An Up-to-date Bank Robbery.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81826, 20 August 1906, Page 4

An Up-to-date Bank Robbery.

It was not often that Mr. Butler, manager of the Sterling-street branch of the Troyton Bank, had occasion to visit his offices after business hours. But a banking business is like no other—a bank manager is a man upon whose shoulders rests much responsibility. Mr. Butler had been worried during the four hours which had elapsed since he put on his coat and hat and left the building at 5 o'clock It was a tricky calculation that worried him, and he was not quite certain, as he dallied over his coffee, whether or not he was on the eve of making a great mistake. That is why, contrary to his custom, he ordered his trap, drove to the city and seated himself again in his office, with his back to the sale and the big ledgers before him on the table. His brow was wrinkled in thought, and his keen gray eyes rapidly flew over the bewildering mass of figures. He became absorb«l in his work—so much so, indeed, that he did not hear the creak of the little door on his left, nor did there fall upon his ear the soft breathing of a man at his side. A few moments later he was startled by feeling something cold pressed to his temple. The bewildering multitude of figures which were simmering in his brain melted away for he was looking down the barrel of a revolver, then along the hand which held it, and the arm, until his gray eyes rested on the face of the man. The firßt glance had been to the revolver, and he instantly recognised it as his own. In the face of the man who held the revolver he recognized the features of George Carrington, lately one of his own clerks. He leaned back in his chair and sighed heavily, but said nothing. » " You look surprised, Mr. Butler," said the burglar, as he stealthily crept round the table. " But don't be afraid ;lam not going to shoot you unless you make a row." " You have come to l'ob the office ? " " Yes, sir; that is my intention. You havo saved me a great deal of trouble. The safe is open, there are securities, there is money there. lam going to have them, and lam going to secure you so that you cannot disturb me." "Indeed," said the banker in a chilly tone, " This is a desperate enterprise of yours, Mr. Carrington." Mr. Carrington grinned. "Desperate ills demand desperate remedies," he replied. " You saoked me, Mr. i Butler." The banker parsed his lips. " Quite true," he said, " I saoked you." 11 For no fault of my own," said tho burglar. " Exactly, Mr. Carrington, for no fault of your own. Matter of reduction of staff, that's all. Somebody had to go, and it fell to your fate." " That was two months ago, Mr. Butler. Since then you haven't cared how I've lived, eh? " The other shrugged his shoulders somewhat impatiently. "It is not my business," he said. Then, after a pause, " So you are going to rob the bank, eh?" " I'm going to ask you to hand out all the money you've got in that safe. I'm going to gag you and bind you so that you won't create a disturbance. I sha'n't hurt you, Mr. Butler: don't fear that." " Oh, no," said the banker quickly. "I dont fear that you will hurt me ; that is, I don't think I shall sustain much physical damage at your hands. It is the other thing I am thinking about-the mental hurt." " They can't blame you," said the burglar. "I'm afraid they will," said the banker, dubiously. "Banks are robbed time and again. It is nobody's fault; but the manager doesn't get praised." " I suppose not," said the burglar reflectively. The banker looked up suddenly, and his clear, gray eyes rested upon the young man's face. " Sow then, George Carrington, what's your trouble ? Out with it." The other mumbled. " I was hardly done by," he said in a sullen tone. " I ought not to have been sacked. I was in debt. My house was cleared of its furniture and my wife, myself and my child wero left to starve. I had been sacked from a bank, and when I wanted another position nobody would give it me. I never robbed a man of a farthing in my life. I was driven to desperation." " That's hard," said the banker. "But realize, George Carrington, what you are going to do. You are going to rob this bank. At present the matter rests lightly upon your mind. You will probably get away safely. You will flee to somewhere or other. You may set up in business and become a successful man. But have you ever thought of what will come after, when you get, say, my age? Then will be the time for you to repent and to shun the sight of every honest man, your soul blackened and your mind uneasy forevermore." The other was silent. '' I have in my pocket,'' continued the banker, " the sum of fifty pounds in notes. I am going to give you these notes so that you can make a fresh start in life. I have also in my pocketbook a letter from a good friend of mine in— who requires an under-man-ager in his bank. The salary is £:io, with rooms over the bank. I am going to write a letter to my friend, suggesting you as the most likely candidate for the position. There is no necessity to wait for the reply, as I have been asked to send out the man whom I think best next Wednesday. The burglar's jaw had dropped. His eyea wero staring wildly in to those of the banker, " You don't mean " he commenced. " I never say anything I don't mean, " said the banker. He drew forth his pocketbook, took out some notes, and calmly wrote a short letter. The burglar grasped the notes. He looked with swimming eyes at the letter which had been written. But he was not fool enough to let the point of the revolver drop. He crushed the notes and letter into his pocket. Then, with a burst of feeling he, flung the revolver from him. "By the way, Mr. Carrington," said the Calm, imperturbable banker, " don't make a scene. You had better go now." He got up and held out his hand to the burglar. " But before you go there's one little thing I want to say to you. That revolver which you took from my inner office was not loaded, and during the whole of our conversation you have been'sitting in a chair which contains a patent electrical device. It would have electrocuted you in the briefest possible space of time conceivable had I merely pressed this button which is on the leg of the chair at my side. Good-bye, and good luck."