The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-07-26


firm of Burke Burke in their own
favor. 1t was presented by the cashier
Of the firm. There were a dozen men in
line and the transaction did not occupy
two minutes. Burke & Burke could have
had $4,000 as well as $4,000.
At 2:57 the cashier Of Burke & Burke
handed in his book and checks and
money amounting to $4,000. Bank tellers
always remind me Of the dealers in the
big games Of chance. They are auto
matte. They are sphinx-like. They are
imperturbable. Even when they receive
a check and stamp it mo funds" and
shove it back through the window it
is done in a machine-like way, the same
as clothespins are made. You want
small bills for a fifty. The teller picks
up your bill, reaches around for his
stamp, stamps it counterfeit" and
away you go while he is cashing check
for the next man in line
On this particular occasion, however.
as / have several witnesses TO prove, the
paying teller was startled. He changed
color. He looked frightened. He didn't
ask Burke & Burke's cashier if he was
there twelve minutes previously. He
called some one TO take his place. dis
appeared from view, and within ten min
utes the police were at work on the
case.
The check presented at quarter to 3
was a forgery. The man who presented
II was a counterfeit-that is, he had
been made up" TO pass for James Long.
cashier for Burke < Burke This was
not difficult matter. Both men were
about the same height. weight and COM
pleXion- Long hadn't spoken ten words
TO the teller in year. He always wore
Scotch tweed, no matter what The sea-
son. He always wore a stiff hat. No
ct = 1t Its,rrf
eyeglasses. Long had a nod for other
patrons whom he knew, but seldom
opened his mouth. The paving teller
had been done up with his eyes wide
open, but he moved so rapidly that it
seemed as if the sharper must be
nabbed. officers were sent to the rail-
road depots; others made the rounds of
gambling houses and salGGns. If the fell
low hadn't secure hiding place Sc
lected the chances were more than even
that he would be caught.
In room No. II of the Inter-Ocean
hotel, which 1 will admit was only
third-class hosiery, but rich enough for
man earning only $25 pr week, 1 read
most Of the particulars given YOU above
in an evening paper. The bank officials
mad made every effort TO suppress the
facts. and the detectives were as mum
as clans, but our reporter" had caught
on after all. A sharp shrewd class of
men, these reporters. Give them a lead
and they never let up until they have
the case in hand. I had come in from
the store tired out, and on going to my
room after supper / pulled of my boots,
lighted my pipe, sat down with my feet
on the bed, and this bank business was
the first thing 1 struck in the evening
paper. I had just finished the article
when the night clerk came up.
Heard about the bank swindle over
at the Sixth national?' he asked as he
entered my room.
''Just read it,
Cool chap, that, but what do you
think There are two detectives down
stairs who claim TO have Swallowed him
here and want to search the house.
They are on the floor below and will
soon look in on YOU
@All right. Wish had the Doodle"
Ten minutes later the officers came In
] was a head shorter than Burke &
Burke's cashier. hadn't his complexion.
his build, his facial expression or hair of
his color Indeed, there wasn't a point
Of resemblance. The clerk had vouched
for me. as 1 had boarded there a year
or more, but those "Old sleuths' came in
on tiptoe, looked at me from the corners
of their ferret eyes and sat down TO
question me. 1t was a quarter of an
hour before they let up, and then they
appeared to feel injured because 1 hadn't
beaten a bank or committed a murder.
Queer fellows, these detectives. Some
stricken over not doing something for
which / could be arrested and sent TO
prison for their glory. Before my Wis
itors left one Of them contended that L
might as well be taken along anyhow
on general principles as there was no
telling what 1 wouldn't own up TO after
being locked up for three or sour days.
but the other was more conserVa tive
He assumed a fatherly interest in me-
called me my SON. and tried to make
fza hOxr hlt h.
to restore that money and take clerk
ship in the bank at $1,000 a year than
to wear a zebra suit for twenty years
in state prison. | refused to disgOrge,
and he went out saying that had miss
ed a, golden opportunity.
The hotel was thoroughly searched,
everybody questioned and cross ques-
toned, and the detectives finally with
drew. At 10 O'Clock 1 was smoking my
third pipe and had long before ex-
changed my paper for a book, when a
queer thing happened. My bed stood in
the middle Of the room. / sat in a chair
on the left-hand side, with my feet
across the middle. had my book upon
a line with my eyes, and all had been
quiet for ten minutes, when voice sud
denly observed:
well. old man. that must be an in
teresting yarn
As / dropped my book my eyes rested
on a man standing on his feet on the
opposite sue OI lut Dcu. 10 say IldL i
was astonished was drawing it mild /
sat there with my mouth open and my
eyes bullying out until he laughed hearth
" and said:
IF you could see a photograph of
yourself with that expression on your
face you'd laugh yourself into fit"
'W-who are you?" l finally gasped
out.
well, that's a fair question" he re-
piled, as he sat down on the edge Of the
a minute ago. was the man under the
bed. owing 10 a change Of position, ]
am now the man on the bed"
Cool Customer.
He was a cool hand. 1 could read
human nature well enough to know that
he had lots of nerve back of that assur-
ance. AS he sat down I noticed reyOl-
yer in his hand. The thing had been
sprung upon me in such a way that
was not ratified. The evening paper had
given a description Of the swindler, and
as / looked this man over it dawned
upon me that he was the identical chap
You were hiding under the bed when
] came in here three hours ag0V 1
queried as we sat looking at each other
Exactly" he replied.
You heard what the clerk and the de-
tectives said?"
Every word"
And, to come right down to business,
you are the man who got the $1,000 of
the Sixth national bank this afternoon
Il am"
How did you get here?''
1T had other pianS btff thew mis-