The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-04
STEALING A BUSHEL OF MONEY.
A Clerk of the Pacific Express Company at
st. Louis Disappears.

ST. LOUIS, March 3.-Prentiss Tiller, money
clerk of the Pacific Express Company here,
whose father is a Louisville detective, disap-
peared about o'clock on Sunday afternoon,
taking with him one or two valises Of money.
the total amount being very nearly $75O 600 1t
is the custom Of the company to keep money
clerk and day Waterman on duty in the Office on
Sunday, the doors being secured by chain locks,
and no one being admitted except messengers
who arrive on the morning trains and have
money packages to turn over. Yesterday after
noon Tiller was on duty, and the Waterman re
manned 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 a new clerk or
messenger Ter and the stranger went into
the front office, and were thought no more Of
An hour later Tiller came into the bacl, 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. A half hour afterward the Waterman
walked into the front office to get something,
andwas surprised to find the front door unlocked
and Tiller absent. He spoke of it to the messen-
gers who were sitting by the stove in the rear,
and they told him of the stranger. This alarmed
him, and he summoned the superintendent, who
soon discovered that about bushel of money
packages were missing. The detectives have
learned nothing yet
n
"There can be no doubt the man brought to the
Office by Tiller a confederate, and that he
and Tiler took all the packages from the SAFE
examined them and selected such as they de
sired or were the easiest to dispose Of Several
envelopes were found which had been cut at one
end, but as they contained checks they were not
taken. Other packages containing silver were
also left
Mr.. Butler thinks, however, there must have
been nearly bushel of packages taken and that
there was probably a third confederate on the
outside, as the weight of the packages, many of
which contained gold coin. were too heavy to
have been easily and quickly handled by two
persons. Tiller and pals must have worked
over an hour in preparing their plum
der during which time the Waterman
entered the front Office, in which they We're en-
gagged two three times but it was easy for
the confederate to hide himself behind Che close
they did their work When every
thing was ready the front door was
unlocked and Tiller went to the rear room,
ostensibly to wash his hands, but really to learn
the position Of the Waterman and the messen,
gers, and, finding them favorable to the safe exit
Of his confederate. he gave the signal to go
Shortly afterward the Waterman Went TO the
front Office and finding the door unlocked and
Tiller not present, he teephoned to Mr.. Butler
and to Mr.. Fuller, the general manager of the
company, and they came to the office at once.
While it was evident that a robbery had been
committed. they could not get into the safe to
ascertain what was missing. as Tiler had taken
the keys, and it was not till after midnight that
the safe was opened, and considerably later be
fore information of the matter
given out The police We're
promptly notified, however and kilograms
We're sent to conductors of all trains leaving the
city, giving description of Tiller 1t was
learned this morning that Tiller brought to the
office on Saturday afternoon a large leather
valise which he put in the basement. 1t could
not be found to-day, and from this fact it is be
leved that preparations for the robbery Were
made on Saturday. visit to his room, ll22