Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-07-19
TILL TAPPING EXTRAOR.
DINARY.
Stealing $4,000 With "A String,
a Lead Plate, and % bit OF
ShOem al kerss Way.

ShOemakcr'sW Wax.
A unique method of theft was acci.
dentally exposed in the State National
Bank in Elizabeth, n. j., on Monday
last, and the jaDitor. George Washing
ton Ackerman, alias Bennett, who was
arrested, admitted that be had stolen
more than $4,000 in the past two
years.
Edward Sherwood, the former paw
ing teller, strictly honest young maD,
could not make his accounts balance.
On July l6, 1881, he was short 5000 ::
on Sept. l9 he was short S34O; on Nov.
p he misted 1920, and on Jan. 9 of
this year he was short $3.50. He
could not afford to lose the money, for
which he was personally responsible,
and he asked the bank people to relieve
him. Joseph Mcclure, the book-keep-
er, brother of the cashier, also offered
to resign. He and Sherwood had
stood at the same desk, and the cash
had been taken during business hours
only from the drawer under Sherwood's
desk. Chief of Police Keron was sat
lsfed that the thief was employed in
the bank, but he could not fasten the
crime upon any one. Sherwood and
young Mcclure were, by their own re-
quest, relieved from the position of
paying teller and book keeper, and |
Charles Halsey, member of the Com
mon Council, was made paying teller,
Frank Newcombe taking McGuire's
place. On Jan. 16 last, just one week
after Sherwood's last loss, Halsey was
unable to balance his accounts within
$3.50, the largest loss of ALL On June
10 he missed $3.50, and he and the
bank officers, as well as ex- Chief Keron
and William d. jenkins, the present
Chief of Police, were puzzled.
On Monday morning last Frank
Newcombe heard light 'tap-tap' in
the drawer under the desk, and at first
he thought that boy who was lean
ng on the counter had raped with
MS fingers. On hearing the noise a
second time he saw something move
n the drawer, which he quickly shut
md thinking that mouse was in the
irawer he decided TO remove the bank
ills. Then he discovered that his
udden shutting of the drawer had
roken a finely woven fish line and
the drawer was a bit of lead
'elshlng 2 ounces and shaped like the
at seal used by custom officers. On the
'wer surface of the lead was a piece of
hoemaker's wax, and fastened to the
AK was q $50 bill No less than
26O, had been taken from the $50 and
20 pockets of the drawer since the
oney had been counted, half an hour
efore. Janitor Ackerman, who was r
lown in Elizabeth as George w. Ben
TT, confessed his guilt when he was A
rested. He was soldier during the
te war. r
Ackerman's method of abstracting
e money was novel and ingenious. &c
the floor under the cash drawer is q,
Old gas pipe hole, though which e.,
ckerman had passed the fish line .o &c,
I'm the cellar to the drawer. Into w.
e bottom of the counter, directly
er the center of the drawer, he had 81
'tened a screw ring or dead eye.'
d another turned into the face of the
nnter so that cord running through
tn would work at right angles to I'm IN
elf and without sound The thin re
zee of lead was fastened to the end on
the string that passed through the the
I'd eyes into the drawer, and the AMI
ltrlvance was so arranged that by peg
ling on another string the lead list
lid be lowered on the bills and then roi
led through the slit between the oh
.wer and the counter Once outside the
The drawer it was easy to draw the ais
d and bill down to the cellar uro
ough the old gas-pipe hole in the ado
,r. There was nothing in sight, cia.
nothing could be seen by anybody Oh
The bauk. The trap was arranged san
Sundays or evenings, when, as jan Dy
:, he had access TO the bank. Dur III
business hours he went to the eel tim
ard guided by bis ears, pulled the as
ny that let the lead drop on the
5 in the drawer, and then pulled 7
string which drew the lead and If
out. He could hear when the Sys
log teller Quilted the desk, and aIlo
refore he could work the drawea Il ;s
h little fear of detection. -
>ennett restored 1892 which he had tb;s
,ed on the top of wall 10 the cell tba
Benefits real name is G. w. cla;
and under this name he coo,
ved in tbe navy. He had been JAM no {
of the bank for over FIVE years, and fn,r
a good reputation. He received T
pay, but was given the rent of a ON
I'll bouse in the rear of the bank. ron,
was believed TO make his living by tho
king at his trade of paintiog. In ions
tigation shows that he did very Ieo
e work the past year, but spent a tO4
d deal of money. He bought and
10, yacht, and gun, and lost nal
ley in starting fish maj ket at the
When his wife asked non
where got SO much money, she 600
i'eo "'use III return. he was mal
IN to Newark Yesterday and
1ght before United States Commits
Ter Whitehead, who held him in 7
100 bail to answer before the iscs
ted States Grand Jury next Sep tive
'er. He was confined in the Eliza amo
l Jail. mex
-------- and
remarkable Feat. off t
larcus Blbbero, swimming teach mill