situation were
cautioned TO keep it to themselves, and
very few of our customers that morn
ing knew what was going Oh under
their feet.
At about 10. 80 one of the men in the
rear room came to the door and called
in Mr. AXtell. There he heard as bold
proposition as man ever made. One
. of the guards had volunteered to GO
down into the tunnel He was deputy
sheriff, Mexican named Jose Charez
who, becoming impatient that the rob
bers did not show themselves, deter
mined to stir them up in their Owl
quarters.
lie was a daring, reckless fellow
/ accustomed all his life TO deeds Of vlO
J lence. lie lived on excitement, and
WAS ever restless when not on the trai
of some horse thief or murderer. lie
r knew the risk of going into the tunnel,
o. but said he had as good chance as the
rJbbers-aS a matter OF fact, in sucl
an encounter every advantage was OF
: their side-and that was all he wanted
The rest of the men, brave though they
were, shrugged their shoulders, and de
clned underground warfare.
e ChareZ was to enter the tunnel
r through the barrel. After locking tht
vault doors again. those of US who coulC
r leave work went to the adobe house
[ The guards there had nothing TO re
: port. We took the fastenIngs off tn
T trap door and lifted it. The Mexican
I threw the light of lantern down tn
n hole, remarked that no one was TO b
h seen, made ready his revolver, an
quickly dropped through into the dark
f ness.
E All of US trembled with excitement
: and listened with painful intensity
4 Before we were aware what was taking
n place we saw the Mexican reappea
r suddenly at the mouth of the hole, an
d heard four shots ring out In quick sue
cession. Then the Mexican bounde
IS up through the smoke, and pointin
v wildly TO tie floor near the hole
Ie shouted: Il shot one of 'em unde
Ie tuerel'
d We waited for nothing further, bu
!. hurriedly pulled up the boards aroun
.i the hole. The floor stood some dlstanC
above the ground, and IN tins spaC
p WAS the body of a man lying motion
r less. We lifted him out, and laid hlI
re carefully on the floor. He was alread
10 dead.
Those of US who were unaccustome
v TO death IN so frightful form were ei
1r tirely unnerved by this sight; but Il
at sheriff aud his men did not forget eve
is at such a time the business of the hou
lie and quickly searched under the flo,
III for other robbers. Finding no signs
:. more of them, they came up 10 lie
he the Mexican's story.
sc He said that he had taken a few stel
y. forward INTO the tunnel, when the ho
began TO grow smaller and smaller
ap that to proceed he would have be'
er compelled to go on hands and knee
nd Not bargaining for this style OF atta'
EN- lie retreated, and was about to- elm