Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-03-18
AN INGENIOUS
-. - BURGLAR.

1
vault. working with my face to the
vault. heard Hem" behind me.
turned and saw gentleman looking at
me. with revolver 10 his hand.
! Now. had taken precaution to learn
something about the bank and its on.
GERS knew their names and had
seen them all. I'd much rather be pro
vided with such information than a As
caliber revolver. knew that the gen
tleman standing there was the vice
president. MFR. Forbes. kept my
nerve as well as possible as looked
at him, though II suited my purpose to
look trife surprised; but. without ap-
pearing 20 see his weapon and without
speaking. l went right on turning my
breast drill. making hole near the
lock.
you're a cool one" he said
turned. feigning establishment.
what do you mean. MIR, ForbesT j
asked.
How did you know my name is
Forbesr he asked. with equal sur.
prise.
How do ! know? Why, / ought to
know the vice president of the bank
keep my little account In. You went
out this afternoon just as was going
IN to Mr.. Cummings" (the cashier)
"He told me there was something
/ wrong with the lock and had sent for
| me to see what II was. messed over
II for an hour without any tools, then
went home TO supper. promising to be
back with 'em later. But ] was called
out on an important job and didn't get
here till half an hour ago. MIR. Cum
mings was waiting and let me In. He's
gone out for a bite and glass of beer
or something. Hen be back present
IT,"
| saw In his eye remarkable inter
est IN what ! was telling him, and
inferred the cause. He reckOned he'd
| got on TO a plan Of the cashiers to git
away with some funds. learned
afterward that he and Cummings
hated each other like poison.
With this turned and went to
work again. didn't know how | was
coming out. didn't think was com.
ing out anywhere except behind bars.
was simply figuring for little time
and a possible loophole The man be-
bind me was probably thinking. TOO.
for he said nothing. l argued that.
having possibly caught his enemy. the
cashier. In the act, the question was
how to proceed. II was mighty easy
for him to make fool of himself. and
possibly he instead of Cummings
might turn out the convicted party.
The frst words he said were:
Ell your story IL true the lock has
been purposely put out Of order. 1t
was all right at 8 o'clock this after
noon"
"What do you mean, sirP' l asked,
looking up at him and putting on a
scared look. "You don't mean there's
any skulduggery going ONT amt go
ing TO get mixed up in 1t. am IT.
He gave me a searching look, and /
thought could see ia got something
Of his confidence.
'Now. my man." he said, "if youth
help me convict a rascal I'll stand by
you for tho rest of your life. II you
are what you pretend to be-working
on the cashiers orders-the plan is
this: Under pretense OF opening a
safe, the lock Of which he has pur-
posely injured. he gets you to open It
by the same means burglar would
use"
by Georgei never would have
thought Of that"
1.-THE safe opened. he would have
helped himself TO the funds, and the
vault would appear to have been
burglariEed."
"And II caught I'd be the burglarI
That's what he got me in for. is itY'
was playing for ten years or more
OF liberty. and l played the part well
-sO well that could see I'd captured
my man. | knew I'd got to make a
move pretty soon and take the Of
fensive when l did move. OF course
my story would so up in smoke the
moment Mr.. Forbes took any action.
and that action would be to call po-
liceman and arrest me. But first he
wanted to get all he could out of me
az to how he could use me TO show up
the real rascal. He still held his re-
volver In his right hand. formed =
plan. and formed It mighty quick.
ut seems TO me, Mr.. Forbes, that
the whole matter OF proving Mr., Cum
mings' raseality depends upon whether
the lock got out OF order naturally or
was put out OF order. II I'm going 60
testify 20 that / want to fnd out about
| AZ NV kaRoRa anv ana has n char -
tamper with it"
That's right Examine It"
had drilled several holes before he
cana put my little finger In one and
my knife blade In another. pretending
70 be hunting for something, thinking
hard what to DO. Presently stopped
sudden and said happy-llke;
Il got T. The lock has been ham
mered."
| sHoVF9 Tar ma asa