The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1895-12-05
the fact that their secret had been i'm

- de
"Are yoaL game to do us q favOr and
make $4,000 for yourselfg"
parted to another. More wine was or
dered, and before we parted had prom
ised not only secrecy; but, worse still,
I had also promised to consider the prop
osition and give my answer the follow
ing night.
AS my evil genius would have it, that
very morning I had visit in my Office
from the agent of my landlord request
ing arrears Of rent and from trades
man whom I was owing demanding i'm
mediate payment of an overdue bill.
Pressed for money as I was, the $780,
900 seemed large sum and offered an
easy way out Of my difficulties. I shall
never forget that day nor how it's slow
minutes dragged during the mental
struggle. Time after time said, "What
could I not do with $1O,O0O?" How
vast the possibilities before me with
that sum at my commando Then, after
all, had not the owner Of these bonds
lost them forever, and why should not
I have share instead Of letting those
villain detectives keep all? And through
all I kept saying to myself: "This Of
course is only speculation. will never
do this thing
At last the stars came out, and I
started for long walk alone up Broad
way to Fifth avenue and into the park.
Since that park was formed few men
have ever passed its walks in whose
bosoms ragged such tumult as in mine.
I was young, in love with pleasure, and
poverty seemed fearful thing kept
saying, II cannot do this thing" and
then I would add, "How am I to keep
up appearances and how am I to pay
my ,ebts?" Unhsppily had taken an
enemy into the citadel In the misery
of the struggle I drank heavily.
In my excitement I exaggerated my
poverty until it seemed impersonated
and assumed the guise of an enemy
threatening to enslave me. From s
O'Clock to II paced that mall, and then
left it to keep my appointment with
Irving & Co., with one thought surging
through my brain, and that was that I
dared not be poor, the result being that
before we parted, to their renewed ques-
ton, "Will you do this for us?'' "Of
course willp cried, and my feet had
slipped good many steps farther down
the Primrose Way to death.
The present generation has become
tolerably familiar with defalcations and
robberies involving enormous sums
Previous to 1861 they were compare
lively unknown, the reason being that
the currency Of the country was strictly
limited. There were absolutely no gov
eminent bonds Of currency, while the
few bonds issued by corporations were
not usually made payable to bearer and
therefore were not negotiable and were
Of no use to the robber. But in 1861, to
meet the expenses of the war, the state
banks were taxed out Of existence and
our present national currency system
came into being. In addition to the
enormous issue Of greenbacks, bonds
payable to bearer amounting to hun
dreds Of millions were issued by the
general government, by the individual
states, counties, towns and Cities all
becoming popular investments. The
business Of the express companies of the
United States took a new phase, and for
the first time in their. history they began
to be the carriers Of vast sums from city
to city. Then it was that those gentle
men who work without the pale Of the
law discovered new prospects Of wealth
and realized that even to crack q safe or
vault Of private firm would be reward
ed by 9, find of bonds that might amply
repay all risks Of robbery under police
protection, while to execute a successful
raid ON a car or even an express deliv-
cry wagon ON the street would mean
wealth. To burglarize the vaults Of q
bank meant, if undetected, anything
from opening a magnificent bar or hotel
in New York to steam yacht and win
ter cruises in the tropics and summer
nights ON the Mediterranean.
The first coup in this line, which at
once became famous, was startling IN
its ease and magnitude. It was known
and still is as 1.-The Lord bond robbery. -
Lord was q very wealthy man, who had
inherited his millions. His Office was
in Broad street, where he managed his
estates He had invested 81, 200, 600 in
7-S0 bonds, all payable to bearer.
For the thief, if he had any knowledge
Of finance and knew how to negotiate
them, such sum as this in bonds was
better than the same amount in gold.
This was really the first Of many
great bond robberies, and it struck the
popular fancy. but it stirred Wall street
greatly, Who shall describe the frenzy
Of excitement that broke out at 800
Mulberry street-police headquarters
when the first vague rumors Of gigan-
tic robbery were fully confirmed and it
became known that Hold Ennis and his
gang had a million and more Of plum
der?
All rings and pulls and gangs were
smashed, combined and recombined
again, while each and all were in an
agony Of fear lest the booty should be
sotrrsoo6 fn thu now