The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1900-06-14

Vhe EArSt Step In the Grave Crime
Shot Down Professional Robbers
While Stealing Himself-Badly In
jured In the Conflict He Recover
to Find Himself q Popular Idol
With . Sustained Name.
Tho old detective stood at the corner OF
Broad and Wall streets talking with q
friend, when digniaed looking old man
came along. The old detective touched hia
hand to his hat as the elderly man passed
and the latter returned the salutation, says
the Chicago Inter Ocean. The old detective
watched him disappear around the corner Of
Nassaus street with curious smile on his
face. He didn't stop smiling until the old
man was out of sight Then he turned to
his friend and remarked:
There Is a man who is highly respected
by all who know him. He is model OF
honesty and integrity, and II any man in
timated that he had ever done anything
dishonest he would be laughed at. Yet the
basis Of that mans fortune was an act that
would have sent him to prison for 20 years
II 1t had ever been known. I know the
story from the only other man In the world
who ever knew the truth Of the affair, and
In all my life l never heard anything to
equal 1t. Do you happen to know that
man."
"Never saw him in my life. and wouldn't
know him II I met him Ave minutes from
now" remarked the old detectives friend
who was wise in his day and generation.
Good said the detective. "Then I'll
tell you the story. I won't. mention the
time, the place or the real names, for
would not want you to identify those who
played part in this affair. I'll call the old
gentleman who just passed Lavery, because
h~k $~~,t B.
1t as any can think of just now. Well, 20
years ago Lavery worked in bank in
Kings. Kings isn't on the map so far as ]
know. but the place where Lavery worked
was. and is. Lavery was q product Of
Kings. His father was poor but much
respected clergyman. Lavery was brought
up In Kings. and his father made good job
of it. He was no namby -pamby boy, and
any one who tried to come 1t over him
found himself up against stiff proposition
when he went too far. Lavery was the best
swimmer, the best boxer, and the best all
around athlete in Kings. vet. withal, he
was church boy. never smoking or drink
ing, gambling or using bad language. and
always attended Sunday school and prayer
ing man Of Kings. and the town was proud
Of him.
Lavery didn't juggle his books or monkey
with any other mans accounts. No, that
was not Lavery's game. With all the
cunning of an experienced thief, he planned
to rob the bank Of all the money in the
vaults. and then just drop out of sight.
What might have been the stiffest kind of q
job for a band of experienced cracksmen
would be easy for Lavery, because he and
the president were the only ones who had
the secret Of the great locks to the vault,
and they were the only ones who ever
stayed at their desks alone late into the
night.
'It was nothing unusual for Lavery to
stay late at the bank. He was the kind OF
man to work constantly, and the old
Waterman knew him SO we'll that nothing
that he might do would have reused the
slightest suspicion in his mind. Lavery
knew this, and he laid his plans accord
ingly. He made arrangements to get out OF
town on an early morning train, and had a
most elaborate plan for his wife to follow
him at a later date. He did not take his
wife into his confidence. II he had, the
thing would never have come on Well.
there was lot of interesting detail, which
I'll omit just now, so as to get down to the
meat Of the story The night came when
Lavery made up his mind that the best
chance possible offered for the plundering
Of the bank. In the great vaults were some
5000, 900, every dollar of which was within
easy reach of the trusted hand Of Lavery.
OF this amount over a half was In such
shape that the man could carry 1t of with
ease.
s.Layery spent that day at his desk, work.
ing about as usual After banking hours
he got the clerks around him and straight
ened things out. Then he closed his desk,
walked into the Office of the president, an
nounced that he was going out for some
luncheon, but would be back and would re-
main at the bank late The president told
the cashier that he was working too hard,
but Lavery only smiled and went out. He
came back at o'clock that night and the
Waterman let him in. He had large black
yalise with him, which he put alongside Of
his desk. and then from until IL o clock
he worked away over the papers on his
desk. The old Waterman came In the count
ing room at II o'clock, and again at mid
night and spoke to Lavery. He answered
cheerfully and once told the old man that
he might be around until early in the
morning.
1T was about o'clock when Lavery rose
from his desk, picked up his valise and
started down into one Of the vaults, the one
where the large sums OF money were kept.
He did not look to the right or the left
Never was man more confident Of the sue
cessful operation of his plans. A slight
noise as he passed through the dark passage
way failed to make him even start. He
passed on to the vault, and when he stood
in front of the great steel doors put his
seconds work succeeded in swinging back
the doors. Again there was a slight noise.
and this time Lavery looked around. A
shadow fitted up toward him and then dis
appeared In q niche in the wall
lis that you, JOhn?' asked Lavery, cool
ly, thinking 1t must be the Waterman. There
was no answer. Lavery was disturbed, but
not frightened. He turned to the vault and
with some haste began to pull out great
packets of bills. One or two packets he
laid on the ground, the rest he placed In
the valise. His only light was the flicker
ing gas jet at the end of the passage, but
not an inch Of that vault was unknown to
Lavery, and he could have done his work
without any light at all.
Suddenly this Pickering gas jet went out.
Now Lavery was no fool. He didn't delude
himself with any false ideas. He knew that
there was something behind the gas going
out besides draft. He put two and two to-
gether and concluded that he had been fol-
lowed into the vault by someone who didn't
care to be seen. He tried to think what he
might have done or said to betray himself
or his plans. He could think of nothing.
The fact remained, however, that he was at
the end Of q blind passage with valise full
Of the banks money. Whoever turned out
the light knew the truth. Lavery put his
volver which he always carried when he
stayed late at the bank. His reflections had
occupied less than a minute. and during
that time not =, sound had come from the
passage. Lavery waited until 1t became inn
possible for HIM to remain quiet another
second. He heard some one breathing ahead
and without moments hesitation aimed his
revolver In that direction and fired three
shots In rapid succession. There was .