Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-05-21

to foot II back 10 lOWn. lU was TWO
o'clock of still cold morning when
passed up the street on which Anson's
bank was situated, and just before
reached it | saw II woman emerge and
lock the door behind her. AS l caught
sight of her l dodged behind pile of
boxes at hand, and, peering out, l saw
her look up and down the street for
moment before she moved on. When
she started away l followed her, and
great was my surprise to see her bring
up at Anson's house, four blocks away.
That the muffled figure was woman /
did not doubt from the first; but it was
not until l had pondcred over the case
for several hours that l believed the
woman to be Mrs. Anson. When once
this idea came to me l began to work on
it. At that time, as l well knew, Mr..
Anson kept only one servant-a colored
cook. She was an old woman and quite
lame, and her feet were remarkable for
their size. Early the next morning
was out to look for tracks in the snow,
and L very soon found those of the mid
night woman. They had been made by
small and shapely feet-and that
cleared the cook.
But had there been another robbery
at the bank? ran away from school to
hang around the corner and wait for
the news; and before noon it was known
that another $1,000 package had been
taken. The circumstances were precise
ly the same-some one had entered the
bank and had worked the combination
of the vault. This third robbery started
run on the bank. There was no cause
for the furry, for Arson could pay two
dollars for one; but as this was the first
run ever made on the institution. that
and the robbery nearly drove him crazy.
| had good mind to go to him and tell
him what had seen. but, boy-like, Twas
| afraid to do it. l did go to the sheriff
and begin my story, but he laughed in
my face and said:
''Boy, you have been seeing ghosts
and having the nightmare. If you go
round talking this way to others they'll
call you crazy"
But did see woman come out of
the bank" persisted.
| Nonsense! You were alone and
afraid of your own shadow"
wasn't the bank robbed again last
night?"
"Anson says so, but he may have
made another mistake. Don't go about
talking, and don't meddle further
with this business. You'll get yourself
into heap of trouble if you don't look
out"
He hadn't done anything to clear up
the mystery, and he was perhaps little
fearful that l might strike clew. l
was not discouraged by what he said.
had no father to go to, and did not
think mother could help in the case.
Neither did I take any of my boy
chums into my secret, which you may
think strange. 1 was determined to
work that case out alone, and finally
accomplished 1t; but it was several
days before found way to make a
beginning. Joe Anson, the bankers
12-year-old son, and / were great
friends. I knew that he occupied a
small bedroom at the head of the
stairs, and there was chance that he
might have been awake and seen his
!. stepmother pass up or down.
On the night of the last robbery there
had been birthday party next door
to Anson's. knew Joe would have
that in mind, and by little question
ing found that he woke up that night
and found his mother gone. How to get
beyond that was a puzzle; but one aft
ernoon, three or four days later, went
| to the house to help Joe make trap
and his mother went out for n couple
, OF hours. took advantage of his in.
E nocence and the cooks stupidity to get
e upstairs and rummage about; and in
an old bandboX on the top shelf of her
{ closet found every dollar of the miss.
t ing money, just as it had been taken
from the bank, together with the writ
! ten directions as how to work the com
? bination, and a false key of the banl
door. did not remove anything, mol
I could the woman suspect what ha6
q discovered. She was the robber. Sht
had obtained the combination from
her husband before the trouble cam,
= up, and she had the nerve to get up II
Z the night and rob the bank. If sh
y had not used any of the money, sh,
q must have some object in view-prob
a ably to run away. did not dare to e.
a to the banker directly, but sent anothe
boy to him and had him call at m,
mothers house that evening.
Then I told him my story. I shall
: never forget how he sat there befor
: me, looking straight into my eyes, hi
), face growing old and haggard us tn
. minutes went by. Half an hou
wrought such facial changes that n
seemed almost like n stranger. Hi
Il very soul must have been tortured, bu
y he said not word until I was through
Then he quietly asked me to verif.
= certain points, seeming to have hop
). that I might after all be mistaken
There had been no blunder. He real
= lied 1t at last, and rising up he aslSe
:; me TO say nothing TO anyone else; an
bowed over like man of so, no left tn
9 house. Presently followed him.
g The stricken man did not go to tn
l. bank or his home, but walked out int