The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1889-06-20
THE BANK DETECTIVE.

THE BANK DETECTIVE.
For fivo years l held queer place and
pursued strange occupation. Four
banks in large city made up common
purse and employed me as a guardian.
l was to look after the employees when de.
sired, SEQ that the watchnen were faith.
ful, bang about during business hours
hunt Up information regarding patrons,
and make myself useful in other ways,
was an old detective and almost eye-y
bank robber or swindler of that age was
known to me by sight. In those DAYS the
banks We're poorly equipped compared to
the inventions now in use, Not ono If
the four had time lock, and, instead of
chllled-steei vaults, they had big safes set
IN reeesses or brick vaults. Bank burglars
could get into any safe in three or four
hours, and the bank cashiers weren't the
snrewd sort you meet to-day.
hadn't filed my place a week before I
made discovery to amaze me. NV first
work had been to look up the watchmen.
Hound that the Waterman at the Drovors,
Bank was an old man. lame and feeble
he came on duty at z o'clock p. NJ, and
went OH at in the morning. He had
2 COT In the corridor, and after little
questioning he admitted that he ALWAYS
went to bed about half-pa s and silent
soundly until after 6. He had been f,ir.
nlshed with revolver, but the weapon
had been loaded for five years. The
man mad got his place because he was re-
lated to the cashier: The bank was so
situated that reSbers who had once gained
ADMISSION could have worked several
hours without fear of disturbance. It
sssyned marvellous to me that none of
"the boys" had caught on to the free and
easy WY things were permitted to slide
along, and determined to keep nv ewes
open very wide. Cosgrove, the watch
man, as sool learned, was in the habit
OF gong to certain saloon near his home
every week day at o'clock in the after
noon, and he sat at a certain table and
drank glass of beer, ate sandwich, had
smoke, and then returned home. 1
timed him seven or eight times, and he
was as regular as clockwork. He had no
ldea taat was connected with the bank.
As a stranger pumped him dry, getting
every point which burglar would have
cared for.
The other watchmen were younger men,
vlgllant and cautious, and l had no one
to worry about except Cosgrove. Every
week day at half-past four dropped into
the saloon, took a table near him and had
my glass of beer, and remained until he
went away. l was dead sure that some
OF the gang would tumble to him, as the
saying goes, sooner or later. In those
days there were but two ways to edo" a
bank. One was through the cashier, by
forgery or other swindling, and the other
through the Waterman, by gaining ad-
mission. Any one contemplating raid
on the Drovers' Bank would try the
Waterman first. Firmly believing this, l
continued to keep an eye on him, but it
was nearly three months before anything
happened. Then, one day, saw the
race OF fellow called "English Jack" on
tne street. He had done time for bank
work and was known to the detectives as
a ny man. Ee was not wanted just then,
and ! felt that he had come to c. on
business, and that he would turn up
something sooner or later. 1 gave every
cashier his description, and about week
later dropped in on Cosgrove one after
noon to find him hobnobbing with Eng
lish Jack. While the latter did not know
me, and could have no suspicion that
was connected with the bank, l kept to
the other end of the room and did not
terry long after drinking my beer. The
two met the next day and the next, and
1t was plain to see that Cosgrove had
taken liking to the man.
On the fourth day, an hour before the
regular time, entered the saloon in that
condition known as half full. 1 sang a
song, took drink, and then sat down,
and gradually relapsed into that stupor
which was an excuse for dropping my
head and arms on table and going to
sleep. The barkeeper had no thoughts
OF putting me out, as was regular Gus
toner, and was apparently sound asleep
when Cosgrove came in and took his seat.
Ten minutes later English Jack entered
and sat down beside him. l was only
four feet away, and both took it for
granted that / was drunk and asleep and
nonentity. They had glass, talked in
friendly manner for few minutes, and
then Jack said:
~ got some of the incest wine to-day
"a present to me-that you ever tasted
I had bottle ready to bring down, but
forgot it. If l happen to go by the bank
this evening I'll just knock on the door
and hand it in"
81 might be asleep" innocently re-
piled the old Waterman.
"Then I'll make it a point to come
early. If l should be passing at s o'clock
you'd have your eyes and ears open, ehg'
eyes, but"
"Pshaw man, it will be no trouble to
me; none in the least. When l like q
man I'm willing to do for him. The taste
of that wine will give you five years more
of life. If it's agin orders for you tc
open the door a few inches to receive 9
present from friend, then it's time YOU
looked for another job"
/ hoped to hear the old man declare
that he could not think of breaking the
strict orders given him, but, after feeble
attempt to protest, he gave in, and wher
they parted it was with the understanding
that the wine was to be handed in.
/ could have called at his house ano
opened his eyes to the game his friend
was playing, or blocked the scheme il
several other ways, but l hoped to ac
complish more thbn that. / went to thu
President with my report, and that after
noon, when the bank closed, / was ief