Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-06-03
$4,000 IN GOLD.

A perfect stranger walked into the
Sidcup branch of the London and Mis-
cellaneous bank and asked to see the
manager.
EXCUSE my troubling you," he said,
"but you may be interested to know
that there is a scheme on foot for the
burgling of this bank. As 1 happened
to be passing, I thought I'd look in and
tell you"
The manager, Mr.. Julian Foster, ex-
pressed his skepticism with appropriate
pomposity.
"My dear sir, a burglary at the Lon.
don and Miscellaneous bank You must
be dreaming"
~ hope I am" replied the other.
"And, if SO, l owe you an apology.
Anyhow, I'm not rounding on any pals,
and I'm not asking money for the infor-
nation. Fact is, I overheard a converse
tion that wasn't meant for me in a pub
lie hcuse-at least I overheard scraps
Of it-and I'm very much mistaken If
the burglary of your bank wasn't the
leading idea Of the dialogue"
Nj. Julian Foster, while expressing
his gratitude, poohpoohed the warn
ing. "Still, as l said," the manager
continued, "I'm very much obliged to
you, and, surprising it should turn out
that you have been we'll informed, the
directors would naturally be very
glad'-
"Never mind about that. I'm not on
the make. I only came and told you be-
cause l thought you'd like to know.
By by! Load up the shotgun and look
outr"
He shook hands and hurried off with
out even troubling to mention his name
and address. and Mr.. Julian Foster
leaned back in his chair and turned the
matter over in his mind.
"Hump' he soliloquized. II Won
der"
The Sidcup branch was certainly
easier to rob than most. 1t was situated
in a new house, the lease Of which had
been bought cheap from a stationer
whose business had been unsuccessful.
The safe, which stood in the back par
lor, wal Of a very simple and ordinary
kind.
On the other hand, the branch was
not, as a rule, worth robbing. 1t did
very little business, existing mainly for
the purpose Of raking in deposits, and
very little in the way Of cash or other
negotiable securities was ever kept
there.
On the following Wednesday, how.
ever, the branch would, for the first
time in its history, be in a position to
repay any burglar for his trouble. To
meet the views Of a particular depositor
in the company promoting business,
who had given notice of withdrawal,
there would be $50, 900 in the safe.
Mr.. Julian Foster, like most bank
managers, was good at arithmetic, and
he put two and two together.
Burglars, " be reflected, "like po-
lioemen, usually act upon information
received. though heaven only knows
where they get it from! II there's any
idea Of breaking into this bank, I think
we may take it that the attempt will
be made while that money is on the
premises.
That very afternoon he began his
preparations for giving the intrudars q
warm reception. As soon as banking
hours were over he went up to town
and bought a revolver. 1t was a weapon
he was used to, and he practiced sufa-
GENTLY to satisfy himself that he retain
ed a considerable skill with it. Then,
by degrees. his plan Of campaign de-
veloped itself.
1.-THE simplest way, I suppose" he
meditated, would be to get the police
to keep an extra lookout on Wednesday,
or ] might get q special plain clothes
officer down from headquarters. But
where should ! come in? The bank
wouldn't give me a service Of plate,
with promotion to follow, for that, and
I should look a pretty fool If it turned
out to be a false alarm"
So he took no IN into his confidence,
but thought out a scheme.
Wednesday came, and with it came
the messenger from Lothbury with the
gold-$50, 000-tied up securely in ten,
leather bags. He helped Mr.. Foster to,
look them away in the safe, on the in.
adequacy Of which be commented over
. glass Of sherry and a cigarette.
"I'm glad you noticed IL, " the man,
ager replied. "You'll support my ap..
plication for a better one. IN the mean.
time, however, I've got this"
He brought the six shooter ont Of the
drawer Of the deak and showed that it,
was loaded.
Mr.. Foster meditated till dinner
time. He meditated over his chop and.
bread and cheese. He went on meditat.
ing over bis whisky and water after
ward.
"Gold-yes, there ia enough gold.
there to stir any mans oupidity-the,
more especially AZ gold can't be traced.
II any burglar knows about those SOW
ereigns, that burglar will turn up to-
night.
Accidents will happen. Burglars'
aren't over scrupulous. Sometimes they
work with six shooters, sometimes with
ohloroform pads. They might happen