nded
it to him, and he locked it up in his safe. He then went to breakfast,
leaving me alone in the office. I immediately picked up the packages,
distributed their contents into four piles of equal size, removed the
cigars from the boxes, and placed a pile of money in each. I then filled
the space above the money with cigars, nailed down the lid of the boxes,
placed them in the trunk, tied it up and directed it to W. A. Jackson,
Galveston, Texas. There was a wagon loading at the door. I had the box
immediately placed on it, and within an hour of the time I had taken the
money it was on its way down the Alabama river, for Mobile. The boat
started down the river at the same time that Chase left for Atlanta.
That is what I call sharp work. No one but me knew of the loss of the
packages.

[Illustration: "_As he stood outside of the counter, I was enabled to
call off all the packages on the way-bill, but dropped the four
containing the forty thousand dollars under the counter._"--Page 237.]

"Chase was in his car, perfectly at ease, but when he reached Atlanta he
was destined to receive a shock he would not soon forget. As soon as he
arrived there the loss was discovered, and the Assistant Superintendent
of the Southern Division, who happened to be in the Atlanta office,
immediately telegraphed to me for an explanation. I did not take the
trouble of answering the despatch, and he came on to Montgomery that
night to investigate. All I had to say was that I had checked the money
over to Chase, and they would have to look to him for an explanation.
Telegrams came thick and fast, but I was nerved up to pass through
anything, and left them unnoticed.

"When Chase returned to Montgomery he was greatly excited and appeared
much more guilty than I. The Assistant Superintendent was in the office
when he arrived. I received the pouch from Chase, checked off the
way-bill, found the packages all right, and throwing down the pouch,
placed the packages in the vault. I then returned and picked up the
pouch as if to look into it. I had my knife open, but concealed in my
coat sleeve. As I raised the pouch to look into it, I slipped the knife
into my hand and in a second cut two slits in the pouch and threw the
knife back up my sleeve. I immediately said to Mr. Hall, who stood
directly in front of me, 'Why, it's cut! How the messenger could carry
the pouch around, cut in this manner, and not discover it, is
astonishing!'

"The Assistant