The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1900-07-13
WHO FIRED THEM?
STORY OF A STRAY SATCHEL.
THE POLICE PUZZLED.


THE POLICE PUZZLED.
while on his beat, at a quarter past five
o'clock this afternoon, Policeman John
Flynn, hearing the report Of pistol from
the direction of the Knickerbocker bank
'The Knickerbocker bank!" inter
rupted the young broker. Mr.. Dunlap,
that interests you. Do your directors
indulge in pistol practice at the board
meetings?'
"Whatis that about the Knickerbock-
er bank?" asked the man to whom this
speech was addressed. Having been en-
gagged with his neighbor in an earnest
discussion on financial questions, he
had not been listening to the general
conversation.
Murdoch adjusted his eyeglasses and
quietly resumed:
policeman John Flynn, hearing the re-
port of a pistol from the direction of the
Knickerbocker bank. in Wall street, start
ed at the top of his speed toward that build
ing. When he was within about 20 yards
of the bank another shot rang out, and at
the same instant man darted down the
steps and ran toward Broadway"
Richard Dunlap, president of the
Knickerbocker bank, was listening at
tentively enough now. Behind the calm
mask of the firancier there was the evil
dent anxiety of the bank president.
For the stability of bank, like the
honor of a woman, is at the mercy of
every passing rumOr.
HE carried in his hand a small satchel,
which he dropped as soon as he saw that
he was pursued After an exciting chase
Flynn overlook his man, whom he recog-
niZed as Michael Quinlan, alias Shorty
Duff a well-knOwn sneak thief. On the
way back to the bank the policeman CUES
toned his prisoner about the pistol shots.
Quinlan vehemently denied having fired
them; but admitted that he had stolen the
satchel His story is that as he was
passing the bank, the outer door was ajar.
Seeing the satchel in the vestibule, he en-
tered, cTouching low in order to avoid be-
ing seen through the inner door, the upper
portion of which is of plate glass. Scarce
ly had he laid his hands upon the satchel
when he was startled by the report of a
pistol. For a moment he was dazed and
undecided how TO act. Then, as no one
seemed to take any notice of his presence,
he was quietly slipping off, when a second
shot was fired. Panic-stricken, he took to
II
ION reaching the bank Flynn found the
outer door closed, but not fastened. The
heavy iron gate between it and the inner
door was securely locked. however, so
that it was impossible to enter. The Knick-
erDocker bank has a second entrance on
Exchange place. But this, too, is protect
ed by d massive iron gate, which also was
found locked. Flynn raped for assistance.
and the call having been answered by Po-
licemen Fitzpatrick and ODonnell, he left
the former to watch the Exchange place
door, and the latter to guard the entrance
on Wall street, while he took his prisoner
to the police station.
Messengers were at once dispatched to
the house of Richard Dunlap. the presi-
dent of the bank and to that of Mr.. George
S. Rutherford the cashier. The former was
not at home and the family being out o?
town, there was no one who knew where he
was spending the evening
Every eye turned toward Richard
Dunlap as this paragraph was read.
His features remained impressive, under
the full control of the veteran finan-
cier; but to an Observant eye like Stur-
gis', the mans real anxiety was be-
trayed by the unconscious action of his
right hand, which lay upon the table
and played nervOusly with a fork.
Eyes" said the banker, carelessly.
feeling the curious gaze of the other
guests upon him. and answering their
unspoken questions. yes. that is true;
l dio not tell my housekeeper that |
was invited to dine by onr friend
Sprague this evening. There was, of
course, no reason why l should. Well.
DR.. Murdoch, did they find Ruther-
ford ~
Murdoch had looked up while the
banker was speaking. He now leisure
ly found his place and continued the
reading of the article in the Tempest:
1.-The cashier fortunately was at home.
and he hurried down town at once with his
set of bank keys. Two detectives from the
central Office accompanied him. ard the
three men carefully searched the premises
They found nothing out Of the way there.
except that three gas jets were lighted and
turned on full blaze. at first the detectives
were inclined TO think that bank robbers
had gained an entrance to the building: and
that one of them. having caught siCht of
Shorty Duff as he reached in to steal the
satchel from the vestibule. had fred upon
him. This would explain the pistol shots
heard by Flynn. A careful examination Of
the bank, however failed to reveal any
trace Of a bullet
Tho valise, when opened, proved to con-
tain only a change of linen for 4 man and a
few toilet articles of but slight intrinsic
value. The satchel itself is an ordinary
cheap leather handbag, stamped in imita-
tor of alligator skin.
The police are now looking for its owner
in the hope that he win be able TO throw