The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-09-28
WHICH WAS TIE
GUILTY MAN?


one occasion during this long term a
singular thing occurred The bank ]
was connected with was a small AFFAIR.
and We rarely had ia the. yuulq fNff
fifty or sixty Thousand dollars in cur
reney. but at,nietihle. fowihkltu n de- |
cuiliar financial condition Of the coun
try. we had over two huhiired thou
sand. This money had Aecumulated
during the week and reached the above
figure on Saturday at the close of bank
ing hours.
That saturday night ! FELL TO think
ing about this great sum on hand
Our safe was an old pattern and could
be readily opened by any bank robber
with an ordinary capacity for his bust
ness. The combination was known to
two officers OF the bank Qhe president
and cashierl and myself ] was pay
ing teller ! was not thinking Of any
danger from within. only from without
The matter having once got into my
head couldn't get It out ] sat at
home thinking about It til after mid
night aud then, without any definite
purpose. put on my hat and walked to
the bank. which was but few blocks
away. | stroled past the building.
turncd back and. yielding to an inn
pulse, went in, made straight for the
vault. saw no evidence of change and
WAS about 70 turn away when desire
s9izsi me 70 see that the cash was
there. ] was turning The combination
knob when the door opened and the
cashier cntcrcd
'Wlat arc you doing hcref" he ask
cd, evidently astonishcd and at the
same time suspicious.
Il came 70 see that the cash is all
right What did pau come for?'
Il came for that tocs confess
didn't expect 70 md fhc teller Of the
hank opening the vault at this time Of
night"
And didn't expect The cashier 90
put In an appearance. Your tone indi-
Gates Il suspicion that / am here to
rob"
Il can't think Of anything more sus-
picious than the teller Of the bank
opening the vault at l o'clock in the
morning.
At that moment door at the other
end Of the room opened. and who
should walk in but the president On
seeing us lie looked surprised.
whats heppencdy' he asked quick
ly. amy funds missings"
u think not" said the cashier "Bnt
there is no telling how much would
have been taken had not arrived at
the nick OF time"
az x,oe, vt.n,.rtol foItapaI % nox.
ling so large an amount OF currency in
the safe and coAld not resist an i'm
pulse to come and see that all was
right" ~@
s.And count the fundse' sneered the
cashier.
'Whnt brought VoaF' asked the press
ident Of the cashier.
The cashier tried TO stammer out &
better excuse than l had given and.
falling. finally blurted:
"And what brought you, for tbs mat
ter OF thatsn
81? | often come to the bank before
going 10 bed to see that all is safe.
Sometimes get up at or 8 O'Clock in
the morning. come here. look around
aud go home Tonight, having SO much
currency In the safe. was especially
anxious"
Having come nrst" / said. ION the
same errand. presume am caught In
the act"
"lvhat were you opening the vault
forf" asked the cashier. Couldn't you
see that it hadn't been tampered with p
q could see that it hadn't been
blown open, but couldn't see that the
lock hadn't been picked or that some
one knowing the combination hadn't
opened 1t and taken the funds"
"Gentlemen." said the president. I'VE
win have look at the money and GO
home"
| was directed 10 open the safe. The
hills were found in piles as they had
been left in the afternoon. and the safe
was closed, aud we separated
The next day was called before The
president fer an examination. whicl
lasted two hours. aud when | game out
OK his private Office l saw the cashleI
go in. as | Inferred. for similar pur
pose Notwithstanding that showed
clean record, the president and
cashier after consultation decided tC
dismiss me.
appealed to the board Of directors
giving them n statement OF the facts.
After meeting for consultation th'
board gave out a decision that thu
meeting OF the three in the bank was :
coincidence. that there was no guilt at
tachcd TO any one OF us. but rather
we were all to be commended for ou
watchfuineas
The only good this did me was tina
retained my position. 1 was still un
der suspicion. This WAS fOstered b.
the cashier, who. supposed, won owe
the president to his views. Neverthe
less the president aequIesced in the de
cision of the board and exonerated me
II was but few weeks after all thl
happened TINT we were startled at al
announcement that the president ha'
resigned and the cashier had been pru
NOTED to tue vacant position. wa
Aa I