Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1900-09-14
CHAPTER Y.
PIECING THE EVIDENCE.

Sturgis was still busy with his dia-
gram. He spoke without looking up
from his work.
"Who besides yourself has a key to
the drawer in which this revolver is
kept?"
The cashier has one and the head
bookkeeper has another"
You mean the bookkeeper who sits
at the desk at the extreme right in the
bookkeepers' department?
Yes" replied Dunlap, that is Mr..
Arbogast's desk. Do you know him?"
mo. What did you say the gentle
mans name is?" The reporter looked
up and prepared to make a note of it.
John w. Arbogast."
"A man something over 30 years of
age, quite bald, with a fringe Of gray
hair; wears a heavy mustache and side
whiskers; and had on yesterday after
noon. when YOU last saw him. penper-
and-salt business suit said Sturgis,
writing down the name in his note
book.
Dunlap stared at the reporter in
amazement. Sturgis smiled slightly.
Il met the gentleman yesterday aft
ernoon," he explained.
"Oh, that accounts for it," exclaimed
how comes it that you did not know his
name?"
HE did not tell me his name" said
Sturgis, grayely, land l did not know
until just now that he was employed in
the Knickerbocker bank. How long
has he been with you?"
Nearly 20 years; but only for the
last five years as head bookkeeper."
II suppose you have every confidence
in his honesty?" asked the reporter,
looking critically at the diagram be-
fore him.
"Of course. Such a position is not
given TO a man unless his record is ex-
cellent.'
And yet" observed the reporter, re-
flectively, opportunity sometimes
makes the thief"
True; but the duty of a bank presi-
dent is to reduce such opportunities
TO minimum said Dunlap, somewhat
pompously.
Quite So" ossented Sturgis, land
this you accomplish by"
by having the books examined Pc
riodically," answered the banker, rub
bing his hands together with calm sat-
isfaction.
IL see," said the reporter, who had
now finished his sketch. do the en-
ployes of the bank know when an exam
nation of this kind is to be made?"
They do not even know that such
examinations are made. No one but
the accountant and myself are in the
secret; for the overhauling Of the books
is done entirely at night, after the bank
is closed"
"Have the books been recently ex-
amined?" asked Sturgis, carelessly.
Yes; only last week"
"Well?"
They were found to be all right, as
usual"
MAY l ask by whom"
"3y Murray & Scott. the expert ac-
couniants."
WAS the examination conducted by
Mr.. Murray or by Mr.. Scott?"
"By neither. For many years the
work was done by one or the other of
She members of the firm, but since
their business has grown TO its present
proportions Messrs. Murray and Scott
are olonger able togiye personal atten-
ton to their customers. For the last
two years they have sent us n trusted
employe, Mr.. Chatham-Thomas Chat
ham"
YES" said Sturgis, who was appar-
emily wool-gathering.
\ silence of several minutes followed, |
during which the reporter thought
fully inspected his collection of micro |
scopic odds and ends, while Dunlap |
beat the devils tattoo upon the desk.
Presently the reporter spoke again: |
"Do you know a young man, about |
five feet eight inches tall, with fiery red
hair, who affects somewhat loud |
clothes?'
"Why. that is Thomas Chatham. You
know him, then?"
81? No; l never heard of him be-
fore"
Then, how on earth do you
know"
"IIe has been here recently"
Eyes; told you he had been here last
week; but"
NO; / mean he was here yesterday
interrupted the reporter.
mot to my knowledge" said Dunlap,
81 thought as much, y Sturgis replied,
quietly; "but he was here, for all THAI"
The banker looked perpleXed.
"Now, another thing" continued
Sturgis. IL notice in the bookkeeoers'
department an announcement TO the
effect that on January 2--that is TO
say, Tomorrow new system of book
keeping will be adopted. Would this
be such as 10 bring TO light any ir-
that might exist in the
books?'
ayes; il involves the transfer of each
bookkeeper every month TO different
set of books. But fail to see the drift
Of YOUR questions"