The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-07-25

trunk, and there was nothing in it worth
having. He had been taking away his
clothing, etc., from time to time in small
packages and secrering them we don't
know where. One thing heard, sir,
that never knew before, and that was
that after he had gone to bed at night
he would frequently steal out of his
room and go away and never reappear
until breakfast time in the. morning.
And now will the Eeutenant-the cap
tain-pardon me for asking the question,
are the check books all right, sir"
what put that idea into your head"
asked Lane.
"Well, sir, some of the men tell me
that he was always writing at his desk,
and once Strauss said that he had picked
up a scrap of paper that he hadn't COM
pletely destroyed, and the handwriting
on it didn't look like Taintor's at all; he
said it more resembled that of the cap
tain, and it made me suspicious. l
never heard this until late last night"
A sudden thought occurred to Lane,
Taking out his check book, he carefully
counted the checks remaining and COM
pared them with the number of stubs,
and found, to his surprise and much to
his dismay, that at least five or six checks
were missing.
''Send for u cab at once. must go
down to the bank. You stay here, and
when Lieut.. Noel comes give him my
compliments and ask him to sit down
and wait awhile and read the morning
paper. I'll be back IN very short
time"
Following the custom established by
his predecessor, Capt. Lane had always
kept the recruiting funds in the First
National bank. His own private funds
he preferred to keep in an entirely differ
emit establishment-the Merchants Ex-
change.
The cab whirled him rapidly to the
building indicated, anil, although it
lacked half an hour of the time of open
ing, he made his way into the Office and
asked to see the paying teller.
Twill you kindly tell me if any checks
on the recruiting fund lave lately been
presented orpayment?" he eagerly asked.
The captain was referred to the book
keeper, and that official called him with
in the railing.
"No less than four checks were brought
here yesterday for payment, and they
came between half past 9 and o'clock
in the afternoon" was the bookkeeper's
report. "There seemed to us something
wrong in the simultaneous presentation
of the four, and was on the point Of ad-
dressing a note to you this morning to
ask you to come down to the bank.
Everything about it appears in proper
shape and form, except that three Of the
checks have been Endorsed payable to
your clerk, William Taintor, who came
in person and drew the money"
''Let me see the checks, if you please"
said the captain.
They We're speedily produced. Lane
took them to the window and closely ex-
amined them.
81 could not tell them," he said, "from
my own handwriting; and yet those three
checks are forgeries. 1 believe that the
Endorsements on the back are equally
fsrgeries. Now, can l take these with
me to the Office of the chief of police, or
do you desire that the detectives should
be sent here? Taintor deserted last
night, and all traces have been lost.
What is the amount that he has drawn"
"One check, payable to the order of
William Hayden for board furnished to
the recruiting party, is to the amount of
$45.50. The second, payable to James
Freeman, and Endorsed by him to Will
lam Taintor, as was the first, is for the
rent of the building occupied by the re-
cruiting rendezvous, precisely similar in
form and amount to the previous checks,
for the sum of $780, The third check is
payable to William Taintor himself,
marked for extra duty pay as clerk at
the recruiting Office for the past six
months. The fourth is made payable to
the order of Sergt. James Burns, extra
duty pay as non-commissioned officer in
charge of the party for the six months
beginning Jan. and ending June 3d."
This check, too, had been Endorsed
payable to the order of William Taintor.
All four checks, amounting in all to the
sum of about one hundred and sixty dol
lars, had been paid to the deserving clerk
during the afternoon of the previous day.
Had you no suspicion of anything
wrong?" said Lane.
II knew nothing about it," said the
bookkeeper. "They were presented to
the paying teller at the desk, and it was
not until after bank was closed, when
we came to balance up cash, that the
matter excited comment and then sus-
picion. Taintor has frequently come
here before with drafts and checks, and
il you remember, sir, on one or two &C.
casions he has been sent for new check
books when the old ones had run out"
THAT'S very true" said Lane. HE
has been employed here in this rendez-
vous for the last ten years, and has borne,
up to within my knowledge of him, an
unimpeachable character. If any more
checks come in stop payment on them
until you see me, and, if possible, detain
the person who presents them"
Half an hour afterwards the captain
was back in his office, and there, true to
his appointment, was Lieutenant Noel"
II have had strange and unpleasant
experience, Noel" said Lane. Most of
my papers have been faultily made out.
My clerk deserted last night and has
turned out to be a most expert forger.