The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1899-12-05

n
E.. %,9S the Macon County
<A %crSAN, Farm or s. and
CCS2 Traders Bank as
an assistant to the
cashier, Mr.. Graves. At first he had
rather more TO do with the corpulent
stove that ate up SO much soft coal
than with the books, but before the
winter passed he gained some insight
unto the beautiful system of double
entry, and the romance of business
began to unfold to him.
His proudest moment, perhaps, was
when the cashier gave him the com
bination to the fire proof vault, aud
then to the burglarproof safe that
stood far back on it's mosaic floor.
And when the black -and-gold door to
the safe swung wide, what an ecstasy
of responsibility to reach far in and
turn the dial that released the door of
the strong box, with its sacks of gold
and silver coin and its packages of
bills neatly tied, five hundred dollars
in q bunch!
Behind this steel door was the
wonderful time lock, with it's two
watches ticking necessarily, and
against which even the cashier was
helpless until after eight o'clock in
;he morning. Such precautions had
been found necessary IN that Western
country in which the Farmers &
Traders Bank did business.
For fifty miles around lay n rich
,attle country, and stock shipping
lays were redletter days for the
Farmers & Traders Bank. Twenty
five thousand dollars had been paid
put through the one window of the
oank in one day on the checks of
cattle buyers; and the knowledge that
such sums lay in banks of that section
had tempted bandits on more than one
occasion.
The safe in the Jamesport Savings
Bank, twenty-seven miles away, had
been blown open and robbed of fifteen
thousand dollars. Twelve miles south
Of Macon, the cashier of the Gallatin
National Bank had been shot dead
for resisting bold daylight raid, but
ae had saved the bank. To the east,
and at the next station down the rail
road, thJ Breckenridge Exchange
Bank had been held up by two masked
men, late one afternoon, and fifteen
hundred dollars in bills were sur
rendered by the terror-stricken
cashier.
Not one OF these robbers had been
brought 10 Justice. TO the north of
this stretch of fertile prairie country
was q wild, broken, river section. to
which they escaped. and where pur-
suit was almost useless.
Behind the ground-gla partition
that walled in tho secrets of the
Farmers & Traders Bank from the
open space by the big stove were two
impressive objects. Ono was lust
under the counter opposite the
teller's window, the other was farther
along to the left in similar position
two long, black, self-cocking re-
volvcrs, thrust into holsters nailed
fast 20 the woodwork. They were
grim, vicious things, but of their
necessity an item in the general
ledger account OF furniture and
fixtures was proof:
1.-Two Colts revolyers, S2S.'
They've never been fired since we
got them" said MIR Grave. when
Ashby had remarked them; "but we
keep them in readiness. It's the nm
expected that happens, you know.
10 an imaginative boy, who felt hi4
resp possibilities kcculy, these weapons
of defence doomed Importantly. Aghbv
could hardly imagine bank robbers
yenturiug into the wide, quiet main
street of Macon ut any hour. day on
night. But they had come To Brock
curidgc, G1IIatiu and Jamcsuort
Ashby meant 20 be ready for them at
all times Mr. Graves. tho cashier
had laughed at tho boy earnest plan
nings for resistance iu case tho Farm
crs' d Traders Bank .hOuld be at
tackled.
Suppose 7 were ut the window
looking into the muzzle of 70 revolver.
You couldn't sec 10 shoot through Che
ground glass, and you couldn't shoot
through the window without bciu.
seen by Che robbeg. What then am,
thc cashier smiled iu1ulgcutly NJ On,
boys troubled face.
Ashhy thought 500 Yftou about rob
bers aud how to aya Tine banks funds
from them Chat al last ho devised
scheme One morning in midwinter
when the snow lay fence dccp in conn
try lanes, and when busiucssiu Macon
because Of interrupted communicated
with the country, was almost ot
standsiill Mr.. Graves came dow
late, 20 find the boy at work with pen
cil and ruler on some sort OF mechaui
cal drawing. His ewes V ere dancin,