The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-01-17
THAT FIVE THOUSANDS DOL
LARS.
Something Further Regarding Its
Mysterious Disappearance.
What the Express and Bank Folks Say
Regarding It.

Sentinel readers will remember the story
published in these columns recently about
a package containing S., 600 in cash having
mysteriOusly disappeared at some point
between this city and the bank at Muncie
on the Attn of tsis month. The matter came
to the surface again yesterday, as will be
| seen in the interviews gwen below:
Mr.. G. s. Phillips, the Agent at this point
OF the United States Express Company,
| called at the Sentinel Office yesterday after.
noon and left the following.
| UNITED STATES EXPRESS COMPANY.
CLEVELAND, o., January II, 1888.
DEAE sIR-we have completed our inves,tva-
| ZION, and after mature study are absolutely
certain that the United States Express Company
Transported to Muncie the identical package and
your Bank Messenger at Indianapolis JANUARY 4
1885, and delivered II to the consignee in the good
order that we received it,
Z. n MATHEWS
Director and Superintendent
The foregoing led to some inquiries regard
ing the missing package. Mr.. Phillips was
very positive that the money was not lost
during the time that it was in the custody of
his Company. 1t was suggested to him that
there had been some very expert methods of
opening well sealed money packages devel-
oped from time to time. He replied that
the Company bad no such experts IN their
employ. that the Company knew the career
thoroughly, of ali their employees,
cedents and knew them to be be-
yond suspicion. He moreover averred that
in comparison of honesty and integrity
with other employees the expressmen
we're more reliable, and statistics proved it.
Mr.. Phillips confidence in those with whom
he was engaged in bust ness was marveljo,--
and dQrf6pnlv rofroabin0 in ,sc 3ar 4
generation when POPULATION scenes 10 be
a universal sin among all classes of en-
ployes.
A Sentinel representative called last even
ing at the First National Bank about
O'Clock. He found them in consultation
with The President, a. d. Lynch, in his Of
fee. The nature of the call was explained
bank relative TO the subject. Mr.. Lynch
seemed hardly prepared to reply at
first. and Mr.. McCutcheon said
That the officers OF the bank
had only learned OF the action of the Ex-
press Company about five minutes previous
to that time, and then had learned it from
Sentinel reporter. He thought, as did the
other bank men, that il was most remark
able thing for the Express Company to allow
the newspapers to get the matter before they
were officially notified Of the action.
Mr.. Lynch said that "the bank has afford
ed the Express Company every facility to
arrive at the facts concerning the package
and has aiGed them in every way in its
power"
Mr.. McCutcheon said that the bank can
prove that the money was pat I'D without
any chance of any interference with the
package. The package was on the safe, q
the presence of the officers of the bank,
and it was put up by the messenger under
the eye OF the Teller. 1t was immedi-
ately sealed and taken by the messenger to
the Express Office. He was not gone 10 ex-
coed two minutes from the bank when he
was back. He remarked that he had been
gone only minute, and it is certain that he
was not out of the bank more that two
minutes. He carries pistol constantly
How do you regard your clerks Mr.
Lynch? How does Mr.. Porter stand among
your was the query put to the President OF
tie bank.
"Our confidence in Mr. Porter is as high as
the heavens. We know all our employees
and we have the same confidence in every
one else in the bank" was the somewhat
modest endorsement given Mr.. Porter by
the President.
1t does seem strange that the bank was
not notified officially by the Express Com
pany until every reporter knew all
it looks as though there was
an attempt to create public opinion in sd-
vance by this method. 1t is also evident
that the bank men regard with suspicion
the matter, OH account of the story of the
former loss of a similar amount sent By the
Cincinnati bank to the bank at Button. |
This package laid over at Muncie several
hours before it was sent on 1t is also
thought to have been out OF its way while at
Munce. IL is also stated that the safe in
the Express Office at Muncie, where the
package remained over night, is an old style
one. not even having a combination lock,
and could be easily opened with key.