The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-09-19

social and church affairs In the town,
and had been witt the bank for many
years.
II inquired very infinitely into the
method OF opening the safe. learned
that 1t required two men-the cashier
and clerk--who each had a key to
different doors. Without both OF them
being present the safe could not be
opened. This looked like n promising
lead. so pushed my inquiries In that
direction. learned when the cashier
had opened the safe on Monday morn
ent. II was evident then that the
cashier had both keys. The president
would not believe me when | told him
OF the state OF affairs. II was q strict
rule OF the bank that the keys held
by each man should not be surren.
dered to any one except by order OF
the president.
IT then conferred my attention on
Cashier Bell and began to weave the
net closer and closer about him. ]
learned that Bell had requested the
clerk to give him the keys about
week before the robbery. The clerk
was going TO attend ball. and the
cashier had told him to let him have
the keys. so he need not report as
early as usual at the bank. The clerk
gave up the keys, The cashier did not
return them. although the clerk asked
for them. Then ! learned that Bell
had been specializing through bro.
ker In Wall street and. MS near as |
could get at It, had lost about $4,000
in a year. which was news TO the bank
officials.
81 four1 out that the cashier had
held several interviews with strangers.
and another startling fact-that on the
night OF the robbery Mrs. Bell had
awakened and found that her husband
was no, In bed She did not know
where he was, and had not thought OF
asking him. There were several other
suspicious circumstances against Bell.
became convinced that II he did not
commit the robbery himself, he must
certainly have had some knowledge OF
It.
'~"There were also many facts in
Bells favor; but the bank direc-
tors became convinced, after carefully
weighing all the evidence, that he was
guilty. and he was arrested. | never
saw man who took his arrest so
hard. and justly so, as 1t afterward
turned out He had a hearing, and
so strong q case was made out against
him that he was held for trial
Shortly after this there was a fire
in the hose Of Mrs. Libby Larsen.
Being q bit OF fire fiend, went to
see the country boys work. They did
such good work that they saved the
house. I went into the place, and In
n closet on the second floor ! picked
up n piece OF wax. II would not have
been noticed by any one not familiar
with the methods OF thieves. but saw
at a glance that Il had been used to
make an impression OF two keys.
slipped iG into my pocket and made
careful examination Of IL In my room.
The impression showed that the keys
were OF intricate construction, and the
thought flashed across my mind that
they were very similar to the keys OF
the vault In the bank. | obtained the
keys without telling any one my ousi-
ness, and found hat they fitted per.
fectly. This was new light on the
mystery. It seemed TO be convincing
proof that Bell had accomplices--prob-
ably the strangers he had met.
~ could not understand. however
how It was that a wax impression
had been made of the keys which Bell
had In his possession. Why go TO all
this trouble when the keys themselves
could be used at any time?
81 took a peep at Mrs. Larsen with
out her knowing 1t. | tell you | gave
n jump when recognized her as An
ME Skidmore, the wife OF Bill Skid.
more, a we'll known bank sneak. At
last | began to see daylight. Annie
was stopping at the house of a neigh
bor, after being burned out. and |
learned that she had received 800 by
telegraph from New York the day OF
the fire. The wording of the telegram
did not throw any light on the case.
ITO my surprise and delight, Annie,
the following day after l recognized
her, left Kingston. and went to Al
bany. She showed her cunning in do
ing this. as the same night she took
the train for New York. knew from
this secretlve movement that Annie
had something important that she was
trying to hide. ! could tell by her
easy movements that she thought she
was safe. telegraphed for q couple
OF detectives to meet me at the depot,
as I could not tell what would turn up.
ut was lucky that did so, for in
the depot, waiting for Annie. were
Willy Mitchell and Bill Noble, Two OF
the brightest crooks In the land. They
spoke with her moment. knew that
they were making an appointment
from the movement Of her head.
sent the two men after Willy and Bill,
and I went after Annie. She went to
q private house in Fourteenth street,
remained there two hours. and then
went out with a gray wig as a dis.