New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-21
TWO DARING ROBBERIES.
A THIEF's LIVELY WORK IN ONE DAY.

MERCIAL NATIONAL BANB THREs
HOURS LATER-DEFENDING HIS
PLUMBER WITH A REVOLVER
At SHORT RANGE-HE
CALLS IT MISTAKEN
IDENTITY.
Two Of the most daring bank robbeIics which have
been committed in this city for mary year. were
perpetrated yesterday by man who had evidently
laid his plans with calculation and cunning fully
cquallcd by the bold and audscious manner In which
he proceeded to carry them out.
Captain Mclaughlin, OF the First Precinct, at ~
p. m. yesterday received orders TO arrest young
described clcanshavcn, fair of complexion,
about five feet inches in height, wearing black
cutaway coat and dark trousers and walsicoaf Inc
wanted for robbery of 4; 900 In bills
stolen at from the iif;h National Bank. No 300
Thirdavc. The story OF the robbery told by the
bank officers the police is that Wednesday after-
and in the forenoon of yesterday man answer
ing to tho above description strong idly
around the bank At yesterday he walked IN
and while the paying teller was engaged Win his
back to the glass partition which runs along the top
of tho counter tho thief jumped upon the ledge or
coping which customers count money and use as a
desk. Then he leaned over the top of the partition
and seized three packages OF bills containing 80 900
I'm and two dollar hll, Tle Immediately ian ous
Of the bank dropping Fl 600 package on the stoop.
lie instantly followed, but eluded capture, a.
he ran too fast for his pusuers
IDENTIFYING THE THIEF
Captain McIauehn's officers arrested man in tho
afternoon who was positively identified at the Ola
slip statlon-housc by John Rlngen, clerk and John
B. Petersen, colored porter and anitOr Of hc Fifth
National Bank, the man who robbed their bank at
noon But evidently he had not been satisfied with
Ills first haul Of $1,000. The same man had been
noticed Wednesday afternoon watching the COM
mercial National Bank, at Wall and Pearl sts, ana
was also noticed ounging about the corner IN the
early part OF yesterday afternoon. About 80 p IN.
he coolly walked into the bank carrying blue
flannel bag, similar to those used by lawyers
for their papers. lie looked through the glass screen
on the counter, and seeing that tho paying teller,
John Carr, busily engaged counting and putting
into packages some $25 900 in bills on tn, rear
counter with his back toward the front, he jumped
mp the ledge IN front, leaned over the screen, In
the manner as he had done at
the Fifth National Bank, and stole two
bundles Of bills from rack containing $1,000 and
"a 700 respectively. He then dropped lightly down
and was delayed few seconds In pushing them into
the bag.
W. McMaster Mills, a bookkeeper, who was pre-
pairing leave the bank came to obtain some small
change, and seeing the man putting the money into
the bag gave the alarm The thief ran out closely pur-
sued by Mills, who rushed out bareheaded, and In
his hurry knocked the bag against the railIngs at
the side Of the bank and dropped It. He then ran
like trained athlete round the corner OF Pearl to-
ward Pine-st., pursued by a crowd, and before no
reached Pine he turned and fired two shots at the
crowd. At Pine-st Officer Burns who was patrol
ling his post, Joined IN the chase. The thief kept
on down Pine-st. and turned along Front-sf toward
Maiden Lane At the corner of Maiden Lane, Officer
Ncsbltt endeavorcd stop the thief who eludcd his
grasp and ran rapidly down Maiden Lane. Turning
round in his flight, he fired at the officer, the shot
also missing its victim.
The man apparently fresh when he started,
but oacer Nesbtt was fresh and was rapidly gaining
on him when he ran across Maiden Lane and darted
into the side door of Harry Hastingss barroom at
the corner Of SOuth-st. The proprietor had heard
the nose and rushed out of the side door thinking
from the shouts of the crowd thar It runaway
horse and was nearly knocked down by the man.
This slight delay enabled Officer Nesbt to anticipate
the mans intention and he reached the front door
in SOuth-st. Just the man rushedsout The officer
dealt m a blow the head which feed him 10 tho
ground He instantly joined by Detective Nugenu
and Officer Burns who had caught up by this me
The officers took him to the Old slip Station whero
he gave the name of Henry L. Harding age twenty
four, and said that he was clerk by occupato and
lived with his mother and two sisters who were
dressmakers, at No. 316 Fast One-hundrcdand-
eighteenthst, and said that he had lately brought
them from Chicago. Captain Mclaughlin subse-
ouently sent Detective Nugcnt TO the address given
where his story found 10 be entirely false. He
dressed in dark gray suit, derby hat, black neck
tie in which solitaire diamond pin. and on beng
searched the officers found sXbarrel 32cabrc self
discharged cartridges I'm II. He had gold watch and
chain worth $50 and S4 in bills, ga OF which
sum was In and two dollar bills of which dcnomi-
| nations the money stolen from the Fifth National
Bank consisted.
In small leather pocketboOk found In his waist
coat prescriptions signed by DR.. Meyers and
given for X. +. seymour Among the entries In
the book several bets Cleveland and Thurman
and an address, Frank Page, sherman House lie
was subsequently identified by Charles 6. Harrison,
a clerk; Charles ". Parsons, bookkcepcr and W. +.
ROsellc, receiving teller of the Commercial National
Bank we'll by the two officials of the tiiih Ma
tiona Bank ; the who had committed both
robbcres. When this prisoner was taken out q: his
cell for Identification he took the matter cOoly and
quietly told them that II was Il case Of mis- AIKEN
identity, and said that he was. like them, IN pursuit
the thief. Several Of Inspector Byrnes's officers
failed identify him. but Captain Mclaughlin said
last night that he believed him To le western
thief. probably from Chicago lie Will be arraigned
at the TOmbs this morning at o'clock after which
he will sit for his portrait, which Will be added to
Inspector Byrnes's album. and copies VIII be sent 10
antecedents.
The bag containing tho $500 recovered by
the Commercial Bank. No trace has yet been found
OF the $1,000 stolen earlier I'm the day. Captain
Mclaughlin said that he thought the man had been TO
his home and changed his clothes between the two
robberics and had probably left the money at homo.
THE TRIAL OF IVES IND STAYNER.