The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-01-12
Made Mentally a
Criminal
By GERALD FERGUSON
Copyright by American Press Asso-
CiatIou 1871.
By GERALD FERGUS

brance of having been the night before
with two friends of his, Borand and
Tucker. OF taxing number Of
drinks and smoking a large quaint.
ty of cigars. suddenly he remember.
ed something else He and his friends
had been discussing the various ways
criminals gave themselves away. VII
liams had wondered why they did so.
averring that he would suppose every
faculty they possessed would be call
ed out to shield them from detection
and punishment
This is as far as Williams remem.
bered. From that time the liquor he
had taken affected him so far that he
had no recollection OF what had trans
pired. He did not even know how he
had got to bed. The experience was
a novel one to him, for he had never
been intoxicated before. He was EN-.
ployed in bank and so trusted was
he that he was made a keeper Of the
safe lock combination in order that
when the cashier was absent the
funds might be available
Something under Williams pillow
rendered his head uncomfortable.
Putting his hand there to discover
what it was. he pulled out an oblong
parcel done up In brown paper. He
opened it and was surprised to see a
package of bank bills. Then he re-
man, cpp,otbipr mora Ho hod
made bet with Tucker that he would
take a sum of money from the bank.
keep 1t a month, meanwhile proceed
ing with his duties at the institution
without betraying his secret. Then
the party had gone to the bank. VIII
liams had opened the safe and had
taken the money.
All this he recalled while looking at
the package and was horrified at what
ne had done. II detected what avail
would it be for Borland and Tucker to
swear that the money had been taken
on a bet and was to be returned? He
was in the position of criminal. His
first thought was to telephone to the
bank that be was i'll and would not.
be there that day. But the loss would
be discovered. and his absence would
cause suspicion that he had taken the
money No; he must get up and go
to the bank as usual. He plunged into
cold bath, dressed, drank q cup Of
coffee and. leaving the bills locked in
an old trunk in a storeroom. went to
face the officers and clerks Of the bank
Meanwhile he had been thinking
that he would confess the whole az.
fair. Would he be believed? Would
II not be considered that he had com.
mitted the theft. become frightened at
what he had done and made up this
story to save himself? His two
friends would testify for him. but al
most any one would heip fellow out
of such a fix. and their testimony
would be taken with grain of salt"
No. his only hope was to carry out
the conditions of his bet successfully.
He entered the bank, assuming as
careless an air as he could command
Nothing seemed amjss with those as
sembled there Williams sat down at
his desk and went to work. About IL
O'Clock he was called into the presi-
dents Office, where he found the cash
ier, both officers showing by their de-
meanor that the loss had been dis.
covered
"Mr Williams" said the president,
$4,000 in bills is missing from the
safe. You and Mr.. Stivers, the cashier.
and one other are the only ones who
know the combination of the safe lock
! am not going to accuse you of TAX
ing this money. | simply wish to
hear what YOU have to say about the
matter"
Williams. whose heart was in his
throat denied any knowledge of how
the theft COu.d have been effected He
looked frightened, but that was 10 be
expected The president. after study
ing his face carefully. dismissed him
Williams went back to his desk and to
misery As TO doing his work that
was Impossible What he tried to do
he bundrrrd over. After an INTERN
bic day OF wretchedness he went home
and TO ms room and fell on his bed
with groau
IF |. who am really innocent OF
wronG,' ne said. "am so affected by
my position. what must be the state OF
a real criminalt"
There was no sleep for Williams
that night He dreaded to go to the
bank thar day and dare not remain
away He went to his desk al the usu-
al hour, and as he sat down. though ne
looked AT no one and no one looked at
him, he felt that battery OF eyes was
upon him. During the day tritie OF
comfort came TO him. since he was
treated by all in the bank with the
same friendliness as before the rob
berry. But there was a steady wear
upon his nerves, and when he reached
his room he felt that he had lost much
ground on this first day of his trial.
He now knew that he could not
stand the strain for thirty days nor
for half that time. He must find a
way TO return the money, covering his
tracks at the same time He was so
unstrung that he could not. dare not
use any method that occurred 10 him.