Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-09-13
OYERCONFIDENCE.

Zen years ago IN a certain good sized
town IA Pennsylvania there lived fam
fly whom | viii cal Mitchell The fam
fly consisted OF husband, wife and two
children, ths latter being a boy aged i've
and a girl II seven Mitchell was pr
va5s banker. known - be- honest, re-
spectacle and worth q clear 500. 600. l
knew httis or nothing about the family
until certain incidents occurred. one
day bis Wlf8 was fatally injured IN a
railroad collision ~ a point about nifty
Iaiiezs from home. " hen hs reached
her. IN RESPONSE - q telegram sent by a
stranger. he found she had been removed
20 hotel and was being ten1erly cared
for BY woman who gave her name as
Mrs a b. Gray, II Philadelphia She
vas on the train. bar suffered 10 injury
Mrs. Gray as 1 might as wei tell yUn
non, Wa peute, good looking. a good
talker. ana ~ a general way captiya-
ting. The fact of Der taking charge OF
Mrs. Mitchell as she had done proved
her tender heart. She told Mr.. Mitchell
she had been a widow eighteen months
gnd was practically alone ia the world,
AM though he was burdened with grief
ami anxiety, he did not forget to thank
her for her great kindness and % take
her address She resumed her journey,
and be took his wife home 70 die Of her
injuries 10 was three weeks after her
death that | came into the case. After
every thing was over thu husband sud
denly discovered that his dead wife's
5ewelry was missing She had with her
when tho accident took place about
81 90 worth Of diamonds They had
disappeared, and when he came TO run
over events Ia his aiud ne could not re
member that they had come homo with
her Mrs. Gray had turned over to him
Mrs. Mitchelrs purse and a few other
things. but pair II diamond eardrops,
two rings and a pin were missing.
l was employed 70 proceed 70 the scene
of tho late accident and seek 20 trace the
5ewelry. The collision had occurred
right at tho depot in a small town PEG
pie about the depot and the hotel assured
mo that Mrs. Mitchell had her jewelry
on when taken 10 the hotel The land
lords wife was positive, and the doctor
who was called in WAS positive, and
when / had worked the case out / re-
turned home 20 report % Mitchell that
nobody bat Mrs Gray could have taken
the jewelry. He was astonished and in
dignant, and not only vigorously re-
pudiated the implication. but discharged
me from tho case with tho assertion that
! was q novice in the profession
l went about other business, and il
was about four months before l saw
Mitchell again. Then he sent for me IN
an official capacity again No reference
was made % my previous work. but
freshar and other troubles had come TO
him. A month after the death Of his
wife he had opened correspondence with
Mrs Gray, and the result was that she
had come % take charge Of his house.
He WIS without relatives. or at least
without those who could aid him IN his
situation, and she claimed 10 be- free in
her movements You Will suspect Just
as 1 did, that she had captivated him,
bat be fought shy Of any acknowledge
n1ent OF the sort.
haven't told you about the bank. It
was situated just square from his
houss aud exactly in the rear OF it. The
house fronted on one street and the bank
on another. and there was no alley be-
tween. Indeed the rear yard OF the
house TED right up 70 the rear door of
the bank, and Mitchell used 10 come up
aud 80 through the yard. In the rear
Of the banking rooms, divided of by the
usual railing. were the private Offices
and the vault. A burglar alarm was
connected with the front doors and win
dovvs. but none with the back. A large
and savage dog guarded the rear, having
n Kennel close - the door.
What tho banker wanted 20 see mo
about was this. Hs had not only missed
money from his wallet at night, but on
two occasions considerable sums Of
money had been taken from a small safe
which stood in his Office outside tho
vanlt. One II the mysteries was IN the
taking - tbo money. He employed a
teller and n bookkseper. mother Il whom
had a key % safe OF vsult. unless It was
edsrulios.te made without bis knowledge.
Neither bad the word of the combine
ton 81 tla vault. and 10 seemed tnpossi-
bic thar they could have taken the
money. even II 80 inclined. Both were
rargarflg honest. - far a any one knew.
aud Mitcheil was al tangled up over
tbe mystery.
us hadns taxed to mo I've minutes
sxlseu I would have taken ny solemn
cath that Mrs. Gray was the guilty
party. bat of course I didn't drop a hint
81 my ~,ispicions 20 him. she wac shy,
prudent and apparently al right, and |
lad uut Ia month on the case and
male no discovery when che outside
safe was robbed again. A deposit and
some bonds haf coue in sc the last mo
ss.rst and Rad been placed there for the
rfzhf. The whole thing amounted 10
stcut 500. fni bonds and greeuhacks
were missing next morniug The safe
faf not only been opeued with key,
but ths hank had been entered By IN
fsakfnF sra rear door. No enc could
fa4s antsraf ~ sha frons wlthous
aonndu1e ar alarm. Ne stranger co1ld
hsve sntaved by the back cn sceount -
e. ioe. who vas wids awake sud al
righk
whea NGtehen sent far me - give ne
a. nevrs was perfectly satisfied that
SITS GRAY Was rbe gaiiry party. ! b.
Feve,i she bah the leFve 90 enter his
roCfn IA fhs niehf. secure che keys and
then aip through the back yari. enter
t.ie bank SRA open the safe Wheu Z
l.sarnel t,lat ths 3es was a Ereat favor.
~ of hers rhls he'sf was certainty, !
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