Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-11


lie prosecutors Office was indeed
day of fate for Mr.. Lambton Green,
branch manager of the Midland
Bank
That branch of the bank which Mr.. Green
controlled was situate at the corner of Pell
street and Firing avenue, on the country side'
of Ealing. 1t is fairly large building and, I'M
like most suburban branch offices, the whole of
the premises was devoted to banking business,
for the bank carried very heavy deposits.
On Wednesday afternoons, in preparation for
the pay days of its customers, large sums in
currency were brought from the head office and
deposited in the steel and concrete strong room,
which was Immediately beneath Mr.. Green's
private Office, but admission to which was
gained through steel door in the general Office.
This door was observable from the street. and
to assist observation there was shaded lamp
fixed to the wall Immediately above, which
threw powerful beam of light upon the door.
Further security was insured by the employment
of night Waterman, Arthur Mailing.
The bank lay on a restricted police beat
which had been so arranged that the officer on
patrol passed the bank every 40 minutes.
ON the night of October IT Policeman Burnett
stopped as usual before the wide peep-hole
and glanced into the bank. The first thing he
noticed was that the lamp above the strong
room door had been extinguished. His sus-
picions aroused, the officer ran to the door,
which, to his alarm, he found ajar He entered
the bank, calling Mailing by name. There was
no answer.
Permeating the air was faint, sweet scent
The general offices were empty, and, entering
the managers room, in which light burned
he saw figure stretched upon the ground. It
was the night Waterman. His wrists were
handcuffed, two straps had been tightly buckled
about his knees and ankles.
The explanation for the strange and sickly
UuQ ole AHNx,a he I,nAI -
PROSTATE man was suspended, by wire hooked
to the picture rail, an old tin can, the bottom
OF which was perforated so that there fell an
incessant trickle of some volatile liquid upon
the thick cotton pad which covered Malling's
face.
Burnett, who had been wounded in the war,
had instantly recognized the smell of chloro-
form, and, dragging the unconcious man into
the outer Office, snatched the pad from his face
and leaving him only long enough to telephone
to the police station, sought vainly to bring him
to consciousness.
The police reserves arrived within few min
utes, and with them the divisional surgeon
Every effort to restore the unfortunate man to
life proved unavailing
He was probably dead when he was found"
was the police doctors verdict. what those
scratches are on his right palm is mystery"
He pulled open the clenched fist and showed
half dozen little scratches. They were recent,
Tor there was smear of blood on the palm.
Burnett was sent at once to arouse Mr. Green
the manager, who lived in Firing avenue, a
street of semi-detached homes. AS the officer
walked through the little front garden to the
door he saw a light through the panels and
he had hardly knocked before the door was
opened and Mr. Lambton Green appeared fully
dressed, and, to the officers discerning eye in
state of considerable agitation. Officer Bur-
nett saw on a hall chair big suit case
The little manager listened, pale as death,
while Burnett told him of his discovery
THE bank robbed? Impossible" he almost
shreked My God! this is awful"
He was the point of collapse that
Burnett had to assist him into the street
II was going away on holiday" he said
hcoherently, as he walked up the dark thor
Oughfare toward the bank premises "TF1e fact
Isl was leaving the bank. I left note-ex-
planning to the directors"
Into circle of suspicious men the manager
tottered He unlocked the drawer of his desk,
looked and crumbed up.
They're not here" he said, wildly. at left
them here-my keys-with the motel"
A ND then he Swooned. When the dazed man
recovered he found himself in a police CELL
and, later in the day. he dropped before police
magistrate, supported by two officers, and lis
tened, like a man in dream, to a charge of
causing the death of Arthur Mailing, and,
further, of converting to his own use the sum
OF 100000.
1t was on the morning of the first remand