The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-06-12
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"Lakerl What, here?"


~ think so. Steady up the steps
don't bump him. He's pretty sore al
ready, l expect.
Truly, the man was a pitiable sight. His
hair and face were caked in dust and
blood, and his finger nails were torn
and bleeding. Water was sent for at once
and brandy.
"Well," said Plummer, hazily, looking
first at the unconscious prisoner and then
at Hewitt, "but what about the swagY"
"You'll have to find that yourself,
Hewitt replied ~ think my share OF the
case is about finished. only act for the
Guarantee Society, you know, and II
Laker's proved innocent"-
"Innocent2 How?"
"Well, this is what took place, as near
as / can figure it. You'd better undo his
collar, / think'-this TO the men. "N hat
| believe has happened is this: There has
been very clever and carefully prepared
conspiracy here, and Laker has not been
the criminal, but the victim"
"Robbed himself, you mean But
how? where"
yesterday morning, before he had been
to more than three banks-here, in fact "
"But, then, how? You're all wrong. We
| know he made the whole round and dld
all the collection. And then Palmer's
| office and all, and the umbrella; Why
The man lay still unconscious. Don't
raise his head" Hewitt said. "And one OF
| you had better fetch doctor. He's had
| a terrible shock" Then turning TO Plum
mer he went on: GAS to how they man
| aged the job, I'll tell you what / think.
| First. it struck some very clever person that
| a deal of money might be got by robblng
| walk clerk from a bank. This clever person
| was one OF clever gang of thieves perhaps
| the HoXton row gang-as / think hlnted.
! Now, you know quite as we'll as do that
| such gang will spend any amount OF
| time over Job that promises big haul,
| and that for such job they can always
| command the necessary capital there are
| many most respectable persons living in
| good style in the suburbs whose chief
business lies in favoring such ventures and
taking the chief share of the proceeds.
Well, this is their plan, carefully and in
telligently carried out. They watch
Laker, observe the round he takes, and
his habits. They find that there is only
one of the clerks, with whom he does busi-
ness, that he is much acquainted with,
and that this clerk is in bank which Is
commonly second in Laker's round. The
sharpest man among them-and L don't
think there's man in London could do
this as well as young Sam Gunter-
studies Laker's dress and habits just as
an actor studies character. They
take this office and cellar we have
seen, because it is next door to O
bank whose front entrance is being altered
"a fact which Laker must know from his
| daily visits. The smart man, Gunter, lei
us say, and l have other reasons for be-
lieving it TO be he-makes up precisely
like Laker, false mustache, dress and
everything, and waits here with the rest
of the gang. One of the gang is dressed II
blue coat with brass buttons like 9
hall porter in Buffers bank. Do yor
see2"
"Yes, Think so. It's pretty clear now. ,
GA confederate watches at the top o
the court, and the moment Laker turns
in from Cornhill- having already been
mind, at the only bank where he was 50
well known that the disguised thief woul'
not have passed muster-as soon as h
turns in from Cornhill, j say, signal
, given, and that board"-pointing to tha
with the white letters-"is hung on tn
, hook in the door post. The sham porte
stands beside it and as Laker approaches
says: 'This way in, sir, this morning
: | The front ways shut for the alterations.
: LalIer, suspecting nothing, and sup
posing that the firm have made temper
ary entrance through the empty house