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 ease with which the robbery might be accomplished, we at last
began to discuss various plans by which the bank might be robbed.
Several ideas and propositions were discussed, but either through fear
or some other consideration, they all fell through.

"At last we decided upon the plan which was finally carried out. Johnson
and myself were to come to Geneva disguised as much as possible, and
after the business of the day was over, and the other officers had gone
home, Pearson was to give us the signal that the coast was clear. We
were then to enter the bank, the doors of which would be left open, and
after securing the young lady and Pearson, we were to rob the vault and
place them within it. In order that they might not suffer from their
confinement, Pearson was to start the screws in the lock, so that there
would be no difficulty in opening the vault, after giving us time to
make good our escape. It was understood that there was about twenty
thousand dollars in the vault, in gold, silver and notes, and Pearson
was to take his share out in advance and hide it, so that no danger
should be incurred in the attempt to divide it afterward. As the time
approached for carrying this plan into effect, Johnson began to show
signs of weakening, and finally declined to have anything to do with it,
although he promised to make no disclosures regarding our movements, and
to keep our secret inviolate. After Johnson's backing out we did not
know what to do, and were just about abandoning the whole thing, when I
came across an old traveling friend of mine in Chicago, who had been on
a protracted spree, and who was without money and friends, in a strange