South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-06-15


used. Talk facts"
Facts were talked until early
morning and all OF them pointed
straight toward the guilt OF the
night watchuan. The duplicate KEYS
to the stone vault found beside his /
body the severed thumb. the facts
that all the windows were secured |
and the bars in place. and the street I,
door untampered with
The cashier OF the Manhattan !
National had been informed al once
~ the watchman's attempt and his /
death He arrived about seven
o'clock. heard the detailed story and i
quite agreed that Summers was /
guilty. fe rclOcked the vault door
and dismiss the police in m effort 7
TO hush mp he matter. as the safe
had proved % efficient guardian OF /
the funds bon IT'S trust and there was
no loss 90 tho bank except the lucky
one OF "a dishonest Waterman But
tho story had leaked ont already and
% newspaper extra came ont around
0i-ht o'clock.
AZ nine square-chested gentle /
man Of medium height i'm soft
gray suit cut oxford stvle. stepped
into the bank and asked for the
cashier. who came 70 the door OF the 1
private department; ne glanced at
the visitor with an anxious frown
and suddenly his face lighted up in
relieved recognition. He bowed
slightly. with Difference. and pushed
open tho door
How do YOU do. Mr. Poe" ne
greeted "I was ON the point OF
calling you up 10 see if you could
suggest some way for us 90 munle
the clamor about this disagreeabIe
business. Just q dishonest watch
man. bus the stories IN tho paper
may cause us the loss Of public con
ldence"
"Ycs. I feared that" answered
Hhristophe. Poe, who was director
% the bank I've read the accounts.
aut please tell me all about it, May
look az the safe, too"
Ccrtalni,. certainly" said the
cashier quickly leading the way TO
where the vauit stood Poe walked
behind. ms vivid violent eyes moving
deliberately, calmly, beneath heavy
brown ewes as ne took in every de-
tail OF the room. observation had
become instructive with MIN in the
many years ne mad privately repre-
~ented the Bankers Protective Asso-
citation, solving mysteries and run
ming down criminals purely 20 please
himself and without the knowledge
OF any but few old cronIes.
The cashier havins recounted all
eXdctness, Poe asked TO see the body
or Summers and was led TO the
presidents private room, where il
had been carried.
He scanned the corpse in a quick,
comprehensive glance and asked
Where's tine missing thumb"
ooh, hcre,' answered the cashier,
pointing 90 heavy piece of wrap
ping paper on which lay a group OF
objects taken from summers pockets
and the severed thumb. Poe turned
The thumb over. looked closely at the
nail. made a superficial observation
of the rest and turned 10 the CASH
Ter.
kindly send a messenger with
this digit TO DR. Robinson. on Thir-
him to cleanse IL thoroughly. restore
the skin whore 1t has been bruised
and put some of his liquid glass
mixture ON it. so At can be handled
and examined Tell him 10 send II
90 my apartments within two hours"
Poe made a casual inspection OF
the personal effects taken from the
dead mans pockets. There was moth
ing unusual among them. Two pen
ellis. handkerchief, a worn leather
note book some matches, a quill
, tooth pick, and odd button, and a
4 few miscellaneous papers; nothing
that "A night Waterman should not
/ carry.
As the cashier returned, having
dispatched the messenger, Poe asked
/ abruptly:
Where's his watch2"
Il don't know" answered the
I cashier vaguely. somebody asked
IL he had a watch. but IT was de
-ided that ne wasn't carrying one.
I lie had his rCundsmans clock.
It's no matter" replied Poe. but
I he did have q watch, and it's gone.
+ See, he gingerly pulled out the lin
ing 20 Summers vest pocket with
+ The remark. les channels his wife
sewed II in-scc where the weiSht
sasged II and the wearing blacken
! ed the skin" He stepped 70 a corner
7 wash basin and rinsed his hands.
/ Now. ne said. If you Will be so
good as 20 ask the janitor 10 bring
me his lonSest ladder I Will see if 1
can crawl through the middle venti |
lator back there. the one with the
glass out completely"
What" cried the cashier. gazing
at Poe with wide eyes and then
rushing through the door into the
open banking room 10 stare up at
three narrow Sits OF windows IN
the rear. II feet above the top of
/ the book keeping cages. The win
dows were secured with bars and the
cashier nj first glance could see no
1 difference between the middle venti
latiu- window and the other two.
All were OF the same size, - inches
t high and 30 inches wide.
Poe had stepped 20 the cashiers
side and remarked. Don't YOU see,
there's no glaze on that middle win