The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-11-04

<1AOh6 " " NlONhf oAs
"All right What's your manner"
"Tom Murphy, sir"
swell, Murphy, come In tomorrow
and If our safe has been robbed III
give you good tip"
"You mean II 1t hasn't been robbedr'
YES"
would you mind lettin' me look
over the ground. STRIP
NO"
He tapped bell. and clerk appear
ed.
Jenkins" said Mr. Weller. "let this
policeman see the vault and its sur
roundlngs."
The clerk led Mr.. Murphy to the
vault. and while the cop was examin-
ing the approaches. looking up at the
ceiling to see how burglar could come
down. and down at the floor to see
how q burglar could come up, he bus
led himself shutting up. for 1t was
AFTER o'clock In the evening. and the
employees were going home
w utu NIL Jtuhlno Wao ltaog W 81
away himself he looked about for the
policeman. Murphy was nowhere to
be seen, but the clerk noticed that the
vault door, which he thought was shut.
was standing altar. he pushed 1t in
until II clicked and then continued his
search for Murphy Not finding him.
Jenkins concluded that he had gone
down In the cellar to Investigate
whether the vault could be approached
from that direction. II was rather
dark. and Jenkins called No answer.
Returning. he looked over the office In
all Its departments. but as there were
no signs OF Murphy be concluded that
he had finished his examination and
gone away.
About ~ o'clock Mr.. Weller met sew
eral of the employees at the office and
after telling them that he expected the
vault TO be entered placed them In po-
sitions where they could watch with
out being seen. Then the lights were
put out, and the watch began.
Mr.. Weller had sofa In his private
room. On this he laid himself to walt
He fell asleep. When he awoke II was
broad day II the vault had been en-
tered during the night he had not been
awake to see Fearful OF having been
robbed without knowing II. be went
out TO observe the condition Of his
watchers. He found every man sound
asleep. and one OF them was snoring
loud enough to waken the dead Mr.
Weller glanced toward the vault.
There was no evidence that the door
had been drilled or opened. He awak-
ened the sleepers. and each man as he
rubbed his eyes looked heartily asham-
ed of himself
you're a pretty lot" said Mr.. Wei
Ter angrily. 81 was informed that the
burglars were to be assisted by one OF
our office force. II looks very much
as though they had been assisted by
every one of you. There's no easier
way to assist burglar than to go to
sleep when he's burgling. The door
hasn't been drilled or blown open. and
there isn't any necessity for opening
It that way when the man who wishes
TO get In knows the combination"
While Mr.. Weller was thus deliver
ing himself be was shaking up his
watchers. When they were all thor
oughly awake he went up to the safe,
examined 1t critically. then. applying
the combination. turned the knob and
pulled open the door.
There was surprise on the face OF
Mr.. Weller and on the faces OF all his
watchers. A scattered brazen glitter
was first visible, filling the Interior OF
the vault; then II developed into q
uniformed policeman. But surprise
was converted into amazement when
the figure Of Thomas Murphy. police
man. stepped from the Enclosure. Hs
was pale from an all night confne
ment without sufficient air and had .
shamefaced expression on his face. II
was plain to all that he had been lock
ed In the vault He tried 10 explain
how It happened. but his looks beliet
his story.
"Our vault has been entered. as you
predicted" said Mr.. Weller. 'and 20,
have earned your reward. But since
you are the man who entered 1t shal
investigate you"
He stepped to the telephone and call
ed for the police. When an officer up
peared and saw Mr.. Murphy he open
ed his eyes.
swell. II there amt slippery Jim
In uniformF'
slippery Jim" had played a shrewt
game and II Jenkins hadn't notice.
the vault door standing ajar nigh
have succeeded.