ng hard pressed at that time, I responded as soon as I
could, and in a few days found myself in Geneva, where I was heartily
welcomed by both Johnson and Pearson. After supper we met in Johnson's
office as usual, and then the plan was made known to me. At first I was
startled by the daring proposition, which was nothing more or less than
to rob Pearson's bank by means of forged checks. The checks, which had
been already prepared by Pearson, were exhibited to me, and I was
surprised at the cleverness of the forgery. It looked easy and safe, and
I consented. The person selected as the victim was a rich farmer by the
name of Henery Sharpless, whose accounts were only settled about twice a
year, and consequently detection was not likely to follow very soon.
After carefully comparing the forged checks with an old one that was
genuine, I no longer hesitated and signified my readiness to try the
experiment.

"On the following day, therefore, I went to Johnson's office, and there
put on a hickory shirt, a pair of coarse boots and pantaloons, and in a
few minutes I was transformed into a veritable countryman. Johnson
colored my face and hands with some preparation which made me appear
like a tanned and sunburnt farmer, and thus equipped, I started for the
bank. I was provided with two checks for three hundred dollars each, one
of which was to be presented to the Geneva bank, when, if I experienced
no trouble, I was to present the other at the Union National Bank, where
also Mr. Sharpless kept an account. I had no difficulty whatever in
obtaining the money, and after dividing it among the other two, I left
town on the first train. I received two hundred dollars for my share,
and the forgeries were not discovered until a long time had elapsed, and
when it was almost impossible to obtain any information concerning them.
To this day I don't believe that any of the officers of the two banks
have the slightest idea as to how the thing was done. Soon after this
forgery, Johnson left Geneva and located at St. Louis, where he still
resides. Emboldened by the success of this first venture, Eugene
Pearson, who was really the master-spirit in these later efforts, boldly
proposed to rob the bank in which he was engaged, but this was something
too audacious to be considered for a moment. At length, by dint of
repeated suggestions, Johnson and myself began to give some
consideration to the matter, and upon Pearson's assuring us of the
perfect