The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-04
A MARKET BOYS CAPTURE,
AND a PHILADELPHTA BANKER's vAIN
CHASING AFTER A THIEF.
How Two Men Accused OF Stealing Bonds
were Followed Across New Jersey In u
Trnin-Grnnts Fight with n Runaway.

Mr.. ]. Ralston Grant is the senior partner
OF the firm OF Grant x Aul bankers, 20 South
Third street. Philadelphia. He is not more
than 28 years Of age. is small in stature and
slender In frame At noon on Tuesday two men
entered the counting room Of Mr. Grants firm.
The taller Of the two men sold Mr. Grant sew
eral gold coins. Then tho other man. who had
been leaning against the counter In the front
part OF the Office stepped up and said that ho
had some gold he would like 10 dispose OF. Both
men went out. but soon returned. and the small
er man also sold some gold. He spoke with n
foreign accent. On desk which adjoned the
very wide counter lay n bundle OF twelve 81 900
United States Az per cent bonds duo In 1891
They had been brought from the Mechanics
Bank In tho morning. and were to be placed in
the private safe Of the firm in the vault
Of the Fidelity Trust and Safe Deposit Com
pany They had been lying on the desk during
the first visit OF the two men. The man who
had made the first sale OF gold led Mr.. Grant to
the rear OF the Office and consulted him about
an investment in Tennessee bonds which he
said he proposed to make.
UOnly the three men above referred TO were in
tho front Office. Mr.. Grant turned TO table OF
New York stock quotations to learn the price OF
Tennessee bonds. After he had looked over
the table he turned again 10 talk to his pros
pective customer. but the latter said he was not
| pKepnred to invest at that time, and politely
Office S In csSrcy & & manneT. % % Hardy SH had they hey
| gone before Mr.. Grant noticed that the bundle
| lectures that the shorter Of the two men must
have drawn Il from the desk tothe counter with
cane. and tnrn conveyed Il to his pocket with
police Of Philadelphia a description Of the
thieves and Of thu bonds. The. latter, were
Next Mr. Grant conveyed similar information
10y telegraph to rlnkerton's Detective Agency
visitors were metropolitan thieves and their
sprrscqgent exploi,7 - FAR 70 nroye it,,. c...
could take leit philadephia nt 10 O'Clock yestcr-
| day morning. As Mr.. Grant took n scat in tho
smoking car he noticed q man fHw seats from
friend, Of the foreign accent, who had made the
second sale Of gold Tho thief. however. had
tachc. MIR Grant exnmincl him rs well as n,
| could In the dim HIGHT Of the smoking car, but
| could not quito make W his mind about him.
| At last the man entered sleeping ear and Mr..
| Grant followed him. Mr. Grant saw the berth
e. which the man was assigned, and after be
| had lain down Mr. Grant got berth near by
from which he could watch the suspected
stranger. Neither took OH his boots ana Mr..
As the train approa he'd Jcrscy City where il
arrived soon aii"r . o'clock, tue stranger
smokine car Mr Grant followed him. 1t was
now broad daylight. and Mr. Grant became per
ing was one of the thieves. His scrutiny, how
ever. attracted the mans attention, und evident
! ly Mr.. Grant was recogniZcd. Tor the man arose.
and walking unconcerncdly to the other end oi
the car, spoke TO another man. whom Mr.. Grant
instantly recognized as the taller ot the two
thieves. He wore closely cropped b9ard and
moustache The two men separated again, but
when the train stopped in the Jersey City depot
Mr. Grant did not know what to do, There
was no uniformed police officer IN sight. and he
was afraid that a movement to have them ar
rested would alarm them and that one Of them
at least might escape and carry the bonds with
| him. Ho therefore watched 10 see whether they
| would tax a. the DgSlrpcsns street tho Ggrt-
landt street ferryhoat, thinking that there
would ee a better chance to SECURE their arrest
on the boat. or at least on the New York side
where he was likely to Ind police officer
While he was watching thcm Mr.
two %'', ofiiScrs on Of the Pennsyiyania kaiiroad
em ,bS, hS fn'E In SnG beon r0SG y
indicated as best he could, without pointing
waeTf wa T ave- Marsan S 1'SE wEo is sShd & Win % m
power Of arrest. A. Morgan and Gran, stepped
toward the men both " the men turned and ran
out through the ferry gate into Exchange place
The short man Kept 10 the north side OF M
sG rn TnI ' HIN 1sp nn a snr,e w oong he s9
side, Each had n small leather satchel in his
, hand. Mr.. Grant followed the taller man. an,
lust as he was passing in front OF Taylor
! Hotel caught NJ 10 him.
1 The thief made a threat and motion TO draw
pistol but Mr.. Grant felt that an now depend
ed on preventing the thicfs escape with th'
: moments hesitation. Both fcil 70 the pave
+ Grant 10 get possession u the satchcl Tn
Inter Instantly tore il omen. expecting 10 nut
ihc bonds in It. on the suppositon that thcl
/ had been surrendered ns tho price Of escape
1 There was nothing in the satchel Of value Ii
Z tho meantime the thief had recrossed the stree
: and escaped through the large gateway Of tn,
, | Prnnsylyanla Railroad coal yard.
| Ii was hfterward learned that the thief RAJ
through the yard 10 Greene street and thenc,
| up Greene to Montgomery street where he en-
4 | i ocruulcd as "A liuuor store by Matthew Doyle
lie wont M two flights 81 stairs where he care
D iully hung up his linen duster on a nail in th
i | wall. and probably changed his Appearance
. | Otherwise. Subsequently man answering 4
1 | his general dcscriution entered the BARRON
{ from the door lending into the hall. and aftc
taking Il drink ana paying Tor ii. apparent
1 | without any special concern, walked uuet
away. although 10y this time there was consider
able excitement ia tho ncighbOrhoOd, owing t
4 | Inc ltlrsuit of his cnmunniOn.
! Waiting To- cross ih' ferry with their loads o
/ | berries from the early fruit train were seycra
d | Wash inrton Market rnrmen. These hearin.
The shouts Of Grant h. stop N" two men nm
3 | surprising TINT the tail one had h""n secured
run iike n deer through EXchansr ulnpo L
e hudsoh strt in"h ,o VIZ re i"n ", tIousn n huu ~
- ~ ~ b Gr,r ~ -, Si,,i,,n%n,rv s,raet III
! 4 a.. &.