The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-12-20
BANKER AND BANK-ROBBER.
How $4,000 of Notes and Bonds Were Ne
gOtiated-A Dangerous Device.
from the New York SUM-

from the New York SUM-
| The Syracuse Courier has an article
giving the following account of the re-
oovery of bonds and notes stolen from
the First National Bank of Cortland, N.
Y; The amount stolen was $4O0, 900.
The Courier says:
A proposition came to the bank au-
thorities at Cortland from the parties
who had possession of the bonds. that
| the property would be returned provided
the bank would compromise by paying
the thieves a certain per cent. on the
whole amount.
A bank officer was accordingly dis
patched to New York to effect the ne
gotiation. Arriving in New York at
night, he took a stroll next morning.
and, while standing on the corner Of
Broadway and Houston street, he was
approached by man, saying "You
are from Cortland, believe In about
fifteen minutes man will come along.
wearing silk hat, a snuff-colored coat
and blue neck-tie. If you follow him.
you will hear something to your advant-
age" The representative of the bank
had not long to wait before this second
mysterious parsonage made his appear
ance, when an informal acquaintance
was quickly effected, the latter leading
the way to a gambling house. where
they sat down and talked the matter
over in business fashion. Here some of
the Identical bonds and notes we're ex-
hibited to the bank officer, the thief
stating on what terms the property
would be returned, and the representa-
tive Of the bank finally accepting the
offer, Forty thousand dollars of the
amount had been spent, and a still
further amount had to be allowed them.
The negotiation was finally effected,
and the bank recovered the remainder.
1t was an amusing as well as serious
transaction. This man who made the
negotiation was described to us yester-
day, by a gentleman connected with the
bank, as q person of fine address and
manners, a perfect gentleman, and bear
ing the appearance of a retired Wall
street broker. The bank officer spent
several days in his company, being
shown New York by him in right royal
style, not being allowed to pay for any
thing himself, the man of much bonds
doing all the buying with money, how
ever, which really belonged to the bank
in fact, entertaining him like prince.
He seemed to be very delicate about his
name, saying, "Call me Sam, that is a
good enough name" He supported
costly pair Of trotters, taking the bank
officer out for several drives, and on one
occasion having scrub race from Har-
lem bridge down to the city with Will
lam Eel. Vanderbilt, who was driving his
famous pair of steppers.
This man, it appears, is not the real
thief; but he belongs to the gang, and is
the negotiation. Those who committed
the theft do not make their appearance
on the scene. This man told the repre-
sentative of the bank that the same party
committed the robbery of the Canaan
daigua Bank, and forced a compromise
in the same manner.
As to the exact manner in which the
robbery at Cortland was effected, the
only answer was that it was committed
in broad daylight, while parties were in
the bank, and the remainder is left to
the wits of the curious
The man who negotiated the proceeds
of the Cortland robbery showed to the
bank officer (but would not part with it,
a continuance after this fashion: A rub
Der cord was fastened into his sleeve, on
tine end of which was fat piece of rub
Der, and On this latter a piece of wax is
placed. A thief will go into bank,
and, when the attention of the bank Off
Gals is occupied in another direction, he
will throw his rubber at pile of bills,
and it will instantaneously spring back
into his sleeve, having one of the bills
attached. They can be thrown twenty
feet, and are very accurate.