Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1915-07-02

man at the big Merchants National of
Boston. locked the massive door to the
bank behind the last clerk, at about
i've o'clock on Tuesday afternoon. He
glanced idly at the two old women
who had begun scrubbing at the mid.
die OF the big banking room, half an
hour before, and called them to hurry.
as they must leave before five-fifteen,
At which minute Beggs had to signal
daily to the central station of the
Burglar Insurance company, thus in
forming them that the bank was
closed for the night and it was time
to set the automatic electric alarm,
protecting the door, windows and
safe.
AS the clock struck five. he made his
customary round of the big cage divid-
ed room. Having finished, he leaned
aazily against paying teller's window
In the corridor, for he had missed his
usual amount Of sleep that day. Then
his elbow slipped off the support, he
said something uncomplimentary con-
corning the ledge, damned his elbow
back into place. and yawned again.
His mouth never closed. At that
instant gag was thrust between his
weary jaws from behind. a hand
clutched his throat. he grew giddy and
reeled. A moment later, when his
eyes popped open, he found himself
1at on the floor. staring into the dead.
white, ghoulish face of a man with
'close.cropped light hair and hungry,
watery hollow eyes, the pupils greatly
'dilated. The man was dexterously
trussing him up with all the skill of a
champion English rope-wrestler. 1T
had happened in half minute; Beggs
had gone down without a cry. Out
of the tail Of his eye he suddenly
saw the scrub.woman who had been
working near him stagger to her feet,
a soapy hand clutching at her heart,
and her eyes fixed in horror.
She had no more than risen, when
the dead-faced man whirled and
caught her staggering blow full in
the face. which sent her spinning over
her pail Of water; she struck with a
clap on her head. hitting a marble
corner With sudden, frightened
start the man rushed to the rear Of
the bank. where Beggs knew the other
scrub-woman was working. He had
passed out Of Begg's scope, for the
Waterman had been placed face down,
against the wall.
i "A shrill feminine shrek came from
sfhe rear: stool was kicked over.
There was the splash of water and
the hollow plop of pail. as though
the second scrub-woman had thrown
the thing nearest at hand at her as.
sailant. Then came blow. a scream.
u moan. and all was silent in the big
Merchants National of Boston.
? John Beggs stared at the floor and
his legs, which were all he could see.
except the motionless body of the old
woman near him. And while he was
wondering, the dead-faced man sud-
denly appeared behind him in thick
:stockinged feet and forced moist
sponge beneath Begg's attenuated
nose.
! In two minutes time, John Beggs
was dreaming that he lay in a large
bed of beautiful roses. Then somebody
suddenly turned Niagara loose upon
him. and stuck a red-hot iron down
his sizzling throat.
Then he opened his eyes for the
FIRST tine. muttered, Remember, she Is
still your mother" and looked into
the wondering blue eyes of police
man. who was forcing brandy down
his throat, and hopping his brow with
the scrub woman's cloth.
The cashier of the bank, routed from
bed. came hurrying in, dismissed the
group of watchmen, detectives, and
stragglers, who had wandered in at
the open door of the bank. and asked
abruptly for the policeman's tale.
while John Beggs was trying to get
his swollen tongue back to speaking
size.
Il was walkin' the beat at three.
thirty this mornin'," replied the officer
who had revived Beggs. When I
come In front Of the bank, couldn't
believe my eyes. The door was open,
an there was black body lynn
through it, holdin' it open-there was
a hole In the head-it was dead-it's
down there by the stairs now, sir.
I came in, and found the Waterman
,chloroformed, and was afraid he was
dead too"
"And who looked at the safe?"
cried Cribben, the cashier, turning to
a representative of the Burglar 1nsur-
.ance company, who had taken charge
of affairs before his arrival.
Il did. It's gutted," was the signi.
dcant reply. I'VE got an alarm auto.
matically at the main Office about
three.flfteen; the signal came from
opening the door, l suppose. Then l
'phoned you, and came over here at
once. but the policeman was already
working over the Waterman"
There was considerable consterna-
don and confusion, during which the
cashier found his safe utterly empty,
and secured John Begg's account of
all that had happened, to his knowl-
ASl~0