The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-03-04
TELEGRAPHIC TIDINGS.
GONE WRONG.
A Pacific Express Clerk Carries on
a Bushel Of Money.


st. Louis, 8. - Prentiss Teller,
money clerk Of the Pacific Express
Co. here, whose father is q Louis
vile detective, disappeared yester-
day about 3 o'clock p M, taking
with him one or two valises full OF
money packages, the total amount
being nearly $75,0 600. It is the Gus
tom of the company to keep the
money clerk and q day Waterman
on duty in the Office on Sunday, the
doors being secured by chain locks
and no one being admitted except
the messengers who arrive on the
morning trains and have money
packages to turn over. Yesterday
afternoon Teller was on duty and
and the Waterman remained in the
back room tending to the door, the
front doors being kept locked.
About 2 O'Clock the Waterman
went out 10 lunch, leaving three
messengers sitting by the stove.
While he was gone Teller went out
and returned with stranger, whom
the messep gers supposed to
be a new clerk or messen-
ger. Teller and the stranger
went into the front Office and were
thought no more of. An hour later
Teller 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 hs re entered the front
Office and was not seen again. Hslf
an hour afterwards the Waterman
walked into the front Office to get
something and was surprised to find
the front door unlocked and Teller
absent. He spoke of it to the mes
sengers who were sitting by the
stove in the rear, and they told him
of the stranger. This alarmed MIN
and he sum moned tho superintend-
emit, who soon discovered that about
q bushel of money packages were
missing. Detectives have learned
nothing yet.
Butler, agent of the company,
says there can be no doubt that the
man brought to the Office was
confederate, and that he and Teller
took the packages from the safe,
examined them and selected such
as they desired and were the easiest
to dispose of. Several envelopes
were found which had been cut into,
but as they contained checks they
were not taken. Other packages
silver we're also left.
Butler thinks, however. there must
be nearly bushel of packages taken,
and there WAS probably third con-
federate on the outside, as the
weight Of the packages, many of
which contained gold coin, was too
heavy to have been easily and
quickly handled by two per-
sons: Teller and his pal must
have worked over an hour in pre-
psring their piunder, during which
time the Waterman entered the
front Office, in which they were
two or three times, but it
was easy for the confederate to hide
himself behind the close boarded
part of the messengers pens, in
which they did their work. When
everything was ready the front door
vas unlocked and Teller went to the
ear of the room ostensibly to wash
lis hands, but really to learn the
POSITIONS Of the Waterman and mes
engers, and finding them favorable
o the safe exit of his confederate, |
le gave signal to 60. Shortly
afterwards the watehman went to
he front Office, and finding the door |
Unlocked and Teller not present,
lie telephoned Mr.. Butler, also |
Mr. Fuller, general manager of the |
and they came to the Of
ice at once. While it was evident a
had been committed they |
,ou d not get into the safe to ascer-
ain what was missing, as Teller had |
aiken off the keYs,' and it was not |
i'll after midnight thst the safe was
opened, and considerable later be-
ore information of the matter was
,iven out. The police were promp-
Iy notified, however, and kilograms
we're sent to conductors of all trains
saving, giving a description of
Teller. 1t was learned this morning
hat Teller brought to the office on |
afternoon a large leather
'alise, which he put in the base-
nent. 1t could not be found to day,
nd from this fact it is believed pre-.
'arations for the robbery
we're made on Saturday. A visit
o his room, 1922 Olive street,
o-day, disclosed q lot of unused
Money envelopes and printed slips
# the company, and as he could
rave had no honest purpose in hav-
ng these In his rooms, Mr.. Butler
links he has been robbing the
company some time. Teller Is a
'oung man, Is years of age. He
vas formerly with the Pacific Ex-
,ress two years. and had the entire
of his employers, he be.
ng steady, quiet man, attentive
o business. He is described as % |
ears old. brown mustache and hair,
imply face, unobtrusive features,
lender built, weight about 135
sounds, neat dress, quiet manner.
lis confederate is entirely unknown,
EXPRESS people not having the alight-
st conjecture as to who he lie. The
ompany offered a reward of $1,000
or the arrest of the man and the
If the capture be made the
Prosecution will be tO The fDl1 eY. |