St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-04
A HEAVY HAUL.
The Money Clerk of a st. Louis
Express Company Gets in
His Work.
Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars the
Result of His Operation.
How the Job was Planned and Carried Out
$1,000 Reward offered for His
Arrest.

St. LOUIS, March 3.-Prentiss Tiller, money
clerk Of the Pacific Express company here,
whose father is a Louisville detective, disap-
peared about 3 O'Clock yesterday afternoon,
taking with him one or two valises full of
money packages, the total amount being
nearly 49, 900. 1t is the custom of the COM
pany to keep money clerk and day watch
man on duty in the office on Sunday, the
doors being secured by chain and locks,
and no one being admitted except the mes
sengers, who arrive on the morning
trains and have money packages.
to turn over. Yesterday evening Tiller was
on duty, and the watchman remained in the
back room tending to the door, the front
doors being kept locked. About 2 O'Clock the
Waterman went out to lunch, leaving three
messengers sitting by the stove. While he
was gone Tiller went out and returned with
stranger, whom the messengers supposed
| to be new clerk or messenger. Iiller and
the stranger went into the front office and
were thought no more of. An hour later
| Tilier came into the back office to wash his
hands and remarked to the Waterman who had
returned, that he believed he would go out
and get some lunch. Wiping his hands he
re-entered the front Office and was not seen
again. Half an hour afterwards the watch
man walked into the Office to get something,
and was surprised to find the front door I'M
! locked and Tiller absent. He spoke of it to
the messengers, who were sitting by the
stove in the rear, and they told him OF the
stranger. This alarmed him, and he sum-
moned the superintendent, who soon discov
cred that about bushel of money packages
was missing. The detectives have learned
| nothing yet.
r. G. Butler, agent of the company, says
there can be no doubt the man brought to
the office by Tiller was a confederate, and
that he and Tiller took all the packages from
the safe, examined them and selected such
as they desired or were the easiest. to dispose
Of. Several envelopes were found which
had been cut at one end, but as they con
tanned checks they were not taken. Other
packages containing silver were also left.
Butler thinks, however, there must have
been nearly bushel of packages taken, and
| there was probably third confederate on the
outside, as the weight of the packages, many
which contained gold coin, was too heavy to
have been easily and quickly handled by two
persons. Tiller and his pal must have
worked over an hour in preparing their
plumber during which time the Waterman en-
tered the front office in which they were en-
gagged two or three times, but it was easy for
| the conferate to hide himself behind the
| close boarded part of the messengers, pens
in which they did their work. When every
| thing was ready the front door was I'M
| locked and Tiller went to the rear room
| ostensibly to was his hands but really to
| learn the position of the Waterman and the
| dangers, and finding them favorable to the
exit OF the confederate he gave the signal to
go. Shortly afterward the Waterman went
to the front office. Finding the door unlock
ed and Tiller not present, he telephoned Mr..
Butler and Mr.. Fuller, general manager Of
the company, and they came to the office at
once. While it was evident robbery had
| been committed they couldn't get into the
safe to ascertain what was missing, as
Tiller had taken off the
keys. 1t was after midnight
when the safe was opened and considerably
later when the information was given out.
The police were promptly notified and tele
grams sent to conductors leaving the city de-
scribing Tiller.
1t was learned this morning that Tiller
brought in the Office Saturday afternoon a
large leather valise which he put in the base
ment. 1t could not be found to-day, and
from this fact it is believed the preparations
for the robbery were made Saturday. visit
to his room, l, 122 Olive street, to-day dis
closed number of unused money envelopes
and printed slips of the company, and
he could have had no honest
purpose in having these in his room. Mr..
Butler thinks he has been robbing the com
pany some time. Tiller is young man
twenty-five years of age, formerly with the
Pacific company two years, and had the en-
fira of hot
steady, quiet and attentive to business. He
is described as twenty-five years old, brown
mustache and hair, pimply face, unobtrus-
i've features, slender build, weight about 1875
pounds, neat dress and quiet manner. His
confederate is entirely unknown, the express
company not having the slightest conjecture
as to who he is The company has offered a
reward of $1,000 for the arrest Of the man
and money, and if the capture is made the
prosecution will be to the full extent Of the
law.