The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-17

your pal, and now we're going to find out
how you robbed that bank this noon"
If had really been guilty I suppose I
should have had great deal to say, but
innocent as was my tongue stuck to the
roof of my mouth, and followed my cap
tor out OF the car in silence The poor
minister, however. poured forth a torrent
of protests, but he was so excited that
they were hardly ineligible. and even lie
they had been they would have done no
good. You see the detectives were thor
oughly convinced that his venerable ap-
pearance and clerical garb We're only the
clever DISCUSSES OF desperate thief
With no gentle hand the two detectives
bundled us into a patrol wagon and hur-
ried us back to the police station l had
left only a few hours before. Tie chief
was there chuckling with satisfaction at
having caught Sophie just as she was max
ing her escape with her cevarly disguised
confederate.
Come, now" he said, roughly. Tets
have the whole story before we lock you
up. How did you rob the bank and what
did you do with the money? It's no use
keeping anything back. now we've got the
pair of YOU"
But I'm no thief-rm a minister of the
gospel" the old man cried.
"A minister That's the best l ever
heard" laughed the chief. You ought to
stick to your pulpit instead OF trying to
walk away with a banks money. Go ahead
and search him, men. Perhaps some Of
those bonds are in his pockets now"
A burly patrolman seized the minister's
silk hat and turned the lining inside out.
Two others grabbed the sleeves of his
sombre frock coat and started pulling it
of. A sergeant, who aspired to be chief
of detectives, tweaked his beard as if he
expected to find it false.
This was more than the poor old man
could stand He was trembling in every
muscle and the tears were splashng down
his withered cheeks like rain. 1t was
more than my sympathetic heart could
stand, too.
"Oh, chief l cried, sinking to my
knees and raising my hands as my babies
did when they said their prayers, lock
ME up or do whatever you wish with me,
but please let this poor old man go. He
has done nothing wrong, and | swear by
all that is good and holy that | never saw
him before tonight"
Incredulity was written on every line Of
the chiefs hard face and he was about
to wave me away to cell when one OF the
officers showed before his eyes a Tesla
ment, cardcase and bundle of letters which
they had found in the pockets OF the bank
robbers" frock coat These proved con-
clusively that the old gentleman was a
minister-the pastor OF a well-known ST.
Louis church.
l bear policemen no i'll will because,
like all other human beings, they fire.
quently make mistakes. This Is why I
do not undertake TO describe their chagrin
on this occasion. 1t is sufficient TO say
that the poor old minister and were
promptly released and sent on our way
in cabs, with the contrite apologies OF the
st. Louis police ringing III our ears.
The fact that | was wholly innocent
In this instance does not lessen the force
of the moral l am trying 10 bring out
that it Is dangerous thing to become too
Intimate with chance acquaintance, par
ticularly when travelling. l know from
experience that every criminal when he
thinks he is hard pressed by detectives
VIII try to throw them off the track by
scraping an acquaintance with some hon
est man or woman, and that, if necessary,
he Will not hesitate 10 involve these innO-
cent people In trouble
SOPHIE LYONS.