The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-03-16

The old detective stood at the cor
ner of Broad and Wall streets talking
with a friend, when a dignified look
ing old man came along. The old de-
tective touched his hand to his hat as
the elderly man passed, and the latter
returned the salutation. The old de-
tective watched him disappear around
the corner of Nassau street with Gu
rious smile on his face. He didn't stop
smiling until the man was out OF
sight Then he turned to his friend
and remarked:
There never was better illustra-
ton of the old saying that truth IS
stranger than fiction than the history
of that man. There is a man who Is
highly respected by all who know him.
He Is a model of honesty and integ-
rity, and II any man intimated 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 Tor ~
years II It had ever been known.
know the story from the only other
man in the world who ever knew the
truth of the affair. and in all my lie
| never heard of anything to equal It.
Do you happen to know that MANI"
Never saw him in my life, ana
wouldn't know him If / met him nve
minutes from now" remarked the ola
detectives friend, who was wise In MS
day and generation.
Good" said the old detective.
"Then I'll tell you the story. l won't
mention the time, the place or the
real names, for | would not want you
to identify those who played q part
in this affair. I'll call the old gentle
man who just passed Lavery, because
that isn't his name, and is ABOUT as
far from 1t as any l can think OF just
now. Well, 20 years ago Lavery
worked in a bank in Kings. Kings
isn't on the map so far as l know, put
the place where Lavery worked was
and is. Nevertheless, We'll call the
Mace Kings. I4avery was product OF
Kings. His father was a poor put
much respected clergyman. He was
a pretty fine preacher, and pelleVe
had a lot of high-salaried calls from
time to time, but he was one of those
fellows who thought his field OF LABOR
was right where he was, and for whom
money had little attraction. Lavery
was brought up in Kings, and MS
father made a good job OF 1t. He was
the model young man OF the town. he
was no namby-pamby boy. and an!
one who tried to come it over him
found himself mp against stin propo
sition wnen he went too lar. LAYER!
was the best swimmer, the best boxel
and the best all-round athlete II
Kings, yet, withal, he was church
boy. never smoking or drinking, gam
bling or using bad language, and al
ways attending Sunday school an
PRAYER meetings. He was pointed t
"a the coming man of Kings, and IN
town was proud OF him.
.'There was nothing remarkable l
the fact that when a vacancy occurre
IN the First National bank of Kings
Lavery was called to the place. Rlgf
here his career began. Nobody
town was jealous of his good forum
no one thought Of being, for the who
town sort of regarded it as Lavery
right to get the first good thing th'
came along Now the job that La
cry took was not very remunerativ
He only got So a week, and his wol
was of the most mental kind, runnil
errands and doing Office work, fro
early morning until quite late IN q
evening sometimes. / say 1t WASH
the Job, so much as the opportunl
that IL gave I.avery to rise, that ma
It a good thing for him. Well, La
ery boned in like a good fellow.
was lust the sort of fellow to dig
and get on to things. He fairly thir
ed for knowledge and ] verify peile
that he would have made go out o.
peanut stand, IL his father had start
him in that line.
Careers in banks are not OF
meteoric order, but Lavery certain
established precedent In this rega
He didn't have to wait for people o
him to die, in order to get ahead.
crowded the men over him out,
when he was only 80 years old
cashier of the National bank OF Xii
at a salary of $4,000 year, which
quite a good deal, even for bank
cial. in a small town like Kings. l.
cry had married the sweetest IL
girl In the town, in the meantime,
had duplicated her with another ii
Girl. who was his pride and JOY.
was the happiest man In that 10
and with his home, his wife and
baby, he had every reason to pc.
had a little money saved up and
fat place that no man living could
away from him, as long as he beha
himself.
Now, I've had great deal OF
perience with crooks, and | have 81
led their ways and the motives
lead them to live lives OF crime
great care, but this man Lavery We
mystery that never could solve.
was a man who had never done
honest act in his life. who had notl
to gain, and everything to lose by
honesty, and yet carefully planned
a robbery of the bank with which
had been connected since early CT
hood, and the officers of which tru
him implicitly. Don't ask me VIII!
did 1t. 4 do not know, and no one
knows. He had never speculatet
xambled, had good home all paid
q loving wife. baby and fat
plus at the bank. If you want to
my real opinion of the matter, |
tell you that l think Lavery
crazy. clean crazy, and yet in po
sion of all the faculties that email
man to plan and carry out some
enterprise.