Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-03-11

EI)(YlMSTYN. Bank of Raxter-
{UANNNe ville," as the sign
eNJ| C. read, was two-story
brick building plain and substantial and
George Carter, the sole owner OF the
bank, was personally known to almost
everybody in the county. He was
man of forty unmarried, and an
old maid sister kept house for him.
The banker was known as a methodical
man, careful in his investments, and
no one had any fear of disaster overtak-
inc him. Now and then he had
been warned that safe blowers might
pay him visit, but he had not taken
any extra precautions. He had a large
fire and burglar proof safe, and man
slept in the room at night on the cot.
On a certain April morning soon after
the close of the war Mr.. Carter arrived
at the bank at exactly $50. That was
his usual time to a second. The curtains
were down and the door was locked,
and it was only after panel had been
sawed out of it that entrance was gained.
There sat Davis, the watchmau, bound
fast to his chair and gag in his mouth,
and the safe door stood wide open. a
hole had been drilled and the bolts
thrown back, and the S23, 600 safely
locked up the evening before was gone.
Davis had all the particulars at his
tongues end. He had been aroused at
midnight by some one knocking on the
door aud asking him for a light by
which to mend broken harness. He
denied that he had been asleep, but
claimed to be "thinking." Suspecting
no evil he opened the door, ard three
men rushed in and overpowered him.
After making him secure they got their
tools out of bag and began operations,
and in an hour or so had the safe open.
His statement thus far was all right and
reasonable. From thence Oh it was a
puzzler. was sent down from the city
in answer to the telegram for detective,
and Davis was of course the first man to
be examined. He had not been blind
folded and he saw all that took place,
though the burglars wore masks and he
did not get sight OF their faces. lie de-
clared that they did not get dollar in
money and that they cursed and raved
and threatened to burn the building in
consequence. They pulled everything
out of the safe and opened all the large
envelopes, but the sack they had
brought along was lying on the floor as
proof Of Davis's story.
AT ) o'clock of the previous evening
Mr.. Garter had placed in that safe S21,-
600 in greenbacks, most Of it in small
bills. The packages would have filed
lawye waste basket. Had the burg
lars got them, the sack would have been
used. as that sort of men do not sit down
and count up and divide their plunder
on the spot. Davis was not only believed
to be honest, but Mr.. Carter believed his
story. 1t is needless to observe that
did not. judged from his physiog
nomy that he was chicken-hearte He
ha no marks to prove that he had re-
sisted the burglars. l believed he lied
when he SAID he was not asleep. AS a
matter OF fact, made up my mind that
he had "stood in" with the burglars
and either been cleft" on his share or
had secreted it around the building and
then let them bind and gag him.
think the theory was not only reasonable,
but Just the one which any other detec
tive would have adopted.
Fortunately for the bank and its de-
positors the proprietor had plenty OF re-
serve, and business went on as usual. 1
was told to 90 ahead on the case and
work out anything / could, and my first
move was to search for Davis's share Of
the money. No sign of it could be found
about the building. In spite of all my
efforts he stuck to his story just as he
first told it, aud l had to admit
to myself that he appeared perfectly
honest and. sincere. In describing the
burglars as we'll as he was able he men
toned that one of them was very tall
man with a hacking cough. That ex-
actly fitted Steve Pratt, burglar, who
had bee1 out of Joliet only two months
after serving ten years sentence. Steve
had had his throat injured by swallow
ing fsh bone, ahd kept up a constant
hacking, even in his sleep. He described
another as very short and stout, with a
falsetto voice, and l suspected he was
Alf Taylor, who was then supposed to