The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-10-01
Who WAS THE THIEF 2
BY +. A. mitchell.


copyright. 1909. by American Press Asso.
ciation.l
Adrian Markham. paying teller Of
the Tenth National bank. was called
from his window to the cashiers desk.
When he returned package OF 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 in his In
closure with him, and the door Of the
cage had been closed and fastened by
n spring lock. 1t seemed to the teller
that some one of his faculties had 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 1t, though
he knew full we'll exactly where 1t
had been left. and nothing except some
live being could have removed 1t. Sat
isfied that the money had really been
taken. he rushed into the presidents
Office and frantically reported the loss.
The president turned in his swing
ing chair and fixed scrutinizing
glance upon the teller. Convinced that
the mans troubled appearance was not
feigned. he said:
keep cool head. Mr.. Markham. It
will help you to recall minutely cir
cumstances pertaining to the case.
Who were inside the counters with
you when the money was taken?
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" he said.
The president called the cashier into
his office, and after few moments
conversation the three men went to
the cage and inspected it with view
to ascertaining how it would be posi-
BILE for any one to take the bills. But
one weak point appeared. The cage
was not covered, and there was pos
sibility that some one might have stood
on a 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side the frame and have withdrawn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 all but his arm would
be screened by the woodwork, which
was in all eight feet high.
The party examined the mahogany
frame outside the cage and found the
imprint of some small square sub
stance, probably the head of nail or
tack. That this imprint had been
freshly made was evident. for when
examined under microscope its edges
were found to be sharp and not
smoothed away as they would have
been after a time.
The books Of the bank were exam
ined by IN expert accountant, and 1t
was discovered that each mans &C.
counts were correct. No one had been
conccaling loss. The president was
disposed to exoncrate Markham, but
at a meeting Of the directors it was de-
cided to clay him Off" Markham re-
celved the information Of this action
with crushing sensation.
The case was reported to promi-
nent detective agency. with instruc-
tons to work in two directions. They
were to consider the imprint on the
woodwork and TO- establish close sur
veillance over every employee. The
only information given them as to
those who were in the bank outside of
the Enclosure was that a man dressed
rather shabbily had presented check
on another bank at the receiving tell
er's window. He had appeared to be
stupid when the teller told him that be
had got into the wrong bank and ask
ed number of irrelevant questions.
So far as could be determined that
man was the only person in the bank
outside the Enclosure at the time he
presented his check.
One morning not long after the theft
detective employed on the case was
passing through the lobby Of cheap
hotel. A man sat in an armchair, tap
ping the heel of his boot with q cane.
The detective heard the cane strike
some metallic substance. It occurred
| to him to ask the hotel clerk who the
man was and was told he belonged to
circus company visiting the town
the members of which were stopping
| ut the hotel.
Past experience on other complicat
ed cases which had come under hill
personal observation and the record o.
crimes as recorded at headquarters
made him suspicious of this man. Des
perate characters join shows by reason
Of their opportunity for theft.
A combination Of thoughts flashed
In upon the detectives brain. He saw
possible solution to the bank theft
Taking big risk, he had the man ar
rested. Epon examination o tack wal
found in the heel of the mans boo
the head Of which exactly correspond
ed with the imprint on the woodwork
at the bank.
OF course the man was indignant a
i his arrest and threatened the defective
with all the vengeance the law woult
give him. The receiving teller at tn
bank looked at the prisoner, but coult
not say whether he was the man VIII
i presented check on another bank o
not. A hunt through the suspect
room revealed nothing. A search war
rant was procured that would enabl
4 constable to go through the circu
! tent and properties, but after ever.
article had been overhauled nothing
had been discovered.
4 Before giving up the matter the de
tective resolved to rip up the mat
j tress on which the prisoner SLEPT
i Az :. ,,c ol>a 90 op mfn1o,