The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-11-02
PERIL OF A FAT WALLET.
An English Millionair, a,d His Expert
enc, with New York Thief.

and large yellow hat box. landed in
America last Wednesday. He weigh
ed two hundred pounds, and wore an
expression of placidity. His trousers
were loose and the pocket on the right
hand side was made very ample and
very deep, after design of the owner.
A leather wallet of large size slipped
easily into this pocket. The gentleman
was Mr. w. II. Taylor, millionaire
tourist from London.
At the foot of the gang-plank on the
pier stood crowd of people awaiting
the tourists. Among them was another
large man, who wore dark clothes, had
q clean shaven face, and is known to
the police rs ALBANY"
The two men came together in the
crowd, and Albany easily slipped the
large leather wallet out of the ample
pocket and retired to a beer saloon in
Tenth Avenue just below Twenty-third
street. The bar-keeper advanced fifty
dollars on the wallet and Albany. with
| his friend and assistant James, other
wise known as "Red" Kelly, went Off
for days trip to Coney Island.
Meanwhile Mr.. Taylor had driven to
the Fifth Avenue hotel, where he was
assigned to room No. 207. After he
had signed the register, Mr.. Taylor said
casually to the clerk
II have no doubt whatever you have
competent police officer at hand?"
30. yes, do you want to see the
town."
"Eh? Oh, don't mind after dinner
but cared more particularly just now
%o oaa hin, al bout .. fal1ouy xyh,> ,onHaJ ,,,I
of what in your money would be called
$50, OO0."
II beg your pardon. Thirty thous-
and"
'Yaas. Would you oblige me by
sending the officer up to my room ut
your leisure?'
Then Mr.. Taylor who was still APP
parently the most unconcerned of men,
strolled toward the elevator. The clerk
stared after him until he disappeared
and then called detective James II.
Pryor and said rs he looked Mr.. Pryor
straight in the eye:
There's an English capitalist in POI
who says he has just been robbed of
$50, 900.
'.How much?" said Mr.. Pryor, look
ing very hard into the clerks eye.
..$30,0O0."
Mr.. Pryor's right eye closed gently,
and he went to POI without another
word.
''Well, he was the coolest specimen
of man 1 ever met said the detec-
tive yesterday rs he stood in front of the
be thoroughbred, but was suspicious
e L. al \ 4
smiled pleasantly and said:
''Oh, officer, I've been bit unfortu-
nate. was robbed ut the pier of my
wallet, which contained three $4,000
drafts, my personal papers and letters
of Identification.
''What bank were the drafts drawn
on?" says l.
Upon my word you'll think it very
stupid of me-but | can't remember.
They are from the London and West
minister bank.
WHAT says |, You don't know
the name of the bank on which all that
money is drawn?'
mo. You see all my papers were
in the wallet; we might easily 90 back
to the bank and stop payment on the
drafts if knew the name of the bank,
but can't for the life of me recall it.
Very stupid"
1t seemed to me- said Mr.. Pryor
yesterday, .'that this was little too
tishy, and l looked him all over care
fully. Then he said:
by the by, the theft leaves me quite
pennilcss until my portemonnaie AZ
rives."
Il thought he meant the wallet when
he said portemonnaie and decided that
it was skin game. l expected him to
brace the house for loan, when he
said: Perhaps you'd better have my
portemonnaie brought up stairs. 1t is
~" smaller of the two la - bv the
desk"
Il SEM down for the bag. and when
he opened il III blessed if one part Of |
II WAS not entirely filled with money, in |
five. ten AMI twenty-five pound notes. |
There must have been several thousand |
dollars there. Then lsaw that the mans |
carclessness was not assumed, and |
told him that it was dangerous for him |
10 leave his money living around in that |
way.
''Oh, don't believe all Americans |
'iV tHicNcs, ucSpltc NV HrSI cNpeTl- |
cnce, said he with a jolly laugh. ''Be-
sides we have system in England of |
having list taken of the numbers of |
notes when we take them out of the |
bank. and if they are stolen the num-
bers are published and they become
valueless."
That scheme won't work for q cent |
here, i said, and then took the mon
cy down TO the safe. After that sent |
the following an advertisement doyn
town:
THE POCKET-BoOK LOST IN TWENTY |
Third street car with papers and passports I'm |
name OF Taylor. will be negotiated for in strict |
confidence. Room No. 30I, Fifth Avenue |
hotel.
IL made believe the pocket book was
lost in Twenty-third street car because
| knew the same gang that had worked
the piers would work the cars and L |
wanted them TO know that suspected |
them Mr.. Taylor seemed somewhat
in the case, but by no means
rs much as thought he would be.