The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-09-17
WHO WAS THE Theft
BY z. A. MICHEL.

ciationl
Adrian Markham. paying teller OF
the Tenth National bank. was called
from his window to the cashiers desk.
When be returned package or bills
amounting to $4,000, that had lain on
the shelf before him, was gone.
Markham could not at FIRST believe
the testimony OF his eyes He had not
been absent three minutes. No such
package could have been taken out
through the bars that protected his
window. No one had been 10 his In
closure with him, and the door OF the
cage had been closed and fastened by
spring lock 1t seemed to the teller
that some one Of his faculties bad sud
denly deserted him. But, no; the pack
age had been there before he left the
window, and 1t was not there now.
He looked about the cage for IT, though
he knew full well exactly where It
had been left. and nothing except some
live being could have removed 1t. Sat
lHied that the money had really been
taken. he rushed into the presidents
Dfice and frantically reported the loss.
The president turned 10 bis swing
Ing chair and fixed scrutinlzing
glance upon the teller Convinced that
The mans troubled appearance was not
ieigned. be said
keep a cool head Mr. Markham. II
viii help you to recall infinitely cir
sumstances pertaining to the case.
Who were inside the counters with
Fou when the money was takeng
Markham gave the names OF five EN-.
ployees. all Of whom had been and were
then busily engaged. None Of them
would or could have committed the
theft" be said
The president called the cashier into
bis Office, and after q few moments
conversation the three men went to
the cage and inspected 1t With view
10 ascertaIniug how 1t would be posi-
bic for any one to take the bills. But
one weak point appeared. The cage
was not covered. and there was a pos
sibiiity that some one might have stood
on projection of the woodwork out
side the frame and have withdrawn
the bills. But he could not have
reached the bills with his arm and
would not have been likely to avoid
being seen by some one inside the in
closure. though ak but his arm would
be screened by the woodwork, which
was 10 all eight feet high.
The party examined the mahogany
frame outside the cage and found the
imprint Or some small square sub
stance, probably the head Of nall Or
tack. That this imprint had been
freshly made was evident. for when
examined under microscope It's edges
were found to be sharp and not
smoothed away as they would have
been after q time.
The books Of the bank were exam
med by al expert accountant, and it
was discovered that each man's ac-
counts were correct No one had been
conceaIing a loss. The president was
fisposed to exonerate Markham, but
at meeting Of the directors t was de-
eided to lay him OF" Markham re-
ceiyed the Information Of this action
with crushing sensation.
The case was reported 20 4 promi-
pent detective agency, with instruc-
tons to work 10 two directions. They
were to consider the imprint on the
wood work and to establish close sur I
veillance over every employee. The
only information given them as to
those who were in the bank outside Of
the Enclosure was that man dressed
rather shabby had presented check
IN another bank at the receiving tell
er's window. He had appeared TO pc
stupid when the teller told him that ne
had got into the wrong bank and ask
I'd 4 number OF irrelevant questions
So FAR as could be determined That
man was the only person 10 the bank
outside the Enclosure at the time ne
presented his check.
One morning not long after the Inert
4 detective employed on the case was
passing through the lobby Of a cheap
hotel. man sat in an armchair. tap
ping the heel Of his boot with a cane
The detective heard the cane Strike |
some metallic substarce, Il occurred
~ him to ask the hotel clerk who the
nan was and was told he belonged TO
circus company visiting the town
the members OF which were stopping
At the hotel.
Past experience on other eomplicat-
"a cases which had come under his
nersonal observation and the record q