The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-12-24
BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.
How One or the Men Who Stole $40, 900
In 1888 Was Caught.


In 1888 Was Caught.
New YoRK, Dec. pa sealed package
containing $4,000 in currency was sent by
the Marine National Bank of this city to the
First National Bank of Susquehanna, en- the
night OF June 20, 1888. The money was for
the payment of the hands employed by the
Erie Railway Company at their shops at Sus-
quehsnns. Similar shipments were made
every month. The package was brought to
the United States Express Company's Office
in New York by clerK OF the Marine
Bank. The money clerk of the Express
Company placed the money in a can
vas pouch, which be sealed with the CON-
pany's private seal and attached to the
pouch tag bearing the name OF the agent
OF the express company at Susquehanns. 1t
was received at Susquehanna and locked up
in safe, which was in the ticket Office. On
the following morning the pouch was
opened and its contents emptied on q table.
In place of the money was q number of
packages of brown MANILA paper cut to the
size of bank bills.
The case was placed in the hands OF Pink
erton's National Detective Agency, and the
Investigation was under the direct super
vision Of the late George a. Bangs. 1t was
determined that the pouch left in the safe
was
DUMMY POUCH
placed there to delay the discovery of the
robbery 1t was concluded by Mr.. Bangs
that some employe of the railroad or express
company was the thief. During the inves-
tigation Mr.. Bangs and Mr.. Allan Pinkerton
died, and Mr.. Robert Pinkerton took charge
of the case. IN July last 1t WIS learned
that George II. Proctor, the foreman of the
boiler shops of the Erie Railroad Company
at Susqaehsnna, had thrown up his job and
had gone to Buffalo. He was followed there
and watched. Proctor frequently visited
the Offices of three different private
bankers and brokers, and it was no.
ticed that he occasionally visited the
Erie County Bank. the National Bank OF
Buffalo and Erie Bank. he sometimes.went
to Canada and met professional thieves. 1t
was learned that Proctor had from time TO
time deposited in these banks S1l, 900 in the
names OF his wife and children, he being
trustee for each. On November Is Proctor
was arrested in Susquehanna by Robert
Pinkerton. He said that in 1880 he made
the acquaintance of a man nsu4ed Martin,
whom he saw frequently sfte-ward Several
months before the robbery he told Martin
that nearly $4,000 was shipped to Susque-
hanna between the 18th and 21st of each
month by express; that 1T
CAME ON THE NIGHT TRAIN,
and arrived at midnight, when it was locked
up in the safe. AT Martins request ne got
him description of the pouch and seal, and
an impression of the keys of the ticket-offlce
door and the cafe. On the night of June
20, 1883, which was the following payday,
Proctor said the money was carried OF, aud
two weeks later he went to Canada, where
he received $1,000 as his share of the
plumber. Martin and Collins said that
q third man helped them, to whom
they had given some of ths
money. Martin told him not to use any of
the money for long time, because the Erie
Railroad Company never let mp on any one
who had robbed them. He told him to take
his money home and seal it in glass fruit
Jar and hang it head downward SO that the
moisture could not get to it. Martin also
told him not to give up his job inside of
of his house, but in the following winter
dug it up and took it to Buffalo. He spec.
ulated in oil and made money until the
failure of the Marine Bank and Grant &
Ward, which caused q depression in the oil
market, which
swAHPED HIM.
Proctor represented that he was simply a
tool used by Martin and Collins, and as ne
agreed to aid in their capture he was allowed
his freedom. He fed to Canada, and told
everything to Collins and Martin, who were
there. One OF Pinkerton's men managed to
gain his canfdence, and induced him to go
to Portland. On Thursday afternoon Mr..
Robert Pinkerton arrested Proctor at Port
land. Proctor is now locked up in the Sus-
Quehsnns County Prison.
The investigation brought to light the fsct
that Proctor was at one time q professional
burglar, and had been sentenced to a long
term in the Massachusetts, State Prison from
whence he escaped. He went to Canada,
and being a royal arch Mason, succeeded,
through the influence that this position gave
him, in getting employment in q machine
shop. 1t was through his Masonic standing
also that he succeeded in getting information
at SusQuehanna which led to the robbery.