Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-04-29

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At 3.55 the manager of Ployd, Cow
& Co. handed in his books and checks
amounting to $4,000. The paying
cashier looked up as he heard his
voice.
He called some one to take his
place and disappeared into the Sec
retary's room, and within twelve min
utes the police wero at work on the
case.
The check presented at 3 45 was q
forgery and the man who presented
it some Dummy" who had made
himself up like Mr.. Smith of Ployd,
Cow g. Co. s.
This was not difficult task. The
counterfeit man was the same height
as the original and about the same
make. Smith had not spoken 100
words to the cashier during the five
years his firm had dealt with the
bank.
He always wore a blue serge Office
coat whatever the weather. He al
ways wore a silk top hat, and it invar-
iably worked its way to the back of
his head before he had worn it three
minutes.
No one ever saw him at the bank
without his gold-rimmed eyeglasses
and his tightly rolled umbrella.
Smith had u friendly nod for the
patrons ho knew in business way,
put he seldom spoke a single word to
any one.
Officers were sent to every railway
terminus; they searched the hotels
and very likely place for man to try
to change his clothes. If the fellow
had not some safe hiding place Sc
lected in advance tho chances were
more than ten to one against his MAX
ing an escape.
In room 5 of Cremane's private and
commercial hotel, which 1 will admit
was not first-class establishment, but
still good enough for traveller earn
ing $40 week, l read most of the
particulars given above in the even
ing paper. The officials had done
their best to keep the whole affair
dark until some clue was gained, but
the reporters had been too many for
them.
l had come in from my round OF
calls utterly tired out. Reaching my
room, pulled off my boots, lighted u
pipe, sat down with my feet on the
bed, and this bank business was the
first thing which which caught my eye
as 1 glanced over the paper. I had
just finished the article when the night
porter came up.
''Heard about the bank swindle ?'
he asked, as he entered my room,
without the preliminary trouble OF
tapping.
'Just read it"
"Cool chap, wasn't he? And,
say, there are a couple of detectives
downstairs now. They say they've
shadowed him here, and they're go
ing to search the whole place. They
are on the floor below now, and will
want to come in here in minute"
He had scarcely finished speaking
when the men appeared. was head
shorter than Ployd's manager. was
thin, while he was stout, and l was
young, while he was middle aged.
But those old sleuthhounds came in
on tiptoe, looked at me out of the cor
ners of their eyes, and sat down on
the edge of my two chairs to question
me, the bigger of the two taking the
precnution to place his seat between
me and the door. 1t was fully quar-
ter of an hour before they had fin
isnad, and then they seemed to take it
as apersonal injury that l hadn't COM
mitted the crime.
Before my visitors left one of them
suggested with wink to his comrade
tnet 1 might as well be taken along on
general principles, as there was no
telling what | would not own up to af.
ter/a week in prison. But the other
was not SO evil minded.
In fact, he took n fatherly interest
in my welware and put his hand upon
my shoulder pleasantly and compass
sionately as he advised mo it would be
better to restore the money while
there was yet time. refused to dis
gorge, and he went out sorrowing,
saying that l had missed q golden OPP
portunity and that should like to re-
pent and wear q convict's suit.