The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-19
A BIG NEWSPAPER STORY
FORMER REPORTER TALKS REMI-
NIsCENTLY OF A BANK FAILURE.
He Worked for Several Hours on the
Theory That He Had Scoop
Fooled by a Lawyer.

OF bank gave me a clew 10 one OF the
biggest newspaper stories ever sprung on
the people of Indianapolis" said promi-
nent politician who was at one time re-
porter on one of the indianapolis papers
1T was on a bitterly cold night L forget
the exact date but it was the Sunday night
before the Ritzinger Bank failed. l was
hurrying along Washington street on my
way to the office of the paper on which
was employed and the thought of getting
any kind Of story. much less one or ire
mendous news value, was entirely absent
from my Mind in fact. 1 was anxious to
get out of the cold into the office. where
l Knew it was good and warm.
1.-THE Ritzinger Bank was situated on
Washington street, few doors east or the
alley on which Fletcher's Bank is now To-
Gated, and on the same side of the street
AS / scurried past the bank l glanced at
its windows in casual way and was about
to pass the place when / happened TO see
a puff of smoke rising above the curtain
of one window. AS is customary In sucn
institutions, the curtains of all the 'front.'
windows were elevated to distance OF
trifie over half way to the top of the VIM
dow frame at the close of business each
night. When the curtains were thus raised
the sign painted on them, Bank closed
was brought into the view of passersby.
The sight of that little curl of smoke had
a peculiar effect on me. Cold as L was and
anxious TO reach warm spot, l halted
in front of the bank and kept my eyes
fixed on that open space above the curtain
Soon 1 was rewarded by seeing a second
column of blue smoke ascend into the air
of the room. wonder what those two
80 Do, Of
o'clock Sunday night, was the first thought
that struck me- 1 had never heard of
bookkeepers in banks working that long
after the close of business Saturday In an
effort TO strike a balance
THE REAL IMPORT.
1.-THE real import of the presence Of the
men in the banking room did nos come to
ne for some time, but 1 felt instinctvely
that something was decidedly in the wind
In order 10 gain better view Of the in
terror of that room il possible l made
detour across the street and mounted the
iro.. railing which at that time was placed
around the plate glass windows OF the big
clothing store that situated cat-a-
corner from the bank. From this point OF
vantage L was able to observe the tops of
the heads of three men who were sitting
in the front part of the big banking room
near the windows overlooking Washington
street. They appeared TO be in deep ana
earnest consultation about something. by
this time 1 had become nrmly convinced
that L on the track of big story.
Accordingly / set off for the other side or
the street, and entering the alley before
mentioned took up my position just within
Its mouth. Buttoning my overcoar up
tightly / settled myself for long wait.
At intervals L would cautiously poke my
head out and look at the doo' OF the bank,
much as a hungry cat surveys rat hole.
to see If anybody was coming out. After
4 had waited about fifteen or twenty mir
utes and was almost numb from cold my
patient vigil was rewarded by the sound of
door opening in the direction of the bank.
Pretty soon heard rapid steps coming in
my direction. 1t proved TO be George
Yandes, and, allowing him to get as far
as the corner of Washington and Pennsyl-
vania streets, 1 issued forth naiselessly
and set out in pursuit of him. Then I made
up my mind that would accost him and
inquire what was the occasion of the I'M
and received little satisfaction, Mr.. Yandes
laughing the affair off in an effort to throw
me off the scent. So l dropped oacS and
PRETENDED TO return to the office. | only
again oh Pennsylvania street in few sec
onds BY that time Mr. Yandes had
reached the postoftice building and L hur-
ried after him. When l got TO the corner
of Pennsylvania and Market streets and
looked about for my man ne was nowhere
10 be seen. 1t looked as though the earth
completely baffied for TIE time being. The
only thing TO do was TO hasten back 10
my original post and take up the old. dis
agreeable vigil. In about thres-quarters
of an hour Mr.. Yandes came back. ard
when 1 II, oked out L saw him re-entc- the
bank room. After another long wait /
heard whistling which seemed TO come
Fl om point near the place 1 was watch-
ing.
A MESSENGER BOY.
"Peering out. L saw to my delight dis
trct messenger boy enter the charmed
place. When the little fellow came out
managed to get into communication with
him and with the aid of a half-dollar in
duced him to take a message for me to
Will Fortune, who was at that time city
editor of the paper. This message said:
L want you to come at once TO the mouth
OF the alley just east of Ritzinger's bank
Don't let anything prevent you from do
ing as / say. Drop whatever you may
have on hands, no matter what 1t may be,
and come TO me at once In a few min
utes l was joined by Fortune, to whom
hastily communicated as much of the af-
fair L then knew and requested him
to remain at the mouth OF the alley while
which L had just thought. 1 proceeded to
the nearest livery stable at once, where
| procured a rig and then set forth in the
which was a good distance out from the
heart OF the city. Arrived there / rang
the bell pretty vigorously, for by that time
| II was late and | was In a hurry TO get
the story for the edition of the paper
which was to go to press in few hours
| A sleepy-looking servant girl answered the
summons and to my inquiry is Mr.. Rlt-
| ginger at home? she replied No, sir So
| far things We're going TO suit me. He was
| here for supper, wasn't hep l asked. Yes
| SIR the girl replied. That what I
| wanted TO find out. l believed then that
| had two of the men In the bank identified
George b. Yandes and Frank Ritzinger.
| then hurried back to the stable, put up the
horse and went at once 10 where l had
| left poor Fortune shivering in the cold.
! Nothing had transpired in my absence,
/ but within few minutes after / again
| took up my station near the entrance of
| the alley i heard the door open once more
| and, 10 and behold, ii was George Yandes
| making a second trip to the mysterious
place which i had been unable to locate.
| This time | was determined not to be out
witted and, telling Fortune TO go back TO
| the office and hold the paper at any cost
| until o'clock in the morning, If neces-
sary i sailed forth after the elusive Mr..
| Yandes This time / noted to my surprise
: that he did not go north on Pennsylvania
| as he had done on the first trip, but con-
| tinued right along Washington street in
| / walked in the same direction, keeping
about a half square in his rear
SUDDENLY DISAPPEARED.
although my eyes never left the hurry
ing figure ahead Of me, suddenly II dsap-
peared once more. to my amazement and
disgust My slow walk took the form of
| a swift lope all in an instant and il did not
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