The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-12-21

time and finally satisfied himself that they were without flaw. He had pro- vided for every contingency likely to arise and. 1t only remained to rake in the plunder. After going over the list of ''availables" he finally selected a buisness house which had formerly banked with his people. Their sigma ture was at his disposal. and he knew the size of their account at the new bank. He could get S5,0O0 from them easily, and the chances were that the crime would remain undiscovered for at least a fortnight.
 One day the astute bank clerk was quite ready to start out. He was not a bit flourried or excited. He left his desk at the usual moment, donned his coat and hat in the usual way and passed out upon the street to seek his lodgings and disguise himself. He did not overdO th'S. He simply donned false wig and mustache, slipped on a hat and coat unlike his usual gar ments and then sauntered carelessly along into the Fourth National bank The substitute teller was at the pay window, as he had figured he would be after 12 o'clock. This man did not know him. There were three or four persons with checks to be cashed, and Phillips took his place in line. He had a forged check for $5,650 in his hand and ne was certain that 1t would be paid without question. The merchants would have sworn that the signature was their own. The check was passed i in, glanced at, and the teller swiftly l counted out the money. He was about 1 to pass it through the window, and MT Phillips was feeling 8 sort of contempt for his easy ways when he paused, laid down the bills and took another look at the check on file. There were ter 1 seconds of puzzled hesitation, and then 1 he said
 There is a bit of irregularity here 1 This check is dated for tomorrow Seer"
 The astute MT. Phillips saw. For a year he had been slowly and carefully preparing for this day. For year he had been telling himself that there could be no failure. He had written out the check with the utmost care, and had scanned it over and over again and yet he had dated 1t day ahead and made most egregrious blunder!
 The thing came upon him with sledge | hammer force, and in spite of his as- surance he exhibited some confusion
 This might have passed with teller as a natural result had not man witt
 a check to be cashed exhibited undue curiosity, and had not MT. Phillip. comrade detective some strolling in , He was known to the officers of tht bank, and at once became interested ir i the incident.
 ''It was an oversight that will have
 corrected in twenty minutes, . remarked l MT. Phillips, as he took the check ant l started out, but the detective would no have it that way, and five minutes later he had penetrated the disguise O his friend. Perhaps their friendship ] might have stood the strain or an ex planation been possible, but the telEel would not have 1t so. An attempt hat been made ito do" and ruin him, ant
 he proposed to see 1t through. The re
 suit came two months later, when thu careful and deliberate and pains-tak l ing as we'll as extraordinarily astut' 1 MT. Phillips was sentenced to state i prison for seven years.
 Sorry for you, my boy-very sorry, said the detective. as he left him a the prison. ''but you see there is {
 difference. Astuteness in business brings sure reward, but astutenesi
 in crime leads to more of 'enl"'-C. B 1 Lewis, in Buffalo News.