Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-10-17
five MINUTES ASLEEP.
BY AUGUSTA PRESCOTT.

, them, l persuaded them to place $780,
600 in the Beaconfield Bank. l showed
to what an extent was depositor
and stakeholder, and / personally saw
the account opened and the money de-
posted, after which l remained until
the Waterman came on duty. All
passed off well during the night, but
this morning the money was gone"
How many persons knew of the
| combinations"
Jonathan Caldwell's face fell Mr..
Martinez Il grieve to say that the only
persons who knew that combination
last night were the cashier and myself
Not even the President, Mr.. Leclare,
was let into the secret. By his own
request we kept it from him. To-day
his actions plainly showed that he sus-
pected me-
And the cashier?"
HE lives at Beverly. He took the
O'Clock train to his home, dined early.
spent the evening with his wife and
was awakened at o'clock this morn
ing. This much have already ascer-
tanned by sending our most trusty
clerk out to Beverly
THE disagreeable feature of this
robbery, continued Mr.. Caldwell, with
MS race flushing to the roots of his
halr, is the position in which it places
me. 1t is this in a nutshell: | bring
the projectors of western enterprise
to my bank. | urge them to place
their money in its vaults. | obtain.
contrary to custom, the combination
OF the vault. The next morning the
money is gone. Worse than that, I am
away from my home all night, for last
night | started away upon a short
pleasure tour, and was only recalled
this morning by telegram from the
President. Of course, no notice has
been taken of these facts as yet. But
in the investigation which will follow
they will surely be brought out And
| need not say how they would damage
me-
Jonathan Caldwell paused / poured
him out a glass of water, and l begged
him to calm himself.
Does any one know you have sent
for me?" | asked
NO one. Foreseeing that this
would turn into personal matter
with me, | telegraphed for you to he
my personal detective in this matter.
And, Mr.. Martinez" rE;ching forward
and taking my hand ''if you will fer
ret out this case and find the guilty
party | will give you $4,000. | am a
poor man now, for this loss will fall
largely on me, but l would pay half [
own to be set straight in this
wretched matter
Very WELL" said I, ''but there is no
time to lose. You say there will be a
meeting of the directors this afternoon.
At this meeting there will be awk-
ward inquiries. Can you not feign
sudden illness and have it put off a
day? This is Saturday. Monday af-
ternoon would be better, for it would
give me two days"
81 will do So"
"Now, Mr.. CALDWELL" said l, you
must quiet yourself and prepare to
-urdy 'TarT--uI 40 uvv-r3eIJ ,'--'-D - )
should make a thorough inspection of
the bank in working hours, and that
without any one suspecting who I am.
Go to the bank as usual this morning,
and when | arrive treat me as you
would treat any stranger. But tell
me first if l have your entire conf
dence."
certainly" with some surprise.
"Then give ne $4,000 in ready
money
| had so little confidence in Jona-
than Caldwell's ability to play part
that it was with many misgivings that
| saw him off to the bank.
Half an hour later a cab drove up
to the Beaconfield Bank. There step
ped from it a well dressed gentleman