The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-01-11

Manhattan National bank b
telephone
He took down the receiver casually
expecting only a business communication
He was instantly thrilled, however, O
.1easing the cashier answer In low
anxious voice.
"oh. yes. Mr.. Poo. come right over
please. We're In trouble You're th'
only man who can help us out"
Slipping a light spring coat over fdi
thin Office suit, cut oxford style. Chris
topher Poe walked briskly TO the Man
haitian National. a neighborlng bank. o
which he was a director On the way he
heard newsboys shouting an extra, "Al
about the Manhattan National robbery.
Purchasing a copy, he read the story
printed at length beneath n bIfef news
notice, a clever scoop secured by a de-
scrptive writer who chanced upon the
scene az he was returning home in the
early morning:
II there's anything wrong It's an
inside Job. that's sure commented Po-
iioe Sergeant Muldoon. left In charge
with three Of his men while the Burglary
Insurance Inspector, who received the
alarm from the Manhattan National this
morning. rushed off to summon a super
Tor officer who held keys to the front
door OF the bank.
Ten minutes later the Burglary In
surance manager arrived. blown. in a
taxi. The door was unlocked. and the
men filed in. Lights were turned on, but
no skulking figure showed itself There
was no sudden explosion OF a revolver
no crash OF glass, not a single familiar
incident 90 make the men feel at nome
There was not movement, not a sound,
not another person In the big banking
room besides the group that had just
entered, unless the limp bag OF bones
by the safe door could be counted.
The inspector approached the body,
and turned II over with his toe. reveal
iinG the terror-1ixed face Of Summers,
bank watchman.
The officers and inspectors huddled
together about the safe. staring stupidly
from the body to the open masonry door,
neavy stone doorway opening into the
vault which contained the safe proper.
What's that?' he cried. as he caught
e quick motion and CLINT OF light IN
the dim interior. His gun dashed as he
leveled II and he was about 10 fire when
the Burglary Insurance manager knocked
up the iron. crying:
That's the safe Itself It's one OF
the new whirling safes. The light that
startled you was reflected by the spin
uing steel, the safe Itself; IL whIrls like
a top after 1t is wound UP and set 10
stop at certain hour In the morning
It's absolutely burglar proof Even the
motor that runs IL and the time lock
regulator are inside IT. We can all be
imignty thankful the safe is still whirl-
ing. That shows she hasn't been opened
What's the dope queried the puz-
Zled police officer, looking up distrust-
fally, never heard OF a spinning safe
rs new invention the manager
fastened TO explain, examining the In
tricate lock on the vault door 10 see how
it had been opened. It's just been in
stalled here You see, the safe IS COM
pIeteiy lnciosed in this vault of masonry,
In the old days good gopher man could
melt any steel safe door with an cleo
Iic current or forced draft lamp,
II he could get 10 the door itself. This
sioe 10 keep it whirling so your gopher
man can't Keep his electric drill or blower
directed on any one spot Hence it's
impossible for him to melt or bore his
way in.
There's no way OF stopping 1t them
quered the police officer poking his
iinser in toward the revolving mass of
metal
Here" The manager ierked the Of
ficer's arm back by his sleeve You've
heard OF people having their fingers
neatly nipped of by electric fans? Well
this safe will do the trick. only thou
Look. Here's where they got him.
eame en- interrupting cry from a burglary
insurance call man who had been en-
aminlng the body Of Summers
And here's a police officer who had
been see nning the floor iurched heavily
forward blood rushing 70 his apopIectic
iace as he stopped TO pick up a small OBJ
Jeet @ rom beside me safe The thing
colored, and about three quarters OF an
inch square at the top and two inches
long. 81 the bottom cluug clotted blood.
"A finger. buh?' Grunted the burglary
insurance manager. jumping 10 his feet.
and thrustine his eager face over the
potroimans shoulder.
Yes. It's thumb
Look! cried the call man. on his
knees besides the night watchman's BODY.
summers thumbs goner
Elt OH. prob'iy. said the Inspector.
sloopinE, to examine the hand the cali
Prob'ly put MP stiff fight fore the pc
"He pushed the corpse OF the watc,,msn
fnusingly with his broad toe. As ne did
manager pouuced on them.
WHAT'S Summers doing with KEYS TO
the vault that contains TITS safe?" he
cried
THE inspectors Jaw dropped. and he
looked dszed the tall man let the thumb
less hand fall back to the floor In his
establishment
Sdlb from VIC ulsi II WIS An inside
Job, remarked the police sergeant with
intense satisfa ction
That's how he lost his thumb" add
I'd the manager deftv fitting the KEYS
N the vault door. Got his hand In the
way OF the safe. and IL clipped the thumb
1ff He should have been more careful |
the fact that lie was clever
enough 20 make keys 20 ft this door"
But he couldn't have undertaken the |
cbv cried the call man, here's 4 hole |
n the back OF his head. it's where they |
lit .llm with pipe or a gun. or some
ool"
The manae ger kicked a heavy. smashed |
oull s-eye that lay near the dead mans |
read IT'S HIS Own lamp" he said; |
when his thumb was cat off in the |
rhirlins safe. ~ fell back IN the surprise |
y II. and landed square on his own lamp. |
That's what did Cor him
Then what's this trail OF blood ?" cried |
ne call man. pointing 10 a scattering OF |
ed drops across the floor in wavering |
Inc 10 tie Burglary Insurance COM |
,any's signal switch set in the wall.
The manager shrugged his shoulders
Summers did the Job" he aaid with |
inalitT, waving his hand about the big |
banking room. II there'd been anybody |
.lse in II witt, him, where are they now7 |
They wouldn't disappear In the air. you |
cnow, and they weren't blown to atoms |
lecause there was no soup used Talk |
Acts
Eo fat