Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-01-02
TWO QUEER CASES.
HARTFORD TIMES.

VI ' Ill = - - 49,
pursued a strange occupation. FOur banks
in a large city made up a common purse
and employed me as guardian. | was to
look after the employees when desired. see
that the watchmen were faithful, hang
about during business hours, hunt up IN
formation regarding patrons, and make
myself useful In other ways. | was an old
detective, and almost every bank robber
and swindler of that age was known to me
by sight. In those days the banks were
poorly equipped, compared with the lnyen-
lions now i'm use. Not one of the four had
a time lock, and, instead OF chilled-steel
vaults, they had big safes set IN recesses,
or brick vaults. Bank burglars could get
into any safe in three or four hours, aud
bank cashiers weren't the shrewd sort OF
men you meet to-day.
/ hade't filed my place a week before |
made a discovery to amaze me. My first
work had been to look up the watchmen.
| found that the watchmen at the DrOvers
bank was an old man, lame and feeble.
He came on duty at z o'clock p. m, and
went in at z In the morning. He had
a cot in the corridor, and after a little
questioning he admitted that he always
went to bed about half past 8 and slept
soundly until after 6. He had been fur
HlSlltl WlE1 ii IeNOlNtl buu lit weapon
had been loaded for five years. The man
had got his place because he was related
to the cashier. The bank was so situated
that robbers who had once gained admls-
sion could have worked several hours with
out fear of disturbance. 1t seemed mar
velous to me that none of 1.-The boys" had
caught on to the free and easy way things
were permitted to slide along, and ! de-
termined to keep my eyes open very wide.
Cosgrove, the Waterman, as | soon learned,
was in the habit of going to a certain
saloon near his home every week day at
4 O'Clock In the afternoon, and he sat at a
certain table and drank a glass OF beer, ate
a sandwich, had a smoke, and then return
ed home. timed him seven or eight
times, and he was as regular as clockwork.
He had no idea that | was connected with
the bank. As a stranger | pumped him
dry, getting every point which a burglar
would have cared for.
The other watchmen were young men,
vigilant and cautious, and | had no one to
worry about but Cosgrove. Every week
day at 4:30 | dropped into the saloon, took
a place near him, and had my glass of
beer. and remained until he went away: /
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 ''do" q bank. One was through
the cashier, by forgery or other swindling,
and the other through the Waterman, by
gaining admission. Any one contemplate
ing a raid on the Drovers' bank would
try the Waterman first. Firmly believing
this, | continued to keep an eye on him.
but it was nearly three months before any
thing happened. Then, one day, | saw
the face of a fellow called English Jack, .
on the street. He had lone time for bank
work and was well known to the detectives
as a fly man. He was not watched Just
then, and | felt that he had come to c.
on business. and that he would turn up
something sooner or later. | gave every
cashier his description, and about a 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, | kept to the
other end of the room and did not tarry
long after drinking my beer, The two
met next day, and the next, and it was
plain to see that Cosgroye had taken a
liking to the man.
On the fourth day, an hour before the
regular time, entered the saloon in that
condition known as half-full. sang a
SONG. LOOK al OIlllk dllu tllbu StU uOWl. dIlu
gradually relapsed into that stupor which
was an excuse for dropping my head and
arms on a table and going to sleep. The
barkeeper had no thought of putting me
out, as | was a regular customer, and |
was apparently sound asleep when Cos
grove came in and took his seat. Ten
minutes later English Jack entered and
sat down beside him. | was only four
feet away, and both took it for granted
that was drunk and asleep and a nonen-
tity. They had a glass, talked in a friend
ly manner for a few moments, and then
Jack said;
Il got some of the incest wine to-day-a
present to me-that you ever tasted. Ihad
a bottle ready to bring down but forgot it.
If | happen to be going by the bank this
evening, I'll just knock IN the door and
hand it in"
81 might be asleep, 3" innocently replied
the old Waterman.
Then I'll make 1t APPOINT to come early.
If l should be passing at 8 o'clock, you'd
have your eyes and ears open, eh?"
Yes. but"
'Pshaw man, it will be no trouble to
me: none In the least. When | like a man
| am willing to do anything for him. The
taste of that wine will give you five years
more Of your life. If it is against orders
for you to open the door a few inches to re-
ceive a present from a friend, then its
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 a feeble at
tempt at protest, he gave In, and when
they parted it wassthe understanding that
the wine was to be handed in. | could
have called at his house and opened his
eve to the game his friend was PLAYING OF
blocked the scheme IN several other ways.
but | hoped to accomplish more than that
| went to the president with nv report.
and that afternoon, when the bank closed
| was let behind the counter with three
policemen in citizens clothing. and all Of
us fully armed. The j~anitor remained
with us until z. at which time Cosgrove
came on duty, and the old watchman 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 officers were
entered. These stood open, but the ole
man never looked into the enclosure. He
sat down on his cot, smoked a pipe. and
then walked up and down until s o'clock.
1t was exactly that hour when a rap came
at the door. Cosgrove waited a moment
before responding to it, probably having d
struggle between duty and appetite; but
he tiptoed to the door, turned the key. and
opened it a few inches. We could heal
whispers, but in half a minute the door
was violently pushed in on him and three
men were in the bank. They shut anC