An Up-to-date Bank Robbery.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81915, 9 January 1907, Page 4

An Up-to-date Bank Robbery.

It was not often that Mr. Butler, manage* 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 oiliee, with his back to the sale and the big ledgers'before him on tho table. His brow was wrinkled in thought, and his keen gray eyes rapidly Hew over the bewildering mass of figures. He becameabsoibijl in his work—so much so, indeed, that he did not hear the creak of the little door on his left, nor did there lall upon his ear the soft breathing of a man at his side.

A few inomtnts later he was startled by feeling something cold pressed to his temple. The bewildering multitude of figures which were simmering in his brain molted away tor be was looking down tho 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 first glance had been to the revolver, and ho instantly recognised it as his own. In the face of the man who held the revolver he recognized the features of George Carrington, lately ono of his own clerks. He leaned back in his chair and sighed heavily, but said nothing. " Yon look surprised, Mr, Butler," said the burglar, as he stealthily crept round the table. " lint don't bo afraid ;lam notgomg to shoot you unless you make a row." " You have come to rob tho 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 (here. lam going to have them, and lao going to secure you so that you cannot dij turb 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 sacked me, Mr. Butler."

The banker pursed his lips. " Quite true," he said, " I sacked you." " For no fault of my own," said tho burglar. "Exactly, Mr. Carrington, for no fault of your own. Matter of reduction of stall, 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 liesd, oh?"

The other shrugged his shoulders somewhat impatiently. "It is not my business," he said. Then, after a pause, '• So you are going to rob tho bank, eh?"

" I'm going to ask you to hand out all tho money you've got in that safe. I'm going to gag you and hind 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 quietly. "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 lam 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 hii clear, gray eyes rested u[on the young rnan'i face. " Now then, George Carrington, what's your trouble ? Out with it." The other mumbled. " I was hardly done by," he said '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 an ■ other 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 tho banker. "Bui realize, George Carrington, what you are going to do. You are going to rob th;» bank. At present the matter rests ligh{s-„« upon your mind. You will probably gefc away safely. You will flee to somewhere os other. You may set up in business and bo cornea successful man. But have you evef thought of what will come after, when you get, say, my age? Then will be the timefoi you to repent and to shun the sight of every honest man, your soul blackened and youj mind uneasy forevermore." The other was silent. " I have in my pocket," continued tho 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 undcr-mnn-ager in his bank." The salary is £2O, with rooms over tho baVik. I am going to write a letter to my friend, suggesting you as the most likely candidate for theposition. Thers is no necessity to wait for the reply, as I have been asked to send out the mail whom I thinh best next Wednesday. Tho burglar's jaw had dropped. His eyes were staring wildly in to those of tho banker.

" You don't mean " he commenced. " I never say anything I don't mean, " said the banker. He drew iorth his pocket book, took out some notes, and calmly wrote a short letter.

The burglar grasped the notes. He looked with swimming eyes at tha letter which had been written. But ho was not fool enough to let the point ol 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 ohair at my side. " Good-bye, and good look."