Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-09-11
A VISIT TO
The BANK
And What Resulted From an
Unexpected Meeting.

ness after thirty years service. On
n occasion during this long term Il
singular thing occurred. The bank |
was connected with was n small affair,
and we rarely had in the vault over
fifty or sixty thousand dollars in cur
rency, but at one time, owing to a pc
culiar financial condition of the coun-
try, we had over 100000 On Saturday
at the close of banking hours.
That Saturday night l fell to think
ing about this great sum on hand. Our
safe was an old pattern and could be
readily opened by any bank robher
with an ordinary capacity for his bust
ness. The combination was known to
two officers of the bank (the president
and cashier) and myself. l was paying
teller. l was not thinking of any dnL.-
ger from within, only from without. l
sat at home thinking about it till after
midnight, then, without any definite
purpose, put on my hat and walked to
the bank. l strolled past the building,
turned back and, yielding to an i'm
pulse, went in, made straight for the
vault, saw no evidence Of change and
was about to turn away when a desire
seized me to see that the cash was
there. I was turning the combination
knob when the door opened and the
| cashier entered.
What are you doing here?" he ask
ed, evidently astonished and at the
same time suspicious.
II came to see that the cash is all
right. What did you come for?"
II came for that too. I confess I
didn't expect to find the teller of the
bank opening the vault"
And 1 didn't expect the cashier to
put in an appearance. Your tone indi-
Gates a suspicion that I am here to
rob-"
II can't think of anything more sus-
picious than the teller of the bank
opening the vault at 1 o'clock in the
morning."
At that moment a door at the other
end Of the room opened, and who
should walk in but the president. On
seeing us he looked surprised.
whats ~happened?" he asked quick
ly. "Any funds missing?"
81 think not" said the cashier. But
there is nc telling how much would
have been taken had I not arrived at
the nick of time"
81 was Worried" l faltered, Eat hav-
ing so large an amount of currency in
the safe and could not resist an i'm
pulse to come and see that all was
right"
"And count the funds!" sneered the
cashier.
"What brought you?" asked the pres
ident Of the cashier.
The cashier tried to stammer out a
better excuse than | had given and,
failing. finally blurted:
"And what brought you. for the mat.
ter of that?"
II? I often come to the bank before
going to bed to see that all is safe
Tonight. having so much currency in
the safe, I was especially anxious"
"Having come first" I said. "on tbs
same errand. I presume I am caught ir
the act"
what were you opening the vault
for?" asked the cashier. Couldn't yor
see that it hadn't been tamperel
with?"
II could see that it hadn't beel
blown open, but I couldn't see that tn
lock hadn't been picked or that SOM
ooo E,,Ouyinr {Io D,ol;,,nt;D I,>1-s
opened it and taken the funds
Gentlemen" said the president, wv
will have a look at the money and g
home"
| was directed to open the safe. Th
bills We're found in piles as they ha'
been left in the afternoon. and the SAT
was closed, and we separated.
The next day | was called before tn
president for an examination. whic
lasted two hours, and when ] came on
of his private office l saw the cashie
go in. as | inferred. for u similar pull
pose. Notwithstanding that l shove
a clean record. the president and casl
Ter after consultation decided to di:
miss me.
l appealed to the board of Director
giving them a statement of the facts.
After a meeting or consultation til
board gave out a decision that til
meeting Of the three in the bank was
coincidence, that there was no guilt a
tached to any one Of us, but, rather, "
were all to be commended for O,
watchfulness.
The only good this did me was that
retained my position. l was still und'
suspicion. This was fOstered by Il
cashier, who. l supposed. won we tt
president to his views. Nevertheless
the president acquiesced in the decisit
Of the board and exonerated me.
1t was but a few weeks after all tn
. happened that we were startled at
- announcement that the president b,
resigned and the cashier had been pr
o noted to the vacant position. I w
. smarting under what l considered
!. blow, for since the cashier consider
" v,n ,,,tlt,, ~ ,n St,-A a., ,-l - In,