Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1915-10-02

InInD SIOnI
'We find the deceased came to his
death by his own hands"
The pursy coroner blinked at the
speed with which his jury returned
their verdict. Not that any other YER
dict was possible-everybody agreed
as to that A waste of time and pub
lie moneys-the two weeks hearing.
President Darius Brown was dead.
There could be no doubt about it.
He had been respected, living; dead,
he was a knave. Gunshot wound ex-
perts and the mute, mechanical wit
ness proved the jury correct in their
finding.
Expert accountants, expert sleuths,
layman witnesses showed conclusively
the crookedness of the late Darius
Brown. But the moneys he had
filched from the bank funds and the
securities he had borrowed from the
vaults had been found beside his life
less body. Depositors had lost moth
ing. Future depositors had gained an
honest president. Darius Brown had
lost his life. So why bother?
Nodding their heads sagely with the
satisfaction of having known all
along" the audience left the stuffy
room. Four of that audience slipped
furtively out, as though fearing some
thing invisible was logging their foot
steps, casting a chill shadow between
their shoulder blades. But that is my
story-the tale of the real happenings
at the Fourth National.
President Darius Brown gradually
permitted a broad smile OF satisfac-
ton to overspread his face as he stud
led the record of his first paying
teller. He waved the Pinkerton rep
resentative, with the little bundle I'M
der his arm, away, while he stared
absently at the opposite wall, then
pressed the annunciator and ordered
the negro porter to send in Mr.. Drum.
go to the vault, Travers, and fix
up the camera" he smiled at the
Pinkerton man. I'm just taking
minute to reward a young man who
has helped get enough securities into
that vault to make 1t worth guard
ing"
The detective glanced keenly at the
young man who answered the sum-
mons. then his lips frightened a bit.
He knew the face Of Joseph Drum,
had seen the young man mingling with
a rather fast set, had marked his
presence at the Gayety stage door. He
was an old-school detective who be-
lieved the leisure hours of banking
man might be better employed.
Darius Brown noticed the look, the
appraisement of the sleuth, and
laughed as he whirled about upon his
teller.
Looking over the books and recol-
lecting the circumstances attendant
on certain deposits" he began pom
derously, 81 find that you have brought
good many customers to the Fourth
National, Drum. / also am agreeably
reminded that you have shown good
judgement In advising depositors re-
garding certain investments they in
tended making. You are a bit gay
know, but l have every reason to
believe that you are careful, and
know you are working for the bank
outside Of hours. This is the twenti-
eth century, Drum, and l am a twen-
tieth century man. So l am increas-
ing your salary to five thousand dol
lars year"
Joseph Drums jaw dropped in
amazed incredulity,
Don't thank me-" Brown said crisp
ly. Just continue to be careful. Be
as gay as you please, so long as
you're careful and it brings us the
right sort Of deposits and doesn't af-
feet the clearness Of your brain. And
he wagged a long forefnger rather
playfully as he gave the warning,
don't wear out the bricks in front of
the Gayety stage door"
Il don't think I'll need to make but
one more trip there--now."
President Brown halted, his hand
on the knob, as though to answer.
Then he smiled as he understood the
full meaning of Drums cryptic re-
joinder and joined the detective, who
had just finished adjusting his appara-
tus in the door of the huge, black
vault.
"It works this way. Mr.. Brown
explained the man, "The camera
slides into the steel mesh back here,
giving the lens the angle to catch any
body tampering with the combination.
Here are the triggers on each side
Of the door, all set, and the fash pow
ders are placed in these little contain
ers. Now, look! Here's the trick"
He knelt a short ways before the
vault door, prying with his knife and
finally drawing from place a loose
tile He smiled with satisfaction at
the exclamation of admiration from