The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-24

light, and the few hot words that passed
between them made MIN thirst for revenge
He; had hoped in his own mind for two or
three years past to find favor in Minnie
Moreley's eyes and become the bankers
son in law Queerly enough he had made
an enemy of the fool by roughly bouncing
him off the bank steps on two or three oc-
casions
Two weeks after the day of incidents young
Bliss had to call at the Merely residence on
matter OF business and was introduced TO
the daughter. During the next four weeks
ne met her several times, and at length
the jealous eye of a third party came to the
conclusion that it would develop into e case
OF love II not broken up. That third party
was the bank cashier and he did not have
! to go FAR for plan. All the hands at the
quarry and the mills were paid once
| month. The monthly pay roll amounted to
between $4,000 and $4,000 and in his new
position young Bliss made up the roll,
| placed the cash in envelops and handed i
| over to heads of departments
The quarry was two miles from town. the
| mills a quarter of mile farther. and the
| trip made in buggy AS the country
| was open and settled, the idea of robbers was
| absurd. The money was always placed in
satchel at the bank the Sd of the month";
| providing the date did not fall on Sunday
and Bliss carried it to the mill to place il in
envelops. :...l.s ,.t5E-
! He had gone through this program three
| times and had driven out for the fourth when
I circumstance occurred that shook the town
of Grafton to its foundations When he
| opened the satchel at the mill to take out the
money he found nothing but newsDa Ders in
| it. He naturally argued that the cashier had
made some blunder, and was not at all uneasy
in his mind when ne drove back to have 1t
rectified. To his amazement, however, Rich
ards insisted that the money had been en-
closed as usual. and almost at once ne
! charged Bliss with trying to work game
Protestatons availed nothing. The money
was not produced and young Bliss was ar
rested The conclusion was reached that ne
must have met ana passed the money to a
confederate.
+ Old Merely was satisfied that the young
man had yielded to temptation, and the CASH
Ter was particularly bitter against him. Be
fore the day of trial came there appeared TO
be but person in Grafton who doubted his
guilt That was old Morely's daughter.
Their acquaintance had not gone beyond
admiration on his side and esteem on heFs,
but she gave him credit for. sterling qualities
and was persistent in his defense When the
trial finally came off the cashier sWore to
! having deposited So. $50 in the. satchel and
handing it to young Bliss. and the accused
could only assert that when he ooene5 the
satchel after reaching the mill there was no
money in it. This was no defense
| The Jury was being charged, and there was
no DOUBT IN any one llliiu DIS u me ftioiHt,
| when Joe, the idiot, arrived with package
under his arm The officers tried to put him
cut. but he resisted vigorously and walked
straight up to the desk of the judge and hand
ed up his package.
| Its the stolen money! exclaimed MS
honor, as he tore off the wrapper.
| There was instant excitement. and a dozen
men began to question the boy Joe stood
with a smile and pointed from the money to
the cashier. VINO was in court TO hear the
i verdict When pressed to talk, he giggled and
beckoned the officers to follow him. He led
them into the dark allev one side or the
bank and into q side door opening on room
fused for the storage of fuel. Then, thrusting
i his hands deep into a barrel Of straw. ne
lnade motions that the money had been found
! there He went further. He made 1t plain
that he had been looking through the barred
window On the alley side when James Rich
ards hid the money weeks before.
It was all so clear fool though he was. that
the cashier admitted his guilt. Of course
" rublic opinion whipped about in no time at
all, and young Bliss walked out of Jail with
his character cleared but only three or four
people could understand why the cashier
should have put UP such a job to ruin an m
nocent man. Bliss figured it out, old Merely
caught on after bit, and the young lady IN
the case blushinglv admitted that she half
SUSPECTED from the first. The idiot owed one
man a debt of gratitude and another man a
debt of hate, and he paid them both at once
and caused people for years after to shake
their heads and say:
YES Joe's a born fool all right enough
but don't you go believing that be hasn't got
brains hidden down the back of his neck.