Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-05-13
A ConScierfio1tS
ObieE.
[Original.l

1
without making a noise. Neverthe-
less Mike landed in state prison
and served long term. When he got
out he had something slowed away
and thought he could take no further
risks, but an opportunity so dead easy
offered that he determined to avail
| himself of it,
He received an anonymous note stat
| ing that the cashier of bank was
behind with his accounts and would
like to cover up the deficiency by a
robbery. If Mike would do the job.
| $4,000 in bills would be placed in the
bank safe for him. The deficiency was
| $4,000, and this was to be paid to the
| cashier with which to make up his
| deficiency. He would not fer the world
| take another cent, and when schemes
/ in which he had invested were devel-
| oped he would be able to make restitu-
| tion also for the amount Mike was to
Keep He was in great agony of mind
over his position. but hoped to come
| ont all right in time. The writer ap-
| pointed place of meeting in case
| Mike would take the job.
| This was altogether too tempting an
| opportunity to be thrown over the
| shoulder. Mike agreed to meet the
cashier and found him in great agony
of conscience. He said that he had
been trusted implicitly and was al
lowed to do what he pleased with the
1 hn hox InY1f civ he
! he would surely be able to square his
account. AS it was. he saw no way but
| this device, by which in the end the
! bank would lose nothing He seemed
| to suffer so from the tortures of con-
| science that it aroused a spark of
Mikes former honest self He told the
cashier that he would help him out,
/ but the job would be the last of the
kind he would ever undertake.
| All the preliminary information the
burglar required was that his partner
was what he pretended to be- Of this
Mike satisfied himself, then was ready
to carry out the plan. A night was
| agreed upon. The cashier gave Mike
diagram of the bank building to
guide him and showed him how he
could saw through a few iron bars of
a basement window in the rear, where
he wouldn't attract attention, and go
right upstairs to the vault in which
the safe was kept. The cashier agreed
to keep the Waterman on duty during
the day so that he would be drowsy
during the night, but information was
given as to a way of approach that
would take the man by surprise and he
could easily be overpowered.
When the time came to do the job
Mike found everything as it had been
given him. He had no difficulty in
saving through the bars, found the
Waterman asleep and clapped a hand
kerchief saturated with ether under his
nose. Then he bound and gagged him
and went to work with that delibera-
ton for which he was noted. He had
comparatively easy time getting into
the vault, but found the safe hard
nut to crack While he was at work
at the safe he heard the Waterman try
ing to shout through his gag and went
out to see that all was safe. Mike tight
ened the cords and reset the gag.
After a hard tussle he opened the
safe. The cashier had told him that
he would find the bills in pigeonhole
right in front of him, and Mike brought
his bullseye to bear on the place de
scribed. The pigeonholes were there,
but no cash. Mike received something
like a shock. Quickly sweeping the in
terror Of the safe with his lantern, he
IL
memorandum books. Then it rushed
upon him that his kindly, confding ma
ture had been played upon. Moreover,
he considered that 1t behooved him to
get out and away as soon as possible.
What more there was to the trick he
| couldn't tell, but he knew there was
nothing that promised any good to him.
So he made hasty retreat.
The next day be took up an after
noon paper and saw under scare
head that the bank he had operated
upon had been robbed of 100000 in
currency. Mike gave a low whistle Of
establishment. He had been racking
his brains all day for an explanation OF
the episode, and now one began to
dawn upon him. The cashier had ap-
propriated the amount announced to
be stolen and had covered up his theft
by bank robbery-that is, if getting
nothing could be considered such.
Mike was so incensed that his first
impulse was to surrender himself, con-
fess his part in the transaction and
give evidence against the cashier. But
the more he thought Of it the palmer
he saw that he would simply get him
self sent up for from ten to twenty
years for the robbery without making
case against the man who had used
him. He was obliged to pocket his
wrath and accept the situation.
He afterward attempted to levy
blackmail on the cashier, who in time
became president of the bank, but was
coolly informed that if he wanted to
keep out of state prison he had bet
| ter refrain.