Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-01-03
The Government Printing Office
Ee5S1fy.
HOW THE MONEY WAS STOLEN.


As stated In THE STAR last evening the GOV
eminent Printing Office was robbed yesterda y
between the hours Of II o'clock a. H. and
ociCck p. H.. The amount taken being 400 in
stead CT Sl0,cGo as first reported By the poiic-
authorities. The Office of liz. Larcombe the
d1s6urSing Clerk. is On the second floor In tn
east eLd CT the building and near the chief
clerk room Two doors open into this room
ole from tie chief clerks Office and the other
| from the main ball. There Is only one window
which Is On the North Capitol street side The
doors are generally open and persons are az
liberty 10 pass in and out at pleasure A table.
safe desk and chairs are in the room, and Mr..
IaTcCnlbe states that the safe is always locked
when lie leaves the room.
TIE TIIIEy ES' OPPORTUNITY
TIE robbery was committed while Mr.. Lar
cCnbe was ii another part OF the building pay
iEg OF tie employees. The door between Lar
coInbe'S room ard the chief clerks room was
orch az cay I'D several clerks were in the
ICON OF tie latter ct the time OF the robbery.
Tie mOney WaS in envelopes all ready TO be
paid out 10 the various employees, whose names
were on the same. The denomination OF the
notes ranged from s. TO $50. In the early part
Of the day Mr. Iarcombe was absent from his
room paying of employees. He returned at II
o'C!ock, two cOiored men carrying the box of
envelopes. silver change and other articles ne
ceSSary. He noticed upon entering the room q
man standing by the window who had been
about there for several days.whom he Suppo Sed
Eau business with the employees collecting
money from them he thought He paid no par
ticular attention TO this man, but proceeded 10
put some envelopes containing none; IN the
safe. He at the same time took out the pack
age containing the envelopes for the bindery
employees. and locking the safe he, Win MS Two
men, left the room. All this time the stranger
remained at the window and was there when
Mr. /. left the rCom and not Until he returned
at enc O'Clock was the fact known tnat the safe
had been opened and the money stolen.
DISCOVERY OF THE ROBBERY.
Mr.. LaTCombc having occasion at that time -
go 10 his safe for an envelope containing tne
cir Fah N G4ln HI
b. a companion, applied the ley and OPENING
the door placed his haIG where hci expected 10
find the money and ii WAS gone. much TO his as
constituent. on inVeStiIat on IL was found that
the amount stolen was S 4ol Instead OF $4,000
as first supposed. The facts were at once com
muniCatcd TO police headquarters and all the
particulars given the detectives. who were dis
pcEsGd at once to the various railroad depGtS.
and mounted men started out Ga the road lie al
irg irOm The city,
TIE SUSPECTED STRANGERS.
For several days past there had been q
stranger going III and out OF the clerk Office,
who apI cared to have some business in the
Office: sometimes lie would walk into Mr. Lar
combe'S Office and busy himself making figures
with pencil at The table or the desk lie mad
been seen with two other strangers who some
tines were lurking about tie building. The
one who was most familiar is described as
shCrt and thickset man, probably weighing la
pounds, WHO WOIe SLOUGH hat, had light
Ccmpe&1On with heavy mOuStache light in
CCicr- Another OF the lien WAS of medium
Dght IlouStaciie ana about the same size All of
these men. WhO had been seen at differet times
about the building, were seen in Mr.. LarcOmba' :
room Yesterday prior TO the discovery OF the
robbery and neither Of them has been seel
since.
During The period Of time this thick-set fel-
low, first described. has been Wishing the prem
tSCS II Is thought he has taken an impression OF
tie safe lock and possibly Of thG-key. and fitted
a key from the impression, by which means ne
orened The safe yesterday. They took away
n
inoLey. THESE envelopes are represented as
being made Of heavy Manila paper and the
empty ones have no marks on them.
WHAT THE THIEVES MISSED.
much larger amount would have been Sc
cured by them had they succeeded IN getting in
their work on Wednesday. as some $60.0OO was
then in the saIAe safe. Mr.. DefreeS. the govern.
ment printer, was absent in New York, spend
ing the holidays, and was notified by telegraph
All three OF the suspected men are fully de-
scr1bed by employees OF the office who have
noticed them about there for several DAYS past
Some OF these employees are with the detectives
in tier search for the thieves, but 1t is gener-
ally believed that TIE rOgueS left the city by the
next train, after having perpetrated the rob-
Oery.
On THE TRAIL.
Nothing had been developed to-day in reia-
ton to the robbery, so far as the police are con-
ceIned, up to 2 O'Clock executing that several
young men living in the neighbOrhOod of the
printing Office visited police headquarters this
morning and reported that they saw tie man
VINO cdillt OUT Oh the Office JOIN the Two outside
and heard him say 'it'S off, and then they all
went away together in the direction of the rail-
ROAD depot. The young men thought nothing
or II until they heard of the robbery.
Major Morgan regrets that the officials at the
printing Office did not report the case at once
tefore the thieves had time to leave on the
train. lie thinks they all left on the next train
On the Il. & o. road. and fears they have too
much start ahead OF the detectives, who left
last night on the trail. accompanied by Mr.
Murphy, OF the printing office, who is sure that
HOW
may disguise themselves. Nothing had been
heard from the pursuing officers at O'Clock.