Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-10-13
The Bonds Stolen From F. w
Gilchrist of Alpena, Last August,
Recovered in Detroit.

VI ~ ~ VI GNOhi
tiles on the night Of August 20 last
The safe in his Office was blown oper
in neat and artistic manner an(
paper Of the face value Of S4,544 3.
stolen. 1t consisted of two bonds Of
the Lake Superior Lumber Company
of 81 900 each and four bonds of tn,
Alpena City Water Works two O
$500 each and two Of 1925 each
The remainder was made up of notes
and other nonnegotiable commercial
paper. A close watch was kept fol
the robbers, but no trace of them ha'
been found, and until recently the
whereabouts of the bonds has been q
mystery. Mr.. Gilchrist put the mat
ter in the hands of skilled detectives
and through them he received news
from Milwaukee that the bonds were
in Detroit. In the latter part Of
September the detectives received the
intelligence that several attempts had
been made to dispose of the bonds at
different banks Of this city and they
went to work OH their new clues, the
result of their labor being the dis
covery of the identical bonds in the
vault of the American National
Bank. They were first learned to
have been in the hands of Il stranger
who happened into the gambling
house of Frank Wiethoff and with
whom, Mr.. Coneley says, the stranger
left as u security for considerable
amount of money lost in caressing
the velvety paws of the "tigor."
Wiethoff took the bonds to the
Peoples and Wayne County Savings
Banks to deposit or negotiate them,
but the banks refused to touch them
Weithoff next went to Sigmund.
e. Bro, who innocently,
took the bonds in payment of heavy
bill for tobacco which they had previ.
ously sold to Wiethoff, and they
deposited them with the American
National Bank.
Yesterday a suit was commenced
by Edwin F. Conely for f. w. Gil
christ, against Alexander II. Day,
Frank A. Wiethoff and Rothschild
& Bro. to replevin the bonds from the
bank. The writ of replevin was
granted by Judge Chapman and under
and by virtue of it the bonds were
secured and are at present in the
hands of Mr.. Concly. When the
bonds were delivered to Deputy Sheriff
w. Shelley they were all
in the same condition as when stolen
and a copy of the printed circular
which was issued at the time of the
was found attached to the
package.
The proceedings are against three
defendants, but the bank and the
are not seriously impli.
Gated, as their connection with the
matter is of purely business charac-
,er. Mr.. Conely declines to state
whether Wiethoff' will be arrested on
I charge Of receiving stolen property,
)ut intimates that case could be
made out against him on the evidence
hat exists.
+. A. Wiethofi' was seen by repor-
er at his cigar factory OH Congress
treet and asked how he got possession
If the bonds. 81 have nothing to
conceal in the NATTER" he said, "and
do not fear any prosecution, as | am
IN innocent party to the transaction"
GLOW did you get them ?"
"In August | was attending the
Innual encampment of the Suntlower
Tub. | returned August 30 and was
old that man was waiting for me
wo weeks to- sec me on Il business
natter. He came in and asked loan
# $4,000 OH the bonds in question.
ooked.up Bradstreet's report and
hiding that the corporations issuing
he bonds were solid, us far as fnan-
ial standing is concerned, | agreed
o loan the amount asked. | had
bout 81 900 ready cash and borrowed
he other thousand from my brother
n-law, Frank Hester, who keeps the
aloon across the way"
odd you know the man ?"
81 did not. He was well dressed,
all, slim, and had a dark mustache
With closely cropped sideburns. /
lad never seen him before to my re-
"Did you make any inquiry as to
he bonds ?"
81 did not they were made payable |
o bearer and / assumed that they
we're all right. The whole matter to
ne was an ordinary business transact
ion. | took the bonds to Rothschild
Bros to pay for tobacco and they
ccepted them and got credit for them
It the bank" IVA
"What about the rumor that the
'onds were put up as collateral in
'our gambling house ?"
"My gambling house," exclaimed
'lr. Wiethof in tones of surprise. 81
AVE nothing to do with any gamb-
ing house. No. Sir: | simply
Idvanced the money as a loan. The
tranger said he would redeem the
,onds in twenty days. He did not
;ome back and / waited five days
onger before / disposed of them.
This is all / know of the transaction.
f the bonds were secured in q
burglary am ignorant of it, further
han what / have heard since Mr.. Gil
hrist came in town. The transaction
vas entirely in good faith on my part"
Free Press.
Detroit is noted for its tobacco