The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-23
THE EVENING STORY
Breslin's Deductions.

/ that time he had gained a comprehen-
| sive idea of the place.
| Directly in front of him was the
vault, on either side, but separated
from the vault by metal screens were
the safe deposit boxes, while behind
him were the marble stairways lead
ing to the banking room above for the
convenience of those holding boxes. In
one corner a circular stairway ran
down from the space reserved for the
bank officials on the floor above and
a small elevator facilitated the transfer
| OF specie.
Clarkson, the cashier, came toward
him. This is Mr. Breslin, 1 presume
he said, extending his hand. 81 SUP
pose that there viii be little delay in
nndlng the culprit now, since there is
50 small a chance that the robbery was
| the work of anyone outside the bank"
| That remains to be SEEN" was
BresiIns curt reply as he shook the
I other's hand. First Of all want your
story of what has happened
| Percival, the Watchman=" began
Ciarkson. Breslin interrupted him
! with quiet gesture.
I'VE win get to the watchman
! quickly enough" he said. 81 would
IKE to have your story
Ihat is very soon told,' smiled
Clarkson. when the bank was opened
| inns morning it was found that the
| vault doors were open and that some
| thlnk like $4,000 in gold certificates
had been taken. The Waterman de-
clared that no one entered the bank af-
ter the doors were locked. The clerks
| had been staying late to find some err
| ror IN the balances, but Taylor, my as
SiStantt left at 1890 He was the last
man out. It was his duty to make a
summary of the various balance sheets
ana he remained perhaps an hour
after the others.
He had a satchel in his hand and
Z nd-h IL
on leave of absence. He had been
called out of town by a telegram and
left on the train that night"
lin quickly.
Not very good" was the prompt re-
sponse- You see, Taylor was sort
OF cousin of the presidents. and he
was given the place on that account.
He spent his money very freely
Then al clues seem to point to
II am very much afraid so.s
You have no time lock on the
eve had explained the cashier.
but it gave US so much trouble that
we had It removed about year ago.
mo; it seemed to have a faculty for
getting ahead. We would set it for 9
| o clock, when the bank opened. and it
would be found that the dial had
worked ahead to 10 or II. It was
taken out and the plain combination
put in instead"
Who held the combination %
The president, myself and Taylor.
He was given the combination about
three months ago. when I went on my
vacation
Let US have a look at the place. "
suggested Breslin, as he moved toward
the screen. For a moment he stood
within the door while the old cashier
explained that no one had been per
nitted to enter since the robbery had
been discovered.
Il came down to open the doors" he
told the detective, land found them
| open. I went back upstairs called
Judson, the young man who took Tay-
/ lor's place, and together we made
enough of an inspection to tell what
| had been taken. Then we shut the
bank doors and waited until you came.
l thought it would be best to leave
everything undisturbed."
Good idea" said Breslin shortly.
AT the same time I don't think the
| thief left behind him any traces
There is a slight scratch on the
door" suggested Clarkson. ut looks
as if it might have been made by the
stone of a ring. Taylor wore a diamond
on his right hama.
Breslin whipped out a magnifying
glass and minutely examined the
scratch. In slipping the bolt" he COM
mented. You have keen eyes, Mr..
| Clarkson.''
| Il nave MADE some study or 0educ-
| tion,' said the cashier, beaming with
pride. I also noticed that there is a
1 mark on the floor as if a satchel had
been laid down here
On the floor in the thin layer of dust
was a faint oblone mark as If some
| square surface had picked up the dust
which had accumulated since the earlier
| operations of the cleaner. Breslin re-
/ garded the cashier apprOvingly. You
should have been a detective yourself"
I he commented approvingly.
81 think have worked out very
! good case" said the cashier cOnpla-
Gently as the detective went down on
his knees the better to examine the
mark.
Nov" said Breslin, rising, 81 think
we will have the story of the watch
man."
The night Waterman, who had been
summoned when it was found that rob-
berry had been committed was in the
presidents room asleep on the leather
sofa Clarkson reused him UP and he
told substantially the same story as the
cashier. There seemed to be nothing to
do but to find the missing assistant,
and Clarkson supplied the details as to
his appearance.
Bresiin went to the presidents house
to have a talk with him. Robert Byrne
was in bed, the shock of the day having
proven too much for him, but Breslin
was shown into the parlor and present. |
ly a slender, tearful-eyed girl came
toward him.
NV father is too i'll to see anyone |
she said 1.-THE physician left orders |
that no one should be permitted to
speak to him You see this has been |
very. great shock to US all"
Il can understand that" said Breslin |
sympathetically. Perhaps you can give
me the information I want. thought !
| could obtain here some details as to |
this Taylor, who is supposed to have
committed the robbery.
Jack never touched the money,
said the girl quietly. "He was free
with the money he made. but he had |
no debts or no temptation to rob the
bank"