The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-26
A NARROW ESCAPE.

A NARROW ESCAPE.
Come home mt once. Urgent business"
DO ran the telegram which received ut
the Crown hotel, Manchester from my
father, Liverpool merchaAt had just
completed u long days business, and had
intended to proceed to Oldham and several
other surrounding towns before returning
home. However, | made what haste |
could and reached Liverpool about D. M.
drove rapidly home, and found my father
i'll the dining room, pacing from one end to
the other, rs was his habit when anythin.,
troubled or perpexcd him.
lam glad to see you lad )" he exclaimed.
greeting me in his hearty, affcctionate
manner Something has happened in the
Office which has caused me the greatest
uneaslness. Soon after you went away I
drew from the bank about e7O0 in notes
placed this i'll the safe in my private Office,
and locking it in came home. The next
day-Thursday-I opened the safe and
found, to my establishment, that not a
penny of the money remained. informed
the police OF the affair, and it has been
placed in the hands of man named Bling.
ley. He seems shrewd fellow enough.
but so far has reported nothing to me. |
expect him there this evening. 1t is not
80 much the loss of the monk7tEat mind
as thc fact that / must haze about the
Office an Enthusiastically servant Who it
Is, must confess, have not the remotest
idca'
But surely, father You took the num-
Der of the notes." Iqueried
THAT did," he replied; "but heye is
one OF the strongest parts of the whole
affnir. On referring to my pocketbool the
next day | found this slip of blank paper,n
and he held out to me n thin sheet of such
paper rs had observed him using on pre-.
vious occasions for the entry of the num-
bcrs of bank notes
And who saw you deposit the money in
tho Safcf"
There was no one in the room EXCEPT
old Richardson and Tom Hail." he an
swered, land to suspect either of them
seems impossible"
Where did you enter the numbers?n
was my next question.
AS sat mt my writing table"
ION what did you place the papcry"
AS we'll as l Gun remember, on my mock
etbook," he answered 'Stay, now chi,
1t to mind, there were several other pieces
of paper exactly like it lying OH my desk.
After entering the numbers doubled up
the paper and put the money into the safc.''
Leaving your pocketbook on the desk,
I presume?"
YES" lie replied.
"Then that is one step gained The thief
took the numbers away and inserted one of
the blank sheets of paper"
sudden pallor came over my father,
face. 10 accept the truth of my inference
was to believe in what he had declared i'm
possible Of credence
WHO was nearest the table," was nv
next query, while you placed that money
in the safer"
"Tom Hall stood within about three
yards of the table, and Richardson was
close to ME when locked the safer, nm
swered my father in Il shaky voice. at
looks black for Hail." he went on moro
slowly. Il almost wish l had not called
in the police. would rather lose the
money altogether than break his poor
mothers heart"
WAS announced and entered the room. He
was indeed II shrewd looking fellow and
we'll known in his profession as Il skillful
trucker Of criminals.
ANY news!" asked my father when the
detective was seated.
Yes" he answered. ~ must confess IL
was rather II puzzling case, but it is clear
enough now. AS you placed the matter in
our hands with instructions to prosecute I
have arrested Tom Hall and he is now in
Dale street safe enough"
on must he mistaken, Bingley," said
my inther. 'Ifall cannot have done such
thing. 1t will kill his mother"
Unfortunately, sir" the detective re-
piled. 1.-THE evidence is only too strong: and
az to his mothet-well, criminals are not
given to thinking of the feelings of their
relatives till the crime has been discoy-
cred"
begged my father to he seated, that we
might hear fully what the evidence was
upon Which the detective had arrested
Hull
1T added to the difficulty of my task that
the numbers of the notes were missing"
the detective went on. "TIowever.
Swallowed Hall, and Richardson was
watched by another member of the force
On Sunday evening met Hall with his
sweetheart, and noticed that she wore u
splendid diamond brooch which had evil
IDENTIFY been given her by Hall as they
were talking about it, and walking behind
them overheard every word. She was
urging MIN to be more careful Of his
money, ana ne laughingly'replied oh!
never mind, there's plenty more where
that came froml Yesterday obtained n
search warrant and found this"
He handed to my father a handbook.
which showed that Hall had deposited
nearly e+OO in one of the local banks on the
Friday preceding.
but 200 is not the amount taken.n
calculated my father
But it is part of it," replied the detect.
i've, land the rest may be elsewhere. When
charged with the theft, Hall seemed dunn
founded, and on receiving the usual eau
ton. simply replied, I am perfectly limo
cent He will be brought up tomorrow
and probably committed for trial to the
assizes."