Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-02-14
$4,000 IN GOLD.

A perfect stranger walked into the
sidcup branch of the London and MIS-
cellaueous bank and asked to see the
manager.
EXCUSE my troubling you," he said
"but You may be interested to know
that there is scheme on foot Tor the
borgling of this bank. AS I happened
to be passing, thought I'D look in and
tell you"
The manager, Mr.. Julian Foster, ex'
pressed his skepticism with appropriate
pomposity.
"My dear sir, burglary at the Lon.
don and Miscellaneous bank You must
be dreamingv
II hope l am" replied the other.
"And, il 60, owe you an apology
Anyhow, I'm not rounding on any pals
and I'm not asking money for the mi T.
nation. Fact is, l overheard CONVERSE
ton that wasn't meant for me IN pub
lie hcuse-at least l overheard s:r
of it-and I'm very much mistaken
the burglary of your bank wasn't the
leading idea of the dialogue.
MIR. Julian Foster, while express'r 7
bis gratitude, poohpoohed the wa
ing. "still, as l said," the manager
continued, "I'm very much obliged to
you, and, supposing it should turn out
that YOU have heen we'll informed, the
directors would naturally be very
glad"-
"Ncver mind about that. I'm not II
the make. l only came and told you be-
cause ! thought you'd like to know
By by! Load up the shotgun and look
Quit"
He shook hands and hurried off with
out even troubling to mention his name
and address, aud Mr.. Julian Foster
leaned back in his chair and turned tho
matter over in his mind.
"Humw he soliloquized. II won
der"
The Sidoup branch was certainly
easier to rob than most. 1t was situatet
in a new house, the lease OF which hat
been bought cheap from a stat'one
whose business had been unsuccessful
The safe, which stood in the back par
lor, was Of very simple and ordinar!
kind.
On the other hand, the branch wa
not, as a rule, worth robbiDg. 1t di'
very little business, existing mainly TO
the purpose of raking in deposits, an
very little in the way of cash or othe
negotiable securities was ever KEEP
there.
On the following Wednesday, how
ever, the branch would, for the firs
time in its history, be in position
repay any burglar for his trouble. L
meet the views of particular depositc
in the company promoting business
who had given notice of withdrawal
there would he $50, 600 in the safe.
Mr.. Julian Foster, like most ban
managers, was good at arithmetic, an
be put two and two together.
"Bu1glars, he reflected, like pr
licemen, usually act upon informatio
received, though heaven only know
!, where they get it from If there's an
idea of breaking into this bank, J. thin
we may take it that the attempt wi
be made while that money is GU til
premises.
: That very afternoon he began HI
preparations for giving tho intruders
warm reception. AS soon rs bankin
hours were over he went up to tow
l and bought revolver. 1t was weapo
I be was used to, and he practiced suff
GENTLY to satisfy himself that he retain
ed considerable skill with it, Thel
by degrees. his plan of campaign d.
veloped itself.
, "The simplest way, suppose,
meditated, "wouId be to get the polio
to keep an extra lookout on Wednesda.
or l might get special plain CLOTH
officer down from headquarters. b,
where should come in? The ban
wouldn't give me service Of plat
with promotion to follow, for that, al
should look pretty fool if it turne
out to be a false alarm"
So he took no one into his confidence
but thought out scheme.
Wednesday came, and with it can
the messenger from Lothbury with ii
Il gold-$5O, O00-tied up securely in te
leather bags. He helped Mr.. Foster
d lock them away in the safe, on the il
adequacy of which he commented ov'
a glass Of sherry and cigarette.
"I'm glad you noticed it," the ma,
/, ager replied. "You'll support my al
y plication for better one. In the meal
time, however, I've got this.
e He brought the six shooter out Of tt
: drawer of the desk and showed that
was loaded
l, Mr.. Foster meditated till dim,
u time. He meditated over his chop an
bread and cheese. He went on media
T. ing over his whisky aud water afte
: ward.
"Gold-yes, there is enough gol
! there to stir any mans cupidity-tt
more especially as gold can't be trace
If any burglar knows about those so
ereigns, that burglar will turn up t.
night.
: Accidents will happen. Burgla
= aren't over scrupulous. Sometimes the
work with six shooters, sometimes wit
+ ohloroform pads They might happe