Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-01-23
THE TIVERTON3z=
zE~BANk MYSTERY.
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I'VE come, Judge, to ask II you'll let
me tell you what no one on earth
- don't know but me, bout that bank
mystery.
Yes, thank you. I will sit down. A
Ore feels good on a night like this.
faint often such rs I have chance
ct this kind Of comfort and luxury.
What do know about the bank mys-
terry? Land sakes. Judge, time they
opened the bank that day ten years ago
and found the bank vault broke into
and the safe blowcd up and not dol.
lar gone, I could have told It all. The
people Of Tiverton amt done talking
and wondering bout It yet, and there
amt never been no one livin' a. could
tell what 1t oil meant but me.
brought some papers-here they
are. judge-wherc It's all written down
and I can swear to II II you like.
don't want them never used, though,
unless I die and something comes up
a. would make II best for my family to
know, though there's this In II I'd ruth.
er die than have 'em know. II It's all
the same to you, Judge, I'd like to tell Il
70 you. Seems like I'd get rid Of load
and would be happier and die easier
feelin' Id spoken II all out to one livin'
human.
You'll be glad to lIsten7 Thats good
Of you. knowed you was kind man
and Just one; that's why I come to
you. No. thank you, don't smoke; l
put all that money away for my wife
and children.
DO you hear that storm3 Outside
seems like all the evil powers was let
loose. You can't Judge bout II here. II
comes kind Of mutiied like through
those thick curtains and II don't shake
this great house like II does some.
It's this kind Of night that makes
men huddle together. Judge. and plan
how to get rich and have nne things
such ~ the likes Of you. I've been
through II all; know. I've felt - II I
had a. good right to 'em % anyone
and was bound to have EN-, too.
warn't brought up to no trade nor moth.
In and fair means seemin' to fail, I
took to the other.
Yes, Judge. I started out In life q thief
and robber-'-i~prospersd fairly In .
small way and no ono didn't catch up
with me for some time. Then I Joined
Q gang In for everything. Lord, but Il
was fascinating! 1t was like drink;
couldn't give It up and couldn't got
enough Of 1t. was in prison and out
then, the old story. till I married and
begun to have little ones.
Then, Lord knows what helped me-
something did-and for the sake Of my
wife and children, broke loose from
everything and camc here, where no
one didn't know me, to start over again.
I had some money and opened the re-.
taurant just opposite tho bank.
Long as ! didn't read the papers !
got ON we'll; but let mo 500 them and
I'd hunt through 'em for the robbcries,
and I'D be craxy. plumb crazy Tor Q
while. aching to DO In It all again. See.
In bout my old pals gettin' In trouble
didn't make no difference.
Time come. though. when I begun to
enjoy life differently. and to feel my.
self more respectable. The love for
tho old life begun ter 20 till I could
read about It without gettin' all nrcd
up. I thought then was all right.
Then they come here. part Of tho gang
I'd belonged to. First knowsd Of Il
was SEEM 'em In the restaurant. I
sanlOlouoH thnu ans u,1s< v,o,> Ca - -~>A
and 1t most took my breath away. They
knowed me quick enough. too, and
nothin' wouldn't do but must Join 'em.
I was the very man they wanted, I
could help 'em and was bound to 'em.
twas the biggest thing they'd under.
taken yet; the hank. They'd come on
to examine tho situation, knowing
that MIR. Durkec, the new mill owner,
would make big payment soon and
the money for 1t would be In the bank
here. II there weren't anything else.
that would be big haul, worth havin'
aud me bein' here decided 'em.
! do think tho devil brought all his
friends and relations with him that
night to tempt me. u forgot how to
sleep and just couldn't stay In bed. ]
wonder warn't In tatters by mornin'
with the devil tuggin' at me o. he did
and tryln' to keep me out of tho room
where my sleepin' children lay.
Lord, 1t makes me creep and pcrspirc
all over now to think OF 1t.
Yer see them bank people come ovel
to my place for lunch best part Of the
time, and they all knOwed my little
people, and the mill people knowed 'em
too. My oldest boy worked In the mill
and they'd been as kind as could bs
when he's sick. Christmas time thcy'i
good to him. too, and there warn't {
bank officer but what had remembered
my little people. even to tho Waterman
Seemed like robbing my own people
somehow. Is bound not to inform Of
the gang, and ehey's bound ter rob tho
bank, but cursed 'em In my heart To-
comm Just when ] was gettin' rid O
the old life for good and all. "Twa'
awful!
Well. Judge. you know how then
rooms over the bank was rented to star
q new daily paper. ] made 'cm swea
solemn a. my name warn't to appea
nowhere. I'd plan It all out and Civ
'em points and be on hand at the last
but.I had to be cautious.
They found out when the money wa
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