The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-06-25
A DOUBLE CRIME.

The wholesale produce and commission
store OF MI Purvis, on Delaware avenue, near
Vine street, was robbed on the night of October
II, 1865.
The safe had been opened apparently by
false keys, and upward of nine thousand dol
lars in greenbaCks were distracted. pack
age OF bonds to the amount Of $4,000 more
remained untouched.
Two clerks both young men, usually slept
IN the store. August Yerks had been in the
employ of Mr.. Harrison Purvis about four
years, and enjoyed the confidence of his EN-
ploycr. Pembroke Sharon, the other clerk,
had only recently been taken, but the manner
in which he took hold of HE business I'M
pressed Mr.. Purvis 50 much in his favor that
he predicted successful future for the young
man as very able salesman and ultimate
prominent merchant. Under this impression
he placed implicit trust IN Sharon, and select.
ed him AS u companion of Ierkes in the store
at night.
Both OF these young men were in the store
on the night the robbery occurred; but when
the store was opened IN the morning, Sharon
was missing and Yerkes lay on the floor near
the safe with severe cash on the side OF his
head, which had been bleeding profusely,
Judging by the amount of blood that was on
the floor
The unfortunate young man had evidently
endeavored to stauncb the blood for both his
hands were stained, as also were his clothes
BY the disorder in the office, and the numer
Gus blood stains both on the floor and walls it
was evident that desperate struggle must
have taken place.
| 1t was cOnjectured from this that Sharon,
having provided himself with false keys, had
opened the safe and been surprised by his fell
low clerk in the midst of his work, who IN
turn dealt him the blow near the temple, and
then, after severe struggle between them,
Yerkes tainted from loss of blood and the rob-
Der fled with his booty.
| Narnoe, the detective and a physician were
at once sent for, and while DR.. Edison attended
to his patient the detective examined the
premises with his usual carefulness, partcu-
larly the second floor, and returning to the
lower floor found Yerkes had recovered and
sat IN an armchair with u bandage around his
head
"Well, Mr. Varnoe, what have you discov-
cred ?" asked Mr. Purvis,
II find that the robber has been to the sec.
ond floor" replied the detective; possibly he
has taken some vauables from there AS we'll"
The merchant FASTENED upstairs, but soon
returned saying nothing had been disturbed
or removed as far as he could see
i MS may Hu'c Utct, AN
positive that he visited the second floor after
the bloody struggle had taken place"
Then Gerkcs gave the following account:
! lie awoke suddenly and found that Sharon
had left the bed, and fearing that some mlshap
had overtaken him he lit paralline candle by
the small gasjet in the room and began to
search for him
Not finding him on the second floor he de.
scended to the first floor and discovered him
before the open safe. They saw each other at
the same moment, and Sharon was spell-bound
at being discovered in his criminal act Then
began the struggle, the evidence of which was
so plainly evident. Sharon being the stronger
of the two soon ovcrpowered his opponent,
and threw him so violently on the floor that
| he became lnsenslble
! Narnoe listened with wrapt attention To the
end, then made few notes in his book, after
which he walked out of the store with his
eyes before HIM until he reached the street
then, after casting his eyes searchingly around
on the gound, ne walked over to the dock and
gazed for few moments into the water in Il
4 thoughtful manner. When he returned to the
store and rcjoined the others in the Office il
was with grave countenance,
MIR. Purvis, the robber has evidently cs.
capped by way of the river, as the blood tracks
reach TO the Dock
All eyes were now directed toward the
wounded man, who had suddenly grown very
pale. He opened his mouth as if to say some
thing, but fell back in his seat with a groan
and tainted away.
While the doctor was applying restoratives
10 his charge the detective drew Mr.. Purvis
away to the rear of the store and remained
there for half an hour In conversation with
him, and judging by his frequent exclama
, tons he must have been greatly astonished al
what the detective told him.
Re-enterIng the Office, they found Yerks