Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-11-17
A NARROW ESCAPE.

ness"
So ran the telegram which I re-
ceived at the Crown Hotel, Man
chester, from my father, a Liverpool
merchant I had just completed
long days business, and had intended
TO proceed to Oldham and several
other surrounding towns before re-
turning home. However, I made
what haste I could, and reached
Liverpool about 8 D m. drove
rapidly home and found my father
in the dining-room pacing from one
end to the other, as was his habit
when anything troubled or perplexed
him
81 am glad to see you, lad" he ex-
claimed, greeting me in his hearty,
affectionate manner. ''Something
has happened in the Office which has
caused me the greatest uneasiness.
Soon after you went away I drew
from the bank about &700 in notes.
I placed this in the safe in my pri-
Vate Office, and locking it in, came
home The next day, Thursday, I
opened the safe, and found, to my
establishment, that not penny of
the money remained. I informed
the police of the affair, and it has
been placed in the hands of man
named Bingley. He seems a shrewd
fellow enough, but so far has reported
nothing to me. l expect him here
this evening. 1t is not so much the
loss of the money that mind as the
fact that l must have about the
Office an Enthusiastically servant.
Who it is, I must confess l have not
the remotest idea"
''But, surely father, you took the
numbers of the notes. - queried.
''That did," he replied; but here
is one of the strangest parts of the
whole affair. On referring to my
pocket book the next day I found
this slip Of blank paper" and he held
out to me a thin sheet Of such paper
as had observed him using on pre-
vious occasions for the entry of the
numbers of bank notes.
''And who saw you deposit the
money in the safe?"
tsThere was no one in the room eX-
cept old Richardson and Tom Hall, -
he answered, ''and to suspect either
of them seems impossible.
''Where did you enter the num-
bers?" was my next question
GAS sat at my writing table"
'On what did you place the paper?'
GAS well as I can remember, or
my pocket book" he answered.
''Stay, now 1 call it to mind, there
were several other pieces of paper ex
actly like it lying on my desk After
entering the numbers I doubled VI
the paperand put the money into the
safe. y
''Leaving your pocketbook on the
desk, presumed"
Eyes" he replied.
'Then that is one step gained. The
thief took the numbers away and in
serted one of the blank sheets OF
paper"
A sudden pallor came over my
fathers face. To accept the truth Of
my inference was to believe in what
he had declared impossible of ere
dence.
t'Who was nearest the table," wa:
my next query" while you placed
that money in the safe?"
tom Hall stood within about
three yards of the table. and Richard
son was close to me when locked the
safe!" answered my father in a shaky
voice. at looks black for Hail." he
went on more slowly. 81 almost wish
I had not called in the police. ]
would rather lose the money al
together than break his poor mothers
heart"
Just at this moment stranger tC
me was announced, and entered the
room. 1t was Bingley, the detective
He was, indeed, a shrewd-looking fel
low, and well known in his profession
as a skillfuI tracker of criminals
stAny news?" asked my father, when
the detective was seated.
eyes" he answered, al must con-
fess it was rather puZZling case, but
1t is clear enough now. As you placed
the matter in our hands, with instruc
tions to prosecute, I have arrested
Tom Hall, and he is now in Dale
street safe enough"
t'You must be mistaken, Bingley, >
said my father. ''Hall cannot have
done such a thing. 1t will kill his
mother.p
Unfortunately, SIR" the detective
replied, ''the evidence is only toe
strong; and as to his mother - well.
criminals are not given to thinking oil
the feelings of their relatives till the
crime has been discovered"
l begged my father to be seated,
that we might hear fully what the
evidence was upon which the de
tective had arrested Hall.
ut added to the difficulty OF ny