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

until z, at which time Cosgrove came on
| duty, and the old Waterman was left
alone, as he thought, without the slightest
suspicion that four men were hiding not
ten feet from his cot. There were two
gates by which the offices were entered,
These two stood open, but the old man
never even looked into the enclosure. He
sat down on his cot, smoked pipe, and
then walked up and down until 5 o'clock.
1t was exactly that hour when there came
a knock on the front door. Cosgrove
waited moment before responding TO
it, probably having struggle between
duty and appetite; but he finally tiptoed
to the door, turned the key and opened
it a few inches. We could hear whispers,
but within half minute the door was
violently pushed in on him and three
men were in the bank. They shut and
locked the door behind them, and while
the old man was protesting and COM
handing he was seized, bound, gagged
and laid on his cot, The work was done
neatly and rapidly, and ms he was dis
posed of English Jacks voice was heard
quietly observing;
"Now, old gent, you just lie quiet and
you won't be hurt, but if you go to
raising row we shall crack your skull
without any particular ceremony. Get
out your tools, boys, and get to work.
Let's have little more light on the sub.
ject."
He lighted two more gas burners, and
we heard them opening their bags and Sc
Letting out their tools. Not one of us
moved hand until the trio entered by
one of the gates. Then we rose up, re-
volvers cooked md leveled, and the vii
lains were so amazed that not the least re-
sistance was offered. l sent for the Presi-
dent, and he came to find the fellows
handcuffed, tho Waterman helpless, and
burglars kit laid out for work. There
was $3.50, 900 in cash in the big safe, and
the burglars would have secured every
dollar of it had l not dropped to the
scheme. Each one of the robbers got a
long sentence to prison, but there was
sorrow mixed with our citation. Cosgrove
had to go, of course, but on the very
next day after giving his testimony in
court he committed suicide by hanging.
One other adventure l met with while
holding my place had queer inception
and tragic ending. In those days the
cashier of bank carried the key to the
SAFE or vault, ard he clone. In the Far
mers' and Mechanics Bank, Mr.. Keller,
the cashier, often remained to fix up his
accounts after all others had departed.
He was quiet, reserved man, very gen.
tie in his speech and actions, and had
been with the institution seventeen years.
He was never seen in society, and it
wasn't once in five years that he took
holiday. He did not smoke, chew, gamble,
bet, drink or swear, and he appeared ut
terly insensible to the charms of the fe-
male sex. He was held up as model of
excellence and a paragon of virtue, and
the man who would dare suspect him of
even failing would have been put down
pretty quick. While 1 quietly investi-
gated the doings of some of the other re-
sponsible employees, l gave Keller no
thought The Board of Directors would
have felt insulted had l Swallowed him.
1 had been in the employ of the syndi-
cate about year and half when, one
afternoon as l was going to supper, saw
Keller on the street half square ahead
of me. was hurrying up to overtake
him when a woman turned in from side
street and almost halted as they met. 1
stepped into doorway, and saw him
look after her sharply. When she came
along to me l was surprised to see how
homely she was in face and figure. She
was coarse in facial expression, had a
squat figure, and looked more like
scrub woman out for an airing than q
lady. 1t wasn't like Keller to notice g.
woman on the street, and his actions
aroused my curiosity. was at the same
place at the same hour next day, and this
time the woman certainly bowed to him.
He seemed frustrated and confused, and
finally came to dead halt and looked
after her. When he resumed his walk
followed the woman to second class
hotel and found her to be a boarder there
Under the name of Mrs. Ransom Pierce,
widow. She had been there month,
seemed to have plenty of money, and
was respectable so far as any one knew.
What was there between her and the
cashier2
They met on the third afternoon, each
bowling. On the fourth they stopped
and chatted moment, and on the fifth
they turned off the street together and
walked five Or six squares in company.
Next day note came to Keller in bust
ness hours, and he read it and smiled as
if greatly pleased. In about ten days l
solved the problem. What do you think
the solution was2 1t was q Irritation,
'mash" Ye gods! Our old and
trusted Cashier man supposed to be Of
adamant-'m mashed" on woman built for
the hay field instead of the parlorl Ire
fused to believe in myself at first, and I
felt that / deserved to be kicked for my
suspicious, but within month every sus-
picion had become fact. They were
writing to each other daily, and their
meetings were frequent. In quiet way
l found that he was absenting himself
from home three or four evenings a week,
and l soon settled it that he was in the
woman's company. Keller acted so queer
~ about the bank that l looked to see
the others notice it. A man with half an
eye could see that great change had
come over him, but no comments were
made, and neither did dare 60 to any
Of the officials with my story.
A climax comes to all such affairs
sooner or later. / made up my mind
what course to pursue, and one day, when
the woman packed up and departed to
the East, l believed the climax at hand.
That same afternoon all the employees
were out of the bank by o'clock; all
except Keller and the janitor. l was
watching from doorway across the
street, and when he appeared at 5 80 with
satchei in his hand and headed for the
depot followed him. let him buy a
ticket to New York, get aboard the train,
and then arrested him. He had scarcely
word to say, seeming like one dazed by