Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-09-07
CHAPTER x.
P1Ec1Na THE EVIDENCE.


Sturgis was still busy with his dia-
gram. He spoke without looking up
from his work.
"Who besides yourself has key to
the drawer in which this revolver is
kept?"
1.-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
bookkecpers' department?
"Yes,' replied Dunlap, "that is Mr..
Arbogast's desk. Do you know him2"
mo. What did you say the gentle
mans name ISL" The reporter looked
up and prepared to make note of it.
John w. Arbogast.'
IA man something ever so years Of
age, quite bald, will .age of gray
hair; wears heavy ii.uStache and side
whiskers; and had on yesterday after
noon, when you last saw him, pepper
and-salt business suit" said Sturgis,
writing down the name in his note
book.
Dunlap stared at the reporter In
amazement. sturgis smiled slightly.
81 met the gentleman yesterday aft
ernoon," he explained.
"Oh, that accounts for It'll" exclaimed
the banker. II see-but-but, then,
how comes it that you did not know his
name2"
HE did not tell me his NAME" said
Sturgis, gravely, "and I did not know
until just now that he was employed ~
the Knickerbocker bank. How long
has he been with your"
NEARLY 20 years; but only for the
last five years as head bookkeeper."
II suppose you have every confidence
In his honestly" asked the reporter,
looking critically at the diagram be.
fore him.
"Of course. Such position is not
| given to man unless his record is ex-
! cellent."
"And yet" observed the reporter, re-
fectively, opportunity sometimes
makes the thief"
True; but the duty of bank presi-
dent is to reduce such opportunities
| to a minimum" said Dunlap, somewhat
pompously.
"Quite so," assented sturgis, land
this you accomplish by"
by having the books examined Pc
| riodically," answered the banker, rub
bling his hands together with calm sat
tsfaotion.
II see," said the reporter, who had
p16yes Of tfs b hhk know wien sm an exam
nation of this kind is to be made ?"
"They do not even know that such
examinations are made. No ono but
the accountant and myself are in the
secreti for the overhauling Of the books
is done entirely at night, after the bank
is closed"
Have the books been recently ex.
amined3" asked Sturgis, carelessly.
"Yes; only last week"
"WeH2"
'TheY were found to be all right, a.
usual"
May ask by whom?"
by Murray & Scott, the expert &C.
countants."
Was the examination conducted By
Mr.. MurrrAAor by Mr.. Scott?"
by neither. For many years the
work was done by one or the other of
she members of the frms but since
their business has grown to Its present
proportions Messrs. Murray and Scott
Interchangeable to give personal atten-
ton to their customers. Tor the last
two years they have sent us trusted
employe, Mr.. observation-disclosures Chat
ham,"
Yes" said sturgis, wltoswas appar-
emily wool-gathering.
A silence of several min ntes;followed,
during which the reporter thought
fully inspected his collection of micro
scopic odds and ends, while Dunlap
beat the devils tattoo up on the desk.
Presently the reporter spoke again:
do you know young man, about
Ave feet eight inches tad, With fiery red
hair, who affects somewhat loud
clothes?"
"Why, that is Thomtis Chatham You
know him, then?"
IT? No; never heard, of him, be-
fore"
'"Then, how on earth do you
Know"
HE has been here recently"
Eyes; told you!he had been here last
week; but"
No; I mean lie was here, yesterday
afternoon" int rrupted the,reporter.
Mot to my Knowledge" said Dunlap,