Halsey Co.

Halsey & Co., by H. K.
Shackleford

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Title: Halsey & Co. or, The Young Bankers and Speculators
Author: H. K. Shackleford
Release Date: June 29, 2007 [EBook #21963]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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CO. ***

Produced by Richard Halsey

HALSEY & Co.; OR, THE YOUNG BANKERS AND
SPECULATORS
By H. K. SHACKLEFORD

CHAPTER I.
--"I'll Shoot!"
Mr. Barron, the rich banker in Broad street, was seated at his desk in
his private office one day when the door was opened by the porter, who
said:
"There's a newsboy out here who says he must see you, sir."
"Go and tell him to let you know what he wants. If it's a situation, tell
him we have none vacant."
The porter went back to the outer office. In a minute or two the door
opened again and the newsboy entered and closed the door behind him.
The banker recognized him as the boy who had brought him the
afternoon papers daily for a year back.
"The bouncer told me to go away, sir," the boy said, doffing his hat as
he spoke, "but I knew my business better than he does. There's a couple
of men putting up a big job on your bank, and I knew if I didn't tell you
about it they'd scoop you for a big pile."
The banker wheeled his chair around so as to face the boy, and laid his
gold glasses on the desk.
"Who are they, and how did you find out about it?" he asked.
"I don't know who they are, but I found it out by overhearing their
talk."
"What is their plan?"
"A forged check."
"Whose name is forged?"
"I don't know, sir. They had a genuine check and were comparing it to
the forged one. They said it was perfect and would be paid if presented

when the cashier was busy."
"Ah! I see. That means a little before three o'clock. Now, my boy, do
you think you could point them out to a detective when they come up to
the cashier's window?"
"Yes, sir."
"Not afraid of them, eh?"
"No, sir. I am not afraid of anybody."
The banker smiled, reached over on his desk and tapped a small bell.
The door opened and a messenger appeared.
"Tell Caruth to come here," the banker said to him.
The messenger disappeared, and a few moments later the bank
detective came in.
"Caruth," said the banker, "this boy tells me he overheard two men
plotting to present a forged check to-day. Take him out there with you
and arrest the man he points out to you. Let the man get the money,
though, so as to make a good case against him."
Caruth looked at the boy and said:
"I know you by sight. What's your name?"
"Fred Halsey."
"Well, go along with him, Fred," the banker said to him. "It may be a
bad business if you make a mistake."
"Come on, Halsey," and the detective led the way out into the public
hall of the bank.
Fred followed him, and the two were soon in a crowd of people, who
were coming and going all the time. Caruth took up a position near the

cashier's window where he could see every man who stopped there.
Fred stood by his side and closely scanned the faces of those who came
and went.
More than an hour passed, and still they stood there on the watch. The
detective was used to it, but Fred had been more active, and he began to
wish the men would come along. Suddenly he nudged Caruth with his
elbow--nudged him good. Caruth leaned over till his face was on a
level with Fred's.
"That's him--the man in the gray ulster."
Caruth looked up and saw a man in a gray ulster and with gold glasses
on.
"Do you see the other one?" he asked.
"No, I don't see him."
"Well, look for him. Sure you have the right man now?"
"Yes. That's one of 'em."
Caruth did not pretend to look at the man in the line. But he kept him in
view all the time. The man finally got up to the window and presented
a check. The cashier looked at the check and then at the endorsement.
He gave the man a hasty glance and then began counting out a large
sum of money, using bills