The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-06-12
u have nothing to conceal!n cried

u have nothing to conceal!" cried
Garrison, in way thatin the detectives
judgment belied his words. II will ex-
plain, SIR" he continued. yesterday
afternoon l gave my unfortunate
cashier, John Oakburn, cheque for
S7s, 900, and instructed him to cash it at
the bank, and keep the money over night
here in our safes, as we were to have an
urgent demand for it early in the morn
ing. The seIgeants note informed me
that there was no money in the safe,
a~d I find the chelue missing from the
file of small cheques where / saw John
Oakburn place it. More, in this book 1
found my cashiers memorandum, which
dashed to the ground my one hope that
the money was not lost"
Mr.. Garrison picked up the book which
he had dropped on the floor, and turn
ing the leaves he read the following In
John Oakburn's handwriting:
"Dec. %, cashed cheque for SIS, 900 to-
day."
aScventy-eight thousand dollars A
large cheque. But here in the great
money center of the country among you
brokers, I suppose the amount is not
surprising. However, 1t has been stolen
by John Oakburn's murderer. Seventy
eight thousand dollars is quite haul
for thief, but let US hope that we will
recover the stolen money!" saiG Paxton.
ave already have clew to the assas-
sin," the police sergeant said.
"Whom do you suspect?" asked the
broker.
"Let me give you a synopsis OF the
case and you can draw your own deduc-
tions. The Office door was found un-
locked. Nothing to be noted in that,
since it was probably so left by the
cashier when he entered. The street
door was also unlocked, and the bolts,
which were on the inside, wero drawn.
The safe was opened by means OF John
Oakburn's key. A window in the rear
Office is unfastened. Now. it is clear to
my mind that the assassin was an in
mate of this house-one who knew the
com mbination Of the safe and that there
was money in it. He surprised John
Oakburn, shot him, took the key from
his pocket, opened the safe, secured the
money and then unbarred the street
door and fed. But our assassin and
robber was cunning. He thought he
would leave loophole of doubt in the
theory which would be formed Of the
crime. and so he opened the window in the
rear Office, pried off the fastening OF the
shutters. and left them so as to give the
impression that the assassin might have
broken into the Office by that route
Now, sir, who among your clerks knew
the combination Of your safe loc6?
Who among them knew that SIS, 200
was to be left in the safe over night?"
Thus spoke the police sergeant.
He had taken position in the center OF
the room, and SPOKE and gesticulated
in a pompous manner, like some politi-
cal stump orator. 1t was clearly evil
dent that he fancied he had the entire
case under his thumb.
"Only one person except John Oak.
burn knew the combination of the safe
and that the stolen money was to be
kept in it over night, and that person is
above suspicion, SIR" answered Mr.
Garrison.
"His name, if you please?"
stuart Harland," answered the
broker, and then as the name passed his
lips he started, for he suddenly remem-
bered that the young clerk occupied an
apartment in the building, so he quickly
added: "But Mr.. Har;and rooms here
and he should have been called"
"He was called, sir, but he failed to
respond, because he had fed, and may
as well tell you plainly, sir, though l
would spare your feelings, that enter
tain a grave suspicion which am sure
is shared by Mr.. Paxton"
aWhat do you mean?" demanded the
broker.
THAT circumstances seem to indicate
that Stuart Harland is John Oakburn's
murderer!" replied the police sergeant