From Boniface to Bank Burglar, Or, the Price of Persecution; How a Successful Business Man, Through the Miscarriage of Justice, Became a Notorious Bank Looter by George M. White, Alias George Bliss (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XII JUGGLING WITH DEATH "Curses on it, George; my key won't lock it " groaned Mark Shinburn, as he turned, twisted, and in every way tried to move the bolt of the key lock in the door of the big steel vault. "Don't give it up, Mark," I whispered encouragingly, and he manipulated the key again, until, cold night as it was, the perspiration stood like tiny bubbles on his face. I could see it with the aid of the candle which threw a dim light in the banking office. "No use, George," he burst out again, presently, throwing himself flat on the floor; "it won't work, and the trick can't be done to-night; we'll have to try it another time " "But we've got one of the money safes," said I, by way of encouragement, as I swung open the steel door of a safe in the vault, disclosing many packages of money, mostly in large bills and not a small quantity of gold and silver. "Your key worked on this one to a nicety." "Yes, curse it " Shinburn mumbled; "it seems I got one to fit, but this one will not," and he contemptuously tossed a key on the floor at my feet. "We might get along well enough under these conditions if I could relock the vault door, but I can't. The duplicate key will unlock it, but will not, try as I may, lock it again. As it is, the vault door can't be left as we found it, and we're in a pretty mess." "It unlocked it easily enough," I commented, as I took the key from his hand, and, thrusting it home in the vault door lock, attempted to turn the bolt at lock again. In vain--I could not. "I'm losing my cunning," went on Shinburn as I was working; "here I've made three keys, and only one will do the trick for which I shaped it." I looked at my watch, for a new thought had come to me. I said, "Lock the money safe, Mark, and let's get out of this, f...