The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-12-25
BY ORDER OF
THE BOARD
By M. QUAD
By N. QUAD
Copyright. 1914. BY h Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate

For seven years old John Fosdick
had been paying teller OF the First Ma.
tionai bank In u western town. DE
had secured the place through having
the friendship OF the president But
there had been a ring against him
in the bank. Without the president
behind him. ever after he had held the
place for three or -four years. be would
have been fired by those In authority.
The seventh year was dra wing to a
close when old John was caught ny.
A stranger presented u check which
he hesitated to pay and about which
he consulted the cashier. Later on the
cashier stated that he had ordered 1t
to be held pending examination. Old
John said that he had been ordered to
pay 1t ut once. The check was paid.
and, being spurious. the bank was $500
out of pocket.
The president heing In Europe. the
board took the case under amusement.
and by order the old man was fred
out into the world to begin life z
There were resolutions. Of course. and
one of them was to tue effect that the
bank presented him with the sum Ut
500 for long and faithful services. BE
put on his hat without protest. and be
left the bank without taking the
money. At his humble home I'm old.
anxious wife met hin and. wtfelike.
gave him sympathy and encourage
ment first of all.
Never mind. John; never mind"
she kept saying. 1--WE have a few dol
lars ahead. aud you are only fifty-6ve
years old. and something good Is sure
to turn up. You ave fought too long
to give up now"
But the weeks went by and nothing
turned up. The business world has
very little use for an old man who has
no capital. John Fosdick's savings
were gradually used up. the gener-
osity Of his few friends exhausted. and
there came Il day when the question OF
food and fuel became a serious one.
He was not n to sponge or turn
beggar. Ii the world would not let
him earn his food. at least he wonId
go out of it and hope that his going
would open the hearts of men toward
his widow. After bordering for an
hour he started out with the firm III
tention Of drowning himself in the riv-
er. 1t was a clustering November day.
and as he passed the bank with bowed
head. bent shoulders and well worn
garments even those who had depriv-
ed him of his place felt a touch OF
sympathy. He was making for the
suburbs and a highway bridge and
wondering how long it would take To
drown and what men would say ut
him when dead when he caught sight
of men and horses skulking behind an
abandoned factory. 1t was singular.
bound gu such a mission as be vas
that he should have see or wondered
and specialized on why those men and
horses were there. but he had scarcely
passed the old factory when be sud.
denly turned about and ran for the
business part of the town with speed
that astontshed himself.
In the vaults Of the First National
bank was a sun close upon $3.OOO.OOO
deposited there temporarily by a rail-
road company. Outside the vault was
q big safe containing $4,000 more. 1t
was a quiet afternoon, with few people
moving about. Over 100 Of the men
living In town had gone over to the
new town of Prairie Flower to an auc.
ton of real estate. There hadn't been
q better opportunity for years to make
a dash at the bank. 1t was a civilized
young city. but within striking distance
of No Mans Land and a hundred des'
perate outlaws.
OF a sudden old John Fosdick. bare.
headed and his gray hair flying. burst
into the bank. He VAS speeches.
with his running. but he did not try
to use his voice. He dashed open the
gate and seized the heavy doors Of the
safe and closed them with a hang. Sew
eral employees tried to seize him. but
he shook them of. and just as firing
and yelling were heard on the street
be slammed the doors Of the vault
He had only turned FROM it when four
border rufians rushed into the bank.
each with q pistol In hand. while three
others remained outside and fired at
every pedestrian in sight.
Hands up and money out"' shouted
one of three who entered the bank.
and In an instant every official and
employee was covered.
Gentlemen. the bank Is closed for
today" said John Fosdick.
."Open the safe and vaults or. I'll
blow your brains OUT"
II have a key to neither"
"You liar! Take that"
The old man sank with a bullet In
his brain. and the white faced cashier
would have opened safe and vault
with his own hands but for the arrival
OF assistance. a few citizens had
gathered and KILLED one Of the watch
ers and wounded another. This caus.
ed. a stampede On the part Of the des-
peradoea. They did not even grab the
money packages in sight. but FASTENED
to get away AZ fast a. possible. John
Fosdick did not drown himself. Tut be