The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-08-30
A BIG ROBBERY,
An Adams Express Clerk Gets Away Will,
$4,000.

$4,000,
PHILADELPHIA, Pa August 2s,-Tht
Adams Express Company lost SOS, Cos from
safe on Thursday, August 10, and Rath
Pratt, a clerk, Is under $4,000 bail on sus'
piclon OF having stolen the money, Owing
to the large amount stolen, the officials OIL
the company took extra precautions TO
keep the robbery secret while the circum,
stances were being investigated, aud 1t
was only to-day that the matter leaked
out.
Shortly alter o'clock on the afternoon
Of the l0.h OF August, Pratt and q fellow
clerk named Heath called at the Pennsyl-
yRpla railroad office, at Fourth street and
Willing alley, and received the money,
There were three bags, containing 81 900
each In silver, the balance Of the 500, ,70S
being greenbaCks, sealed in package, The
money was to be shipped to the Mineral
Mining Company, at Shamokin, Pa, and
was for the purpose OF paying off the em'
ployes OH the following Saturday.
When the clerks reached the Adams
Express Office, at G22 Oheatnutstreet, they
took the package into the money room,
where they were received by Chief Clerk
Dallas Grow. A few minutes after 1
o'clock Pratt made out the way bill, and
after Grow had checked the way bill OF
he placed the money in safe,
Tho safe was lying in a corner OF the
room, when the Chief Clerk told Pratt at
4:3O to seal 1t. The money safe is about
Two feet Equare. 1t has a lock and a door
on the top, and in addition 10 the lock the
door Is also fastened by wire. A leaden
seal 6nCirCles the wire, the seal being
squeesed on by sealing iron, bearing q
dle with the impression Of the Company's
seal. The key is also sealed in a heavy
envelope.
Pratt was alone when he sealed the
safe, which was violation Ut an impera'
live order, directing that before q safe Is
closed another clerk shall examine the
contents, and see that they are all right.
Pratt had never before dlsregarded the Or
der, He had sealed the sunbury safe the
same day, in the presence OF another
clerk but he fixed up the Shamokin safe
unaided. When the cafe left the office 1t
was taken directly to the Reading Rail-
road station at Thirteenth and CAllowhill
streets, and was constantly under guard
during the journey on the rails. When
the iron treasure box was opened In the
express Office at ShRmokin the clerks
found the package missing. Thinking the
package had been mislaid in the Chestnut
street office, u telegram was at once sent
to Philadelphia. After a thorough search,
1t was not found. The sale had not been
tampered with on the way to Shamokin,
and the officials concluded that the thief
was In the Philadelphia Office.
OnFriday, the next day, Detective vii.
liam b Spittall was called in by the ofll.
Clals OF the express company. Ga We'd
nesday last he arrested Pratt. The clerk
was greatly surprised when he was taken
In charge by the detective. He made q
vigorous denial OF the intimation that he
knew what became Of The missing pack.
age. HO said that the money was In the
safe when he sealed 1t. Pratt was taken
to Magistrate Durham's office, where he
was gwen private hearing and held In
$4,000 bail for further hearing on next
Wednesday at noon.
The supposition is that Pratt, failing to
summon his superior officer or brother
clerk, took the package from the sale,
which was In such spot as to escape
observation at distance. The accused
man, who Ia about 3OyeaB old, is married
and lives at $40 South Fifteenth street.
He was formerly employed In Brill's Gar
Works at Thirty first and Chestnut streets.
For over year he has done clerical work
at the receiving desk in the express Office
at G22 Chestnut street. Ho was looked
upon as a most reliable man, and the loss
OF the money and his arrest created sen.
satlon among the employees In the Chest
nut street Office.