The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1911-05-12

kNyH SOHx JS~Ao AiSo0CA6Cl
my IVY named Fritz Krull de.
NY N posit-book, between the
VEIN leaves of which was
wS&NX6Y ten-thousand-dollar bill,
with instructions to hur-
ry around to the Ma
tional Fidelity Bank before twelve
o'clock.
Young Krull-as he had often done
before-buttoned the book inside his
Jacket and went whistling down the
single fight Of steps to the street.
That was the last seen of him by the
firm until the following Monday morn.
ing; the fact that he did not return
before closing-time on Saturday ap.
parently passed without notice; the
lad-he was only seventeen-had al
ready drawn his weeks pay.
But when the office Iopened on the
Monday following Fritz Krull and his
parents-worthy, middle-aged Ger
mans-were waiting In the hallway
with r ost astounding story to the
effect that, in some unaccountable
manner, Fritz had lost the ten.thous-
anddollar bill somewhere, somehow,
between the office of seybel & Lozer
and the Fidelity Bank! There was
the empty handbook, that was all!
Now, bank-notes Of that size and de-
nomination do not grow on every tree,
and very few firms could be expected
to pocket such loss without qualm
So first the cashier and then Mr.. sey-
bel and MIR. Lozer took Master Fritz
in hand for thorough grilling. But
the amount of information they elic-
tied, as one of them said. you could
put in your eye and never notice 1t.
The boy testified that he had gone
straight to the bank. When he ar
rived there the bill was missing! No.
he had not gone into any other Office,
nor had he stopped to speak or skylark
with any of the boys employed in
neighboring Offices. True, he had
bought package Of chewing-gum at
the stand kept by Tony the Greek. but
that hadn't taken a minute. Asked
why he didn't report the loss imme.
diately, Fritz squirmed a bit and
hesitated shamefacedly, which caused
the elder Krull to break in by saying
that the boy was too frightened. He
had gone straight home, remaining in
doors all of Saturday night and Sun.
day.
A conference between the heads of
the firm and the cashier elected the
fact that the latter had fortunately
taken the precaution to keep memo
randum Of the series letter and the
number Of the missing bill, which
were "D856739O4" So, pending de-
cision on what should be done with
Fritz, notice to all banking firms and
foreign-exchange houses was sent out
over the ticker, and reward Of five
hundred dollars offered for return Of
the lost banknote. The great danger
lay in the note being sent out Of the
country-supposing 1t to have been
dishonesty acquired.
Then the two men above named
went at Fritz Krull and his parents
again, but without tangible result. At
last: Better send for Finney Valen-
tine said Mr.. Seybel, which was no
sooner suggested than done.
Now, Inspector Fnney Valentines
name was known and respected
throughout the financial district He
It was, during his off1cial career, who
established the famous "dead.line'
south of Fulton street, below which
no crook cared to be found. Many had
been the cases of fraud or embezzle-
ment on the part Of defaulting CASH
lers which Valentine and his men had
handled. Now that he was retired and
working under the aegis Of his own
single, 1t was perfectly natural for
seybel & Lozer to enlist his aid In
clearing up the mystery surrounding
young Fritz Krull and the ten-thous-
and-dollar BILL
To the ex.chief of detectives. then,
the now thoroughly frightened messen-
ger told his strange story over again
for the third or fourth time. Perhaps
the strangest thing about the matter
was that there was SO little to tell.
There were three possible explana-
lions: First, that the note had been
actually lost somewhere on the street;
second. that Fritz had been robbed by
q skillful pickpocket; third, that he
was dishonest and had voluntarily
handed the bill to some outside con.
federate.
Against the latter supposition was
to be placed the uniform honesty Of
the boy mus far.
Over snd over again Valentine re-
verted to that brief stoppage at the
fruit and candy stand Of Tony the
Greek, but could obtain nothing fur
ther than has been already narrated.
Nevertheless we who are in the secret
may infer that the Greek formed VAL
entines starting point; he was known
to all the boys OF that particular dis
trict, his hutch being almost under
the shadow of the Stock Exchange It.
self, as we'll as to the regular police
men patrolling Broad street. But they
knew nothing to his discredit, -he was
merely perpetually smiling and cum
ming black-haired and earringed native
Of Salonika.