The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1908-10-01
WHICH WAS THE
GUILTY MAN?


l am retired from the banking bust
ness after thirty years service. On
one occasion during this long term
singular thing occurred. The bank l
was connected with was small affair,
and we rarely had in the vault over
fifty or sixty thousand dollars in cur.
rency, but at one time. owing to a pc
culiar financial condition Of the coun-
try, we had over two hundred thou
sand. This money had accumulated
during the week and reached the above
figure on Saturday at the close of bank.
ing hours.
That Saturday night l 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 (the president
and cashier) and myself l was pay
ing teller. was not thinking of any
danger from within. only from without.
The matter having once got into my
head l couldn't get it out. l sat at
home thinking about 1t till after mid
night and then. without any definite
purpose. put on my hat and walked to
the bank. which was but few blocks
away. l strolled past the building.
turned back and. yielding to an i'm
pulse, went in. made straight for the
vault. saw no evidence of change and
was about to turn away when desire
seized me to see that the cash was
there. was turning the combination
knob when the door opened and the
cashier entered.
"What are you doing here?" he ask
ed. evidently astonished and at the
same time suspicious.
II came to see that the cash is all
right. What did you come for?'
II came for that too. l confess l
didn't expect to find the teller of the
bank opening the vault ut this time Of
night"
"And didn't expect the cashier to
put in an appearance. Your tone indi.
Gates suspicion that I am here to
rob-"
Il can't think of anything more sus-
picious than the teller of the bank
opening the vault at 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 he looked surprised.
"What's happened:" he asked quick
~. "Any funds missing?"
II think not" said the cashier. "But
there is no telling how much would
have been taken had not arrived ut
the nick of time"
Il was worried" I faltered, "at hav.
Ing SO large an amount of currency in
the safe and could not resist an i'm
pulse to come and see that all was
right"
"And count the fundsw sneered the
cashier.
"What brought you?" asked the pres
ident of the cashier.
The cashier tried to stammer out a
better excuse than had given and,
failing. finallv blurted:
"And what brought yon, for the mat
ter of that:"
81? often come to the bank before
going to bed to see that all is safe.
Sometimes get up at or 3 o'clock in
the morning, come here, look around
and 60 home. Tonight. having so much
currency in the safe. was especially
anxious"
Having come first" said, ION the
same errand, presume am caught in
the act"
"What were you opening the vault
for?' asked the cashier Couldn't you
see that it hadn't been tempered with?"
II 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 it and taken the funds"
Gentlemen" said the president, I'VE
will have look at the money and go
home"
was directed to open the safe. The
bills were found in piles as they had
been left in the afternoon, and the safe
was closed, and we separated.
The next day was called before the
president for an examination, which
lasted two hours, and when came out
Of his private Office saw the cashier
go in. as inferred. for similar pur-
pose. Notwithstanding that l showed
clean record, the president and
cashier after consultation decided to
dismiss me.
appealed to the board Of directors.
giving them a statement of the facts.
After meeting for consultation the
board gave out decision that the
meeting of the three in the bank was a
coincidence that there was no guilt at
tached to any one of us. but. rather.
we were all to be commended for our
watchfulness.
The only good this did me was that
retained my position. was still un-
der suspicion. This was fostered by
the cashier. who. supposed. won over
the president to his views. Neverthe.
less the president acquiesced in the de-
cision Of the board and exonerated me.
1t was but few weeks after all this