The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1903-03-14
AN HONEST BANKER

y -
banker was returned He gave me
the advice a father would give.
In July of the second year Mrs.
Drew and her child went east to be
rome for a couple of months. Within
a few days thereafter the banker be-
gan talking to me about taking a fort
nights vacation. 1t was finally ar
ranged that we should go up into the
Taos mountains to fish and hunt and
have a good time generally; but, to
my surprise, after we had made our
plans Mr.. Drew said to me:
81 shall leave the bank In charge
of Mr.. williams, the bookkeeper, and
everything viii go on as usual, but it
will be wiser not to mention the mat
ter of my going. I need a vacation,
but people have an idea that a banker
ought to stick right By the shop. II
it is known that 1 am going, there
will be more or less gossip. which /
wish to avoid"
/ cleared up everything at the Office
on a Saturday. gave. my substitute
full instructions and banked about
5000 I'm greenbacks. Darkness was
coming on as we left town, and the
streets were pretty well deserted, and
In getting out we did not pass any
one who saluted us. The banker held
the reins, and we rode fully fifteen
miles over the moonht road before
turning OF and going into camp for
the night.
At daylight next morning I saw the
contents Of the wagon for the f1rst
time. and there was cause for wonder.
there were two blankets, two baskets
Of food and two rifles, but no tent and
no fishing outfit, while the only cook
ing utensil was a tin coffeepot. There
was one other article in the wagon. 1t
was a large, old fashioned satchel, and
1t was full to bursting and had two
straps buckled around it SO that 1t
could be carried as a knapsack. We
ate our breakfast in silence, and then
Drew abruptly said:
81 am about to explain matters to
you. Do you know what that satchel
contains? se
mo"
"Money-greenbacks, gold, over $780,
600 in all. I have robbed my own
bank and am leaving home, family and
country forever. l have been planning
this thing for years"
/ was dumb with establishment, and
without looking up or changing his
tones he continued:
This vacation is only a blind. / left
on Saturday night SO as to get a long
start. l brought you along because I
wanted company In the wilderness. 1t
is a matter of 300 miles from here to
FL Paso, with hard and dangerous
travelling, and you are to go with me-"
/ sat and stared at him and wondered
il it were not all a dream. He had
spoken very seriously, but I could not
credit him. / was about to say SO
when he turned full upon me, and then
/ knew the worst. The man was In
sane!
Under his direction I removed every
thing from the wagon, placed the har-
ness in it and then drew 1t over the
nre. The horse had probably been
turned loose, as I saw his tracks later
on. When the wagon was well afre,
the banker loaded. his rifle. motioned
me 70 do the anne and then lifted the
satchel On my shoulders and made II
fast He took baskets and blankets,
End re set off for the mountains.
At 5 o'clock I told him / could go nc
farther and he consented to go into
camp.
We put in a hard day Of it again next
day, making about twenty miles, as ]
figured 1t. When night came again, ]
determined what to do on the morrow.
I had a pocket compass, while he had
none and did not know Of mine. I Was
satisfied that home lay to the north
east and also that he did not know its
direction. If 1 had the lead, I would
gradually turn to the northeast, and II
he failed to suspect me l would pilot
him home in about three days. The
idea had full possession of me next
morning when we were ready to set
out, but what did the cunning rascal
do but take the lead himself and hold
to the south.
When night came again, I deter
mined on another plan. The first
signs of daylight saw me putting 1t
In practice. Mr.. Drew had used the
satchel for a pillow, but his head
slipped OF, and he was sleeping sound
ly. I made up a package Of meat and
bread from the baskets, got hold Of
my rifle and the satchel and then
cautiously withdrew from the camp.
! figured that as soon as he missed
me he would go back over our trail.
and so / headed to the east to descend
the range on that face. / could not
have been half a mile from camp when
/ heard him yelling. Thinking he was
on my trail, I looked around for cover.
On my left was a mass Of rock, and a.
few feet up vas an opening. 1t was
not large enough to shelter me, but |
crowded the satchel into it and then
set of In a wild fight that lasted for
miles.
1t was night when I got down
among the foothills. / had seen moth