The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-07-24
THE OPERATIONS j.,
OF SHIFTY SIMMONS
AT PEAPACK. .
A LITTLE STORY OF THE
FARMER AND THE FAKlR.
MO.
M q


g 9 holiday and the circus was
in town. Every one was
TC< there drinking In its intoxi.
eating delights. The tents had been
erected under the joint criticism OF the
entire male population of Pcapack. and
the stimulating odor OF the menagerie
hlled the place.
In one corner Of the circus field
Shifty Simmons. the Philanthropist,
was busily engaged in doing good This
worthy man was giving away gold
watches. At first the suspicious cit.
zens OF Peapack regarded the thing
with n cold and calculating eye. Phi
lanthropy seemed to be drug on the
market. Then four watches were sold
for n dollar each TO four wcll-known
Peapackers and two-dolar bill was
found In the back of each case. There.
upon the intelligent citizens OF Pea.
pack frightened up. They took more
interest In this affair
Shifty Simmons took four other
watches and surreptitiously tucked
twcnty-dollar bill in the back of the
case of each. The quick sighted Pea
packers were on After spirited bid
ding old Amadee Picrson bought one
of the watches for $40 He opened
the back case with an exceedingly
fond expression of countcnanc.. This
expression suddenly disappeared and
he looked at Shifty Simmons with an
Intensity which made even that hard.
ened sinner shudder.
The case was empty!
In all the various phenomena OF ma
ture there Is nothing more tantalizing
than to observe vacuous looking
space where coin of the realm Is conf.
IDENTIFY expected to he found.
In front Of the First National Bank
of Peapack the street was deserted. 1t
seemed as though every one was at
tending the afternoon session of the
circus. And yet inside the bank per.
formancc was going on which was not
without merit. The actors were three
capable looking gentlemen who were
doing clever tricks with the safe. The
audience consisted of the bank witch.
s'"hs W NV i"y Vi no tdNh III uIl llluO
lent attitude. This watchman was
bound and gagged in such an artistic
manner that he was unable either to
applaud or TO exhibit any signs of the
disapproval which at times seemed 60
be welllng up within him.
Two hours later the cashier entered.
He was softly and happily footing In
f,,I
ope. His eyes fell upon the watchmau.
The footing stopped. They exchanged
agonlzlng glances. The cashier ran TO
the vault. The door opened readily at
his touch and showed certain unm!s-
taxable vacancies within. The cashier
at once resumed his footing. but an
expert musician might have observed
that the tune was now pitched In quite
a different key.
In few minutes all Pcapack knew
that the bank had been robbed of so.
600. A bank robbery and circus in
one day. The town had never seen
such metropolitan excitement. The
Waterman became the oracle of the
hour His story gradually accumulated
additional details about the fight he
had put up before he was overpow.
cred, but his conclusion was always
the same:
And then the little man who limpcd
stuffed all the money in green
satchel and out he skipped"
In the Office Of the bank the cashier
was bitterly cursing the fate that had
led him to make up deficiency of $500
In his cash account the day before.
Night had come. Shifty Simmons
tired out with his philanthropic labors
slowly walked up Main street to the
hotel which he was gracing with his
presence. a low whistle sounded. Sim.
mons stopped and looked around with
ready apprehension. He had philan.
thropic funds in his pockets Through
the darkness he perceived n short man
carrying satchel and lmping around
the corner. A gas lamp glinted for a
moment on the satchel. 1t was green
Shifty Simmons gave a stage start and
followed. His air was determined. lie
seemed to be saying "Sh-sh" TO him
self.
The short man limpcd through the
town and out into the country. After
an hours walk he Jumped over a fcnc,
and ran nimbly over freshly plowet
field. Shifty laborlously followed
keeping close to fringe Of trees thai
bordered the field. The short man went
10 little tool house and obtained {
shovel. vith which he dug deep hole
He then opened the satchel. Shift,
saw him abstract a few yellow backed
bills. leaving the rest OF the contents
He then placed the satchel in the hcle
carefully covered II I'D pui the shove