Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-06-06
CHAPTER w.
THE BANK PRESIDENT.

CHAPTER Nv.
THE BANK PRESIDENT.
Sprague's dinner party was over,
and among the first to take their
leave, shortly after midnight, were
Dunlap, sturgis and DR.. Thurston.
The reporter did not often spend
an evening in worldly dissipation. He
was man of action, n hard worker
and an enthusiastic student. Almost
all of the time which was not actually
spent in the pursuit of his profession,
was devoted to study in many widely
different fields of art and science.
For Sturgis' ideal of his profession
was high; he held that almost every
form of knowledge was essential to
success in his line of work. 1t was
seldom, therefore, that he allowed
himself to spend precious evening
In social intercourse, unless as more
or less direct means to some end. He
had made an exception in favor of
Sprague's dinner, and his meeting
with Dunlap, whom he had not pre-
viously known, had been entirely ac-
cidental
Dunlap was, however, man whom
Sturgis needed to see in the course
OF his study of the Knickerbocker
bank mystery, and he had not lost
the opportunity which chance had
placed in his way. After obtaining an
introduction to the bank president,
the reporter had sought an occasion
to speak with him in private; and, as
this did not present itself during the
course of the evening, he had timed
his departure SO that it should coin
eide with that of Dunlap. DR.. Thurs
ton had followed his friends lead.
care you going down to the bank
this evening, Mr.. Dunlap?" asked
Sturgis, as the trio faced the bleak
wind.
II? No. Why should ~" inquired
the banker, in apparent surprise.
II see no particular reason why
you should" replied the reporter. "If
to-day were a banking day, there
would be no time to lose. But since
it is New Years day, there is little,
if any, chance of the trail being dis
turbed; and it will be much easier
to find it in broad daylight than by
gaslight. Our friends of the central
office are usually pretty clever in dis
covering at least the more evident
clews in case of this sort, even when
they have not the ability to correct
ly interpret them. And since they
have completely failed in their search
tonight, we must anticipate more
than ordinarily difficult puzzle"
why, Mr.. sturgis," said Dunlap,
somewhat anxiously. "You talk as
though you really believed that some
mysterious crime has been committed
at the bank"
II do not know enough about the
case as yet to advance any positive
belief in the matter" said Sturgis;
'but If we assume as correct the cir
cumstances related in the article
which DR.. Murdoch read to us this
evening, they certainly present an
extraordinary aspect"
Dunlap reflected for an instant.
'Still, the fact that our cashier
found everything in good order at the
bank is in itself completely reassur-
ing" he said, musingly.
very likely" assented sturgis. at
is quite possible that from bankers
point of view the problem is wholly
devoid of interest; but from de-
tective's standpoint 1t appears to be
full of promising features. There
fore, whether or not you intend to
look farther into the matter yourself,
1 beg you will at least authorize me
to make survey of the field by day
light in the morning"
Dunlap looked anything but pleased
as the reporter spoke these words.
He thought before replying.
Frankly, Mr.. Sturgis," he said, at
length, with studied courtesy, II will
not conceal the fact that what you
ask places me in a rather awkward
position. You are friend of my
friend sprague, and my personal In
tercourse with you this evening has
been pleasant enough to make me
hope that, in the future, 1 may be
SO fortunate us to include you in my
own circle of acquamtances. There
fore, on personal grounds, it would
give me great pleasure to grant your
request. But on the other hand, you
are o journalist and I am a banker;
and 1t is with banks as with nations
happy that which has no history.
Capital is proverbially timid, you
know"
II see," said sturgis; ''you fear that
the reputation of the Knickerbocker
bank may suffer If the mystery of
the pistol shots is solved"
mo, no, my dear sir; not at all,
not at all. You quite misunderstood
me-" replied the banker, with just a
shade of warmth. sit is not ques-
ton of the banks credit exactly,
since there has been neither robbery
nor defalcation; but depositors do not
like to see the name of their bank
mentioned in the newspapers; they
take fright at once. Depositors are
most unreasonable beings, Mr.. Stur-
gis; they are liable to become panic
stricken on the most insignificant prov
ocation; and then they run amuck
like mad sheep. The Knickerbocker
bank does not fear any run that
might ever be made upon it. Its
credit stands on too secure founda-
tion for that. But nevertheless a run
on bank is expensive, Mr.. Sturgis,
very expensive"
''The banks affairs being in so sat
isfactory condition." observed the
reporter, at seems to me that what
ever harm publicity is likely to dc
has already been done. The imagina-
tions of your depositors are now at
work sapping the foundation of the
Knickerbocker bank. If the truth
cannot injure it's credit, it can only
strengthen it; and to withhold the
truth under the circumstances is to
invite suspicion"
Dunlap did not appear to like the
turn the conversation was taking
He walked along in silence for few
minutes, irresolute. At length he
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