The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-04-08
Robbed of $3.50. 900!

One hundred and fifty thousand dollars in
stocks, bonds and other good securities payable
ito bearer" is quite snug little fortune to carry
around loose in an ordinary travelling valse. This
was the sum that Mr. Geo. F. Michel, of Colum-
bus, Ohio, left Denver, Colorado, with q few
days since for the purpose of completing con
tracts and investing the balance in Chicago. A
portion OF this was entrusted to him by Denver
parties, but goodly part was his own, he be,
ing extensively engaged In mining and land
speculations in the centennial state" On his
way east on the Rock Island road. on We'd
nesday evening, he observed an apparent
ly blind man led by a boy 10 or IL years Of age,
carrying u basket, enter the cars at Davenport
and take seat near him. Being naturally sus-
picious, and especially so when having so large
4 sum with him, he kept al eye upon the blind
man particularly and ali the other travellers gen.
orally. For the two previous nights he had not
slept any, and with difficulty he could now ward
of the influence Of the sleep His system required.
Indeed, just before passing La Sale he did drop
of into doze and did not awaken until after
passing Ottawa (3:33 AM when to his horror the
valise and It's valuable contents were gone. In
qury among the passengers developed the fact
that the blind man was seen to pat the valise In
his basket and leave the train at La Sale. At
Morris he left the train and Thursday morning
took the freight back to La Sale after first tele.
graphing to the authorities to arrest the blind
man. Oficer Melbach OF the police force accom-.
plished this and recovered the vase and por-
ton Of the contents, but Mr.. Michel finds upon
examination that OF the mining company's
stocks &l3, 900 are missing, rs well as 5000 in
railroad bonds and 200 In land improvement
stock, aggregatipg cash value Of $4,000. Be-
sides these several deeds and other papers OF
value are gone. The boy, who claims to reside
In Davenport, says that the man burned up some
Of the papers. At the hotel the man had tried to
dispose OF some Of the bonds but did not know
their value or character. The officer who made
the arrest retained possession OF the papers dur
ing Thursday as evidence against his prisoner.
much to the regret OF Mr.. Michel, who WAS anx.
ious to proceed to Chicago, where his business
was to have been completed on Thursday, other.
wise he fOrfeits his contracts. His actual loss
will then aggregate considerably more than the
figures given above, in consequence OF his failure
to perform his part OF the agreement On Thurs
day evening Mr.. Michel returned to La Sale,
where Il was agreed among the parties to return
the balance OF the papers to him that he might
procsed with his business, simply holding the
'blnd man" on charge Of disorderly conduct
or something of that nature.
BY inquiry we learned froU parties residing In
Ottawa, who had known him In Columbus, that
some unfortunate speculations IN real estate
building the Park Hotel &c. he had lost heav.
ily He then went TO Denver, where, II was re.
ported he was recovering his fortune This was
his ninth trip between Columbus and Denver,
and III though the fates were against him, on
each trip he had been subjected to either loss OF
property or injury by accident. Still no is man
OF courage and indomitable will and must final.
lv aurCCpd