The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-13

he had scarcely finished speaking
When Adams. entered. He bowed no.
lIteiy TO all present and waited to be
addressed - y
Mr.. Adams said the president i'm
presslvely, this bank has been robbed
OF So9O,oOO While there is no suspicion
attached to you directly, everybody in
the bank is more or less involved. AS
you were the last person to be seen
near the money We have called upon
you to see If you can throw any light
on the matter
I can, SIR said Adams, calmly. Z
took it,
There was a gasp of establishment
rom all present. One Of the directors,
symptoms Of apoplexy. Blanchard
WAS the f1rst to find his voice.
SEND for policeman he pasned
Is this practical joke, Mr.. Adj
amsT asked the president sternly.
am perfectly Serious replied Adj
ans. Inc money was taken by me at
the close of business last night, II 10
secreted carefully in a place known
only TO myself, and 1 fiatter nvself
that all the detectives in the country
cannot find it. Now let me explain NV
action, he added, as the choleric
Blanchard was about to demand again
that a policeman be summoned.
that seemed to carry conviction. The di-
rectors bent forward to listen
: ABOUT week ago. began the teller.
1 made request for an advance of sal.
airy. felt it was due me for INV Iono,
and faithful service in the bank and
moreover; l investigated and learned that
e. ie e;n less salary than any other tell
er among our downtown banks 1t is NOT
my intention to bore you with personal
matters Enough to say that | contenn-
plat te marrying a young woman of some
M c1Ia
suTclent to support her in the STYLE to
Which she had been accustomed I asked
t tp more and was refused. That meant
tnat must abandon my matrimonial as
pirations. 80
:" DO not imagine that I became reckS
Tess or desperate What did was the
result or a carefully laid plan. / purposed
10 take about half n million from the bank
ana Secrete it and suffer the full penalty
OF me laW-that is, l would 60 to jail for
the maximum length OF time, ten years,
end at the expiration Of that time take
my treasure and live in some foreign
country: l have no relatives here. Only
disgrace would be forgotten after the
lapse of years.
Now, one word more The bank, I
Know, is not in a position just row to
Withstand the shock which viii assuredIy
follow the news of this defalcation. I am
Wiling to compromise the matter. If you
VIII draw up document agreeing not to
prosecute me: | will return TO the bank
within a half hour $500, 900 of the cash
securities. The balance viii enable me
to live in comparative luxury in the for
eign country have selected as my future
abiding place.
There were silence as Adams finished
other IN amazement. The GOODNESS and au-
dacity of the teller were overpowering
AT length the president spoke:
Your proposition is so startling that
we would like time to consider it. Kindly
meantime, he added stifiy the Watc che
man will keep you under surveillance
Adams laughed scornfully If / had
any intention Of running away / would
not have stopped to talk over the natter
he said as he walked to the outer Office
followed by the Waterman. who had en-
tered in response to a touch of an cleo
trio button, and was wonderingly obeying
the brief whispered instructions of the
For nearly half an hour argument was
heated in the private Office. Blanchard
and the choleric director were in favor Of
no compromise and were for sending
Adams to joil and taking chances of re-
covering the money. The panicky state
OF the street was oftered as the only in
ducement for accepting the terms propos-
ed by the teller. 1t was finally and re-
luctantly decided to accept his PROPOSE
ton. ga
adams was sent for. The president
made a final effort to save the banks
funds. He spoke of The young mans
future and dwelt on the career which was
being blasted. To all of which Adams
replied firmly that his course had been
decided upon and nothing could change
him.
president. angrily. Give us the 100000
and we will agree not to prosecute you
There is one more stipulation which
I am compelled to make said Adams:
I must be permitted to leave the bank
unmolested and under no circumstances
am 1 to be followed
This brought forth another discussion,
but in the end the teller gained his point
and left the bank. The directors spent
an anxious half hour, at the end OF
which time Adams returned. A paper
signed by all the directors pledging him
immunity from prosecution was handed
to him. He read it through carefully,
then extracted a bulky package from his
coat pocket, at the same time folding
the paper and placing it carefully in his
S;The president seized the package Gag
erly and opening it, began to count up
the contents. In a few minutes he an
nounced that the agreed sum was correct.
And now. Mr.. Adams, he said, frigidly,
kindly relieve us of your presence
adams turned as though to leave the
room. Then. with smie, he drew forth
another package and placed it on the
table.
Gentlemen, am no thief, he said.
There is the other $1,000 / merely
wanted to give you an object lesson-to
not so much for duties performed as for
the trust repoSed in me. AS teller OF
this bank 1 have had numerous oppor-
tunitieS to take sums far greater thar
that which temporarily deprived you of.
That did not do so is evidence enough
of my honesty. And now l have the
honor to bid you good day. and Adams
bowed himself out.
another hour. Customers entering the
bank nowadays see in gilt letters on the
door of a private room, William Il.
Adams, vice president