Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-02-02
10000 i'm Gold.

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 / happened
to be passing, thought I'd look in and
tell YOU
The manager, Mr.. Julian Foster, ex-
pressed his secpticism with appropri-
ate pomposity.
My dear sir, a burglary at the Lon
don and Miscellaneous Bank! You
must be dreaming"
81 hope l am" replied the other
And if so, owe you an apology. Any
how, Pm not rounding on any pals
and Pm not asking money for the in
formation. Fact is, | overheard a
conversation that wasn't meant for me
in public house-at least | over
heard scraps of it, and I'm very much
mistaken if the burglary of your bank
wasn't the leading idea of the dia-
logue."
his gratitude, pooh-poohed the warn
ing. Still, as | said" the manager
continued, Il am very much Obliged
to you, and supposing it should turn
out that you have been well informed
the directors would naturally be very
glad
Never mind about that. I'm not
on the make thought you'd like to
know, By my! Load up the shotgun
and look QUIT"
He shook hands and hurried off
without even troubling to mention his
name and address, and Mr.. Julian Fos-
ter leaned back in his chair and turn
ed the matter over in his mind.
Hunt" he soliloquized. 81 wonder"
The Sidcup branch was certainly
easier to rob than most. 1t was sit
uated in new house. the lease of
which had been bought cheap from
stationer whose business had been
unsuccessful. The safe, which stood
in the back parlor, was of very sim
pie and ordinary kind.
On the other hand, the branch was
not as a rule, worth robbng. 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 it's history be in a position to
repay any burglar for his trouble. To
meet the views Of particular de-
positor in the companypromoting
business, who had given notice of
withdrawal, there would be $4,000 in
the safe.
Mr. Julian Foster, like most bank
managers was good at arithmetic, and
he put two and two together.
Burglars" he reflected, like police
men, usually act upon information re-
ceived, though heaven only knows
where they get it from! If there's any
idea of breaking into this bank
think we may take 1t that the attempt
will be made while that money is on
the premises"
The very afternoon he began his
preparations for giving the intruders
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 prac-
ticed sufficiently to satisfy himself
that he retained considerable skill
with it. Then, by degrees, his plan of
campaign developed itself
The simplest way, suppose" he
mediated, would be to get the police
to keep an extra lookout on Wednes-
day, or ] might get special plain
clothes officer down from headquar-
tiers. But where should ! come in?
The bank wouldn't give me a service
Of plate, with promition to follow, for
that: and should look pretty tool II
il turned out to be false alarm
So he took no one into his conf
dence, but thought out a scheme.
Wednesday came and with 1t came
the messenger from Lothbury with le
gold $50 900, tied up securely in ten
leather bags. He helped Mr. Fos-
ter to lock them away in the safe, on
the inadequacy OF which he com
mented over a glass Of sherry and a
cigarette.
I'm glad you noticed it, the man
aged replied. You II support my APP
plication for a better one. In the
meantime, however I've got this
He brought the six-shooter out OF
the drawer Of the desk and showed
that il was loaded.
Mr. Foster meditated till dinner
time; he meditated over his chop and
bread and cheese: be went on medi-
tating over his whiskey and water
afterwards
"Gold-yes, there is enough gold