Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-12-15

nois. baosts of only some GOO inhab-
 itants, it's chief and perhaps only
 reason fer existence is the fact that
 4 large grain "elenfor" storehouse
 has been built there by the railroad
 comvnny enabling the farmers of
 the district, which is one of Amerl-
 cas- wheat centers, to store grain
 until the market warrants its ship
 nent either to Chicago or some oth-
 CT large city. One of Chicago's largest blanks, the Southwestern
 has established small branch
 there also for the conyenience fo the farmers. It is this j bhnk, ably as sisted by Tinker, (which furnishes the material for .th9 spbjoined story,
 Only one day iI eafh quarter is
 there any considerable amount of
 money in the Laurent banks strong
 box, that day being shipping day.
 For the reason up to the time of
 my narrative, no. great care had
 been taken to gua1d the bank prem
 ises. The staff consisting of man. ager and one assistant, were also To- cal tradesmen, the duty of watch
 man had been assigned to the
 chief of the local fire department, one John Kurtz, who during the night woul give the bank a casual look-over and then return to the fire station. It so happened that MT. Kurtz was the owner of dog white Pomernian, who was accred- ited with having more than the us- ual amount of "dog sense." "Tink- er," as he was called, could count up to ten, discriminate colors, ring the fire bell, open and close gates, and do many things quite beyond the power of less clever animals. It was Tinker's proud privilege to ac- company his master on his night duty rounds, running off on his own occasionally to frighten rab bit or two or to resusticate a hidden bone.
 During the autumn of last year year the neighboring farmers, after an unusually heavy harvest had sold their corn and wheat, their money being deposited in the local bank for shipment the next day to Chicago. On this particular night, MT. Kurtz, after eating his evening meal at the fire station as usual, lit his pipe and strolled leisurely up the street tn pay his midnight visit to the bank On these shipping days it was his custom to visit the bank at least three times during the small hours, The first inspection found every thing quite in order. A 2 o'clock. Kurtz, accompanied hT Tinker. mad his second roun;i and this time there was little excitement. The fireman had reoched the end of Lau- rents solitary stree and was re- turning on the other side near the bank premises when something hap pened. Suddenly two men jumped out from the dark recess or the To- cal grocer's doorway and presented revolvers at kurtz' head and de- handed in a whisper that he should hold up his hands, 7 Kurtz, taken completely by surprise did SO. At the same time he was struck v'o- lent blow from behind with a life preserver, which rendered him prac- ticallys helpless In this condition he was carried to the bank building the doors of which were opened in the most approved fashion by per sons who not only knew their bus- ness but that of the bank as well. Here he was thrown into a corner under a desk, and his captors, of whom there were four, lost no time in getting to work on the strong box, This was a Hall safe, on of the few makes absolutely impervious to the jimmy. The safeibreakers. how ever, scorned such altiquated meth ods, and proceeded to blow the saf, open by electricity-a noiseless op- eration.
 Kurzt, meanwhile had somewhat recovered from the blow. He lay quiet until his strength returned. and then taking in the situation he crawled slowly toward the door, which had been closed. Just as Ee. as about to rise to his feet, however. one of the burglars saw him and dashed toward him with a curse kurtz, springing to his feet, reach ed out and grasped from a desk q ruler about a half inch thick and feet long and with this he defend l.;