Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-07-01
A New York Bank Clerk Robbed
IN Daylight.

III Lay ASut.
Between IL and IL o'clock Satur-
day morning, Broadway being crowd.
cd as usual at the time, Edward w,
Pratt, clerk in the Bank of the Me-
tropolis, was robbed at the corner of
Sixteenth street and Union Square
of a package containing $4,000. The
robber jumped into a wagon which
was waiting near by, confederate
whipped up the horse and both es-
capped. Mr.. Pratt, who is slightly
built and about forty years old, had
been sent with $4,000 in S25, $50
500 notes, 20 the Island City Bank,
in Twenty-third street, near Sixth
avenue, to get bills of smaller de.
nominations. He reached the bank
without suspecting that he was fol-
lowed, and he received $4,000 in 81
and 81 bills, which were wrapped up
in package. He put the package
under his arm and started to go back
to the Bank of the Metropolis. at the
corner of Union Square and Fifteenth
street. He went along Twenty third
street to Broadway, aud thence tow
ards Union Square on the eastern
sidewalk. When Mr.. Prat. had
crossed Broadway and was about to
step on the curb at the corner of Six
teenth street, one block from the
bank, the robber came up behind
him and brushed against him. Mr..
Pratt, although suspecting nothing,
pressed the package more closely
under his arm. The highwayman
seized the package of bills, tugged
at it violently, and finally wrenched
it from under the clerks arm, at the
same time giving Mr.. Pratt a violent
push. The thief then ran around the
corner, pursued by Mr.. Pratt, who
shouted, "Stop thief" An old fash
toned wagon, to which a dark bay
horse was harnessed, stood in Six.
teenth street, a short distance from
Broadway. \ man sat on the dri.
ver's box with long whip in his
hand ready for use. Mr.. Pratt was
about three feet behind the thief
when the latter reached the
wagon, threw the package of
bills into it and then jumped
upon the box himself The dri,
yer piled the whip vigorously,
and in an instant the wagon was
going rapidly down Sixteenth. Mr..
Pratt ran after the wagon shouting.
but although there were many per
sons on both sides of the street no
one attempted to stop the horse. Mr..
Pratt ran as far as Sixth avenue.
There the wagon was driven sharply
around the corner, and when Mr..
Pratt reached the corner the wagon
was out of sight. He returned TO
the bank and reported to the cashier
what had taken place. A young
man named Roberts who had taken
part in the chase accompanied him.
Mr.. Roberts told the oaahicr that he
saw what he thought was q fight be.
tween two men at the corner of Six.
teenth street and Union square. He
hurried towards them and reached it
just IS the thief ran. A report of the
robbery was made Immediately to
Superintendent Waliing at police
headquarters, and a general alarm
was sent out The man who snatched
the package is described as being
about twenty eight years old, FIVE
feet six inches high, stout and with a
smooth face. lie wore a knit Jacket.
dark trousers and black soft hat
which was partially draw over his
eyes. The man in the wagon was
five feet eight inches high, slenderly
built, aud wore dark clothing. Two
Central Office detectives were as.
signed to look for the thieves.
1t is some time since q similar roJ.
berry has been committed in this city.
Two years ago Mr.. Stone,th cashier
of Mr.. Hale's piano factory, was
robbed in this manner ct the corner
of Thirty seventh street ana Tenth
avenue. as he was returning from the
East River Bank with the wages OF
the employees Of the factory. The
robbers escaped in butcher cart.
About the same time the cashier OF
the Planet Mills, in Brooklyn, was
robbed in the same way. The men
yesterday are supposed to have
watched Mr.. Pratt from the time he
left the Island City Bank until he
reached Sixteenth street. Mr.. Pratt
was out all yesterday afternoon with
the detectives, but no clue to the
thieves was discovered
Halt an hour after the robbery a
young woman with an opera glass
was discovered at a window of q
Hudson treettenement. house watch.
ing the Offices of Superintendent
Walling and Inspector Murray. A
policeman was sent to see who she
was, but when he reached the room
sha had disappooraJ