Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1917-07-05
MURDER OF BANK
PRESIDENT.
Soclety.Leader Cashier EmbezzIes
100000 and Makes Murderous AS
eaulf IN preeideDf

/
| Smith, cashier Of the Lawrenceville Bank
| and Trust company, and q leader in the
| Lawrenceville younger set, Is today fu-
| gitiye from Justice with a price on his
| head. At a late hour last night the
Waterman of the bank found President
Durham lying unconscious in front OF his
desk. Help was summoned, and Mr.. Dun
| ham, who was supposed to be suffering
| from some sudden attack of illness was
| taken to his hotel Later, 1t transpired
| that the president had been the victim OF
a murderous assault. Discovering upon
| his return to the city yesterday evening
that the cashier had been using the bank S
funds in an attempt to cover a stock spec
ulation of his own, Durham sent for
| Smith and charged him with the crime
| Smith made an unproyoked and desperate
/ assault upon his superior officer, beating
him into insensibility and leaving him for
dead. Since 1t is known that he did not
| board any of the night trains east or west
smith is supposed to be in hiding some
where In the vicinity of the city. A war
rant Is out, and a reward Of 81, 900 for his
arrest and detention has been offered by
| the bank. 1t Is not thought possible that
| ne can escape. 1t was currently reported
| not long since that Smith was engaged to
| a prominent young society woman of
Lawrenceville, but this has proved to be
| untrue.
He folded the newspaper and put 1t
In his pocket. The thing was done,
and it could not be undone. Having put
himself on the wrong side of the law,
there was nothing for it now but a
complete disappearance; exile, q
change of identity, and an absolute
severance with his past.
When he had gone q little distance
he found that the wagon road crossed
the right of way twice before the con-
structlon camp came into view. The
last Of the crossings was at the tenn
porary material yard for which the
side track had been installed, and from
this point on, the wagon road held to
the river bank. The ditch people were
doubtless getting all their material
over the railroad so there would be lit
tie hauling by wagon. But there were
automobile tracks in the dust, and
shortly after he had passed the mate
rial yard the tramp heard a car COM
ing up behind him. 1t was six-cyllu-
der roadster, and its motor was miss
ing badly.
Its single occupant was q big, beard
ed man, wearing his gray tweeds as
one to whom clothes We're merely a
convenience. He was chewing a black
cigar, and the unoccupied side Of his
mouth was busy at the passing moment
heaping objurgatlons upon the limp
Ing motor. A hundred yards farther
along the motor gave a spasmodic gasp
and stopped. When the young tramp
came up, the big man had climbed out
and had the hood open. What he was
saying to the stalled motor was pic
turesque enoughe to make the young
man stop and grin appreciatively.
Gone bad on you?" he inquired.
Col. Dexter Baldwin, the Timanyoni's
largest landowner, and a breeder of
fine horses who tolerated motorcars
only because they could be driven hard
and were insensate and fit subjects for
abusive language, took his head out
of the hood.
"The third time this morning." he
snapped. I'D rather drive a team Of
wind-broken mustangs, any day in the
year"
II used to drive car while back"
said the tramp. 'Let me look her
| over"
The colonel stood aside, wiping his
hands on piece of waste, while the
young man sought for the trouble. It
was found presently In a loosened
magnetic wire; found and cleverly cor
rected. The tramp went around In
front and spun the motor, and when 1t
had been throttled down, Colonel Bald
win had his hand In his pocket.
That's something like" he said.
"The garage man said it was carbon.
You take hold as If you knew how.
What's your fee2'
The tramp shook his head and smiled
good-naturedly.
Nothing; for a bit of neighborly
help like that"
The colonel put his coat on, and In
the act took a better measure of the
stalwart young fellow who looked like
hobo and talked and behaved like a
gentleman. ....-
"You are hiking out to the DAMP" he
asked brusquely.
81, am headed that way, yes" was
the equally crisp rejoinder.
Hunting a job2"
"Just that"
"What sort of jobf
Anything that may happen to be In
sight"
'That means pick and shovel or a
wheelbarrOw on a construction Job.
But there isn't much office work."
The tramp looked up quickly.
"What makes you think I'm hunting
for an Office job?" he queried.
'Your hands," said the colonel
shortly.
The young man looked at his hands