Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1889-07-11
ORETOWN'S BANK ROBBERY.

| Yet love would have IL so.
0RETOWN'S BANK ROBBERY.
The bank has been robbed! Such
was the discovery made by Mr.. Ebcne.
ger Grubb late one Saturday night,
and the information was obtained in
this wise: Frank johnson, n junior
clerk, who lodged on the opposite of
the street. n little distance down, was
sitting that evening at his window.
He fingered over u quiet pipe, list
lessly watching the passers by, and
dusk crept on unnoticed by him. He
was about to draw the blinds and light
the gas, when two men passed on the
other side, one of them pausing and
looking toward his window while the
other went on to the bank and knocked
at the private door. The young man 5
curiosity was aroused upon seeing the
enc who remained enter IL doorway as
if for cOncealment; so, standing be-
hind a curtain, he watched them.
The dull, gray front of the bank was
lit by II street lamp, and as the man
who knocked turned round while wait
ing, jackson recognized Mark Seeley,
the senior cashier. After u little delay
the door was opened by the resident
porter and he and Seelcy entered tho
building In minute or two they
came out again, aud the porter went
toward cross street, while the cashier
stood at the door. apparently awaiting
his return. However, no sooner had
the man turned a corner than Seeley
again went in, and his companion hur-
ried toward the bank. As the lamp
light fell upon him Frank recognized
another of the clerks, an intimate of
Sceley's named Williams. They reap
pcarcd in two or three minutes, and
Williams, carrying in each hand a
small Gladstone bag, FASTENED down a
by-strcot, and was out Of sight before
the porter returned. Then, after u
minute, the cashier took the same di-
rectiOn.
jackson was puzzled to explain these
movements, especially rs Williams had
a couple of days leave, and was sup
posed to be far from Oretown. Sccley
was high and well-paid officer, pos
scssing the entire confidence of his
employers. Frank sometimes thought
that confidence misplaced. At all
events, he had reason to believe that
both men specialized in stock, a prac-
ticc which the partners strictly forbade
TO their staff
1t was only few days before that
one of the clerks, glancing through an
evening paper, cried: Halo! 'El
Dorados' are gone down to nothing;
the affair is Il complete smash! BY
Jovc. | know fellow who had some
of them" jackson noticed Seeley
turn white; the hand that held the pen
shook and he turned round to speak
in whisper to William, who listened
with dr2ed look on his face.
Frank felt uneasy. He knew moth
| ing certain, and it was an unleasant
task to mention his suspicious to his
employers; but he determined to do so,
and at once set of to seek Mr.. Ebenezer
Grubb.
Hardly knowing what result to hope
for, dreading Mr.. Glubb's annoyance
on the one hand, if his suspicious
were wrong, and fearing robbery on
the other hand, Frank accompanied
the principal to the bank. Mr.. Ebe .
Meier 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 its contents. A
gas jet just above them threw bright
! light into the recesses of the safe, and
showed the banker some parcels of
bonds, a small pile of silver and cop
per, and nothing more.
The chief clerk, an old man, who,
as well rs the porter, lived on the
premises, was by this time on the spot,
and held open Il cash book.
There should be there he said,
in an agitated voice in reply to Mr..
Gruhb's questions, "$l3j, 900"
There was no sign of force having
been used, and the chief clerk pro-
duccd his key, which he averred had
not left his hands since the safe was
locked that afternoon, when the money
was certainly there. Mr.. Seeley often
borrowed it during business hours.
| With that exception he never lost
sight Of It,
The porter turned to say that Mr..
Seelcy was not expected home until
Monday morning, and the man ex-
| planned 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
Mr.. Grubb at once placed the matter
in the hands Of the police.
Frank jackson long lay awake that
night, wondering whether the event OF
the past few hours would bring him
promotion, and if so, what effect ii
would have on certain cherished
scheme of his.
Six or eight months before he had
met at picnic Mary Grubb, the junior
partners daughter, a fair, winsome lit
tie thing, with dimpled cheeks and
eyes soft as those OF fawn. She had
just returned from school, and before
Frank knew who she was he admired
her. Upon learning that she was Mr..
Ebenezer's only child he was keenly
disappointed, for the daughter OF the
wealthy banker was, he feared beyond
his reach. In spite of this his atteu.
tons were not diminished, and before
the day was at an end he adored her
She received his little attention with
marked favor, he thought, and even
sober reflection could not prevent i'm
from entertaining hopes which any one
but lover would have considered
well.
Mary often drove down for her faith
er, and it generally fell to Franks lot
TO take II message out asking her u
W "a Ill L Il.