Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-09-04

last night SO that they did not inter-
fore with this portion of the trail"
"But what are these spots?" asked
the banker.
"They are blood-stains," replied the
reporter. II have every reason to be-
lieve them to be human blood But
that question l can settle positively as
soon as we are in the bnnk, for have
brought powerful microscope. Let
US enter now, If you like; I have seen
all there is to be seen outside. By the
way, do you know this key?"
He held up large steel key Of CONF
plicated structure.
"Why," exclaimed Dunlap, surprised,
"that looks like the key to the Ex-
change place door. Where did you
find it?"
'In the gutter, near the sewer open
Ing at the corner"
''But how did 1t get there?" asked
Dunlap, anxiously.
"Perhaps shall be able to answer
that question presently" said sturgis.
"shall we go In now7 No, not that
way. Let us enter by the Wall street
side, Il you please"
A couple Of minutes later the outer
door Of the Knickerbocker bank was
unlocked.
Excuse mo II pass In first" said
6turgis, entering. II wish to sec
something here"
He bent low over the tiled entrance
with the magnifying glass in his hand.
ut is too bad," he muttercd to him
self presently. "They nave trodden
all over the trail here. All! what is
this?"
"What?" inquired Dunlap.
The reporter vouchsafed no reply to
this question. but asked another.
us Thursday o general cleaning
day at the bank7"
EYES," answered the banker.
Every evening, after the closing
hour, the floors ore swept, Of course,
and the desks are busted; but Mon
days and Thursdays are reserved for
washing the windows, scrubbing the
floors, and 80 forth"
"Then 1t Is lucky that yesterday
was Thursday" observed sturgis.
"Will you please hand me the key to
this gate, and that to the inner door,
Upon entering the bank Sturgis re-
quested his companion to seat him
self on particular chair, which he
designated. lie then began critical
examination OF the premises. Inch by
inch he scrutinized the walls, the floor,
and even the ceiling; sometimes with
the naked eye, sometimes Through the
magnifying glass. He also constantly
brought into play tape measure; and
several times he called upon Dunlap
for assistance. when the distances to
be measured were longer than his
reach.
The Wall street entrance of the
Knickerbocker bank led directly into
the space to which the public was ad-
mitted. This space was partitioned Fl,
as usual. from the bookkeepers' and
cashiers departments. At the farther
end o door led to a reception room COM
municating with the presidents office.
This Office itself opened into the cash
ier's department on one side, and on
the other into small room occupied
by the presidents secretary and type
writer, and into the vestibule of the
Exchange place entrance to the bank.
On the right Of the vestibule was large
room in which the bank employees kept
their street clothing. and to which they
could retire when they were off duty.
A dnnr from no o1ar1.I,s 1aI Is
the cashiers department, while anoth-
er one opened into the private secre-
tnry's room.
After he had finished his inspection
of the space open to the public, Stur-
gis, followed by Dunlap, passed into
the presidents reception room, and
thence in turn into the other rooms,
and finally into the cashiers and book
Keepers departments.
Several times he stopped, retraced
his footsteps to some particular point
and then began his search anew. At
times he crawled about on his hands
and knees; at others he climbed upon
the furniture, the better to examine
some spot upon the wall. In the presi-
dents office he stopped to pick up q
great number of tiny scraps of paper
which lay in and around the waste
basket. These he carefully placed in
an envelope, which he laid upon the
presidents table.
On one side of the room there stood
magnificent old-fashioned carved
mantelpiece. The artistic beauty Of
the structure did not seem to strike
Sturgis. but he appeared to derive a
great deal Of satisfaction from an in
speotion Of the large tiled hearth. Pres
emily, removing his coat and his cuffs,
he plunged his hand into the grimy
chimney and removed handful Of
SCOT, which he examined carefully and
then threw away. He repeated the OPP
GRAFTON again and again, until at last.
with evident satisfaction, he picked out
Q small object, which he deposited in
an envelope. Then, after washing his
hands In the clerks room, he passed in
to the cashiers department. III cor
ner stood the telephone closet, the door
Of which was open. The receiver Of the
instrument was down. The reporter
took it up and gazed at 1t long and ear
nestly.
Sturgis' examination Of the bank
must have lasted over two hours. AT
first Richard Dunlap looked on with O
mild curiosity, in which amusement
struggled with good-natured skepti-
cism. But es time wore on the banker
began to show signs of Impotence,
end when at last Sturgis returned to
the private Office and carefully demos