The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-12
sTUPENDOUs ROBBERY.

sGOIen--Afystery Of the RObbery-Sho
Loss Falls ON Two IndividuRls-Addt-
tional Particulars OF the ARAir-De-
scriptIOn of tho stolen Bonds Two
Hundred Thousand DOlIars Reward,
REte. ......a
We have given brief acconnt Of the extern
siye robbery OF one million and half OF dollars
in Government securities, which we're abstracted
IRON the safe OF Mr.. Rufus l.. Lord, the we'll
known capitalist, real estate broker, and owner
of the late Stock Exchange, whose office is
located at No. 3S Exchange Place, in. this city.
The discovery OF the robbery was made on last
Thursday morning, when Mr.. Lord, on making
an unusual inspection of the interior of his
money safe, missed the two tin boxes contain
ing the stolen bonds. At first he was perfectly
nonplussed, and sat down in silence to dehDe-
rate on what measures to adopt to secure the
stolen papers, and the arrest OF the thief or
thieves. He was not long in arriving at a con-
cluslon-namely, an immediate visit to the po-
lice headquarters in Mulberry street. and there
inform the proper officer of his loss . .
The case was Immediately placed in the hands
OF Captain John Young, chief OF the detective
force who summoned number of his NEST eX-
pert men to work the case up" MIR. Lords
statement was very brief, and he could give no
information whereby the officers could get
clue, nor could he give the name of a single per-
son 10 whom he attached suspicion. Captain
Young at once visited Mr.. Lords office. 1t is
very unpretentious one on the street floor, and
near the Merchants Exchange. Its furniture is
OF a very plain character, and certainly bore no
indications of its being place where so large q
sum as the amount stolen would be deposited.
The safe from which the bonds were taken is the
ordinary old wall or baLk safe, secured by very
simply constructed lock. nd
Within this was another safe, in which valu-
able papers, such as stocks bonds, and railroad
securities were kept. The lock of the inner safe
has been out of order Tor some time, so that it
could not be bolted. Captain Young made an
examination of the safe, and was not long in
arriving at the conclusion that 1t was rather
poor place to keep valuable papers, es any un-
professional burglar or bank thief could open 1t
without any extraordinary skill or effort. Mr..
Lord Is eighty years OF age, and 1t is said that of
late he has been apparently somewhat careless
as to the safety of his personal property.
The following Is told by wav of exemplifying
his want of due care:-It is said that short
time since he took from his safe very large
quantity of Government bonds, and then cut Off
the coupons, placing the latter in his pockets
and going home, leaving the pile OF bonds lying
loosely upon the table in his office. When he
had gone the porter noticed the bonds lying
there, and not knowing exactly what to do in
the case, finally decided to put them in his hand
kerchef and lake them home to Mr.. Lord. On
handing the bundle to him. he (Mr. Lord) asked
the porter where he got them, and on being told
remarked quickly, that he did not think he mad
ever done anything like that before.
1t was also stated that on the days when the
interest Oh the stolen bonds was due, he would
take the boxes containing them, and taking
seat in his office, near the street window, there
occupy the greater part of the day in cutting
off the coupons When the detectives requested
Mr.. Lord to furnish the numbers and description
OF the stolen property he could not give them;
and it was only through the personal eXertiOns
OF Captain Young that the list embodied in
this report was obtained. He did this by visit
ing the Office of the Sub-Treasury and there
examining the coupons on which Mr.. Lord pro-
cured the interest on the last payment day.
1t is further stated that Mr.. Lord has been
repeatedly known to leave his safe unlocked
when going home; that on recent occasion he
did so, when it was carefully by the anitor
OF the building, VINO returned him the key on the
| following morning; that on another occasion the
janitor found the sale key in the wash hand
| basin. On the morning of the discovery of the
robbery, however, this was not the case, as the
! outer door of the safe was locked, and the key
was in Mr.. Lords pocket. The first theory
| of the detectives was that some person
who was acquainted with Mr.. Lords
habits of going in and out of his Office
| during business hours got an impression of the
safe key, from which a duplicate was made; but
subsequent events have dispelled this idea, OF
| the one million and half dollars worth of bonds
stolen over one million was the property of Mr..
| Lord, and the balance belonged to q friend of
his, whose name has not transpired. 1t was in
| Mr. Lords office not for business purposes, but
merely for safekeeping. There is one fact con-
nected with this robbery from which IL may be
! inferred that the act was committed with haste.
| On a shelf in the safe, over the one from
| which the tin boxes were taken, were upwards
OF one million OF dollars worth OF various Ame-
| rican railroad securities. Mr.. Lord cannot posi-
| lively state when he last saw the bonds. There
| is, therefore, a possibility that 1t might have
| been a day or two before the robbery, and as
the bonds were negotiable, probably ere this the
thief has reaped the benefit OF this stupendous
piece Of rascality.
The following is list of the stolen property.
| Brokers, bankers, and dealers in Government
| and other securities are requested, If any OF
these bonds offered to them for sale, to notify,
in person or by telegraph, John A.Kennedy, Esq,
| Superintendent of Police. No. 800 Mulberry
street, NewY ork:-
/ IMPORTANT