Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-12-12
nom DAYLIGHT hoBBrRY.
Valuable Securities stolen from
JObn q. Patterson, FAq., in the
EbslayyaFo Ak.ank.

JObn q. Patterson, Fssq., in the
Delaware Bank.
The most audacious and successful bank
robbery ever Uerpstrated In this city oc-
Cured ABOUT 10 O'clock Saturday morning
at the Delaware Bank, when eX-DlstricJ
Attorney John o. Patterson was robbed of
securities, mostly negotiable, to the extent
OF between 9l2, 900 and $4,000. The rob.
bers have gotten away and at the present
writln nothing whatever is known OF them.
THIS bank officials are struck dumb with
the audHclty OF the theft, so quietly and
completely and without raising an iota OF
suspicion, was the great robbery SO success
fully accomplished. The whole occurrence
did not comprise more than a minute ortWo
at the outside.
Shortly after the incident a GAZETTE
representative interviewed Cashier Henry
Baird and the other bank officials. The story
they tell is more astounding us phase OF
simplicity than any other feature.
Mr.. Patterson called In the usual business
way. II WAS q little aztec 10 O'Clock. There
were not more than two or three personsin
the Iublic part OF the office. lie Was heard
| calling for his security box. The next
minute he stepped UP to Cashier Baird's
window and presented two coupons OF the
Equitable Mortgage Company OF Kansas
City, No., to be placed to his credit. They
amounted to S2l each. AS MIR. Baird was
making out the credit he was startled by
hearing Mr. Patterson cry out: "Oh, that
mans got my boxw
Dir. Patterson WAS seen with his hands
up In alarm. He was dumbtounded, And
80 Immediately was everyone, directors,
bank officials, md every Que In the bank.
1t was learned mt the outset that tho box
contained securities TO the value Of S20,0OO,
some negotiable, others not. Subsequently,
| however. the loss was reduced to the more
eXSet figures given above.
For the moment everyone was puzzled.
! But the Dox WAS gone. No one could doubt
| the theft. Tue ilrst thing was to notify the
| police which MIR. Patterson immediately
did. The following list Of securities was
| given. mir. Patterson could not give a
mpieta list at the time, but the following
| 10 ~ near az ha could cal, to memory:
LIST or STOLEN SECURITIES.
Debpntures of Equitable Mortgage Com
many, Kansas Cltv, no., Nos 100 and 10i,
! ; 100 eHeh Nos. 1913, 100, lO7, 200, S2OO each +;
| No. 1i3. 1900; Jacksonville, Tampa Key
4 West railroad mortgage bond, No, 6S2,
| $1,000; j. NJ. and Mary Oaasett, private
mortgage and bond, No. 1862, $7U0; and
the following mortgages aud bonds: No.
800, V. u. sone, $3.50; No. 4,s5S, W. NJ.
! Walker, $3.50; No. A. y23, j. Il. j. Richardson,
81 200; No. ia, Joseph Wandra, $3.50; Nos.
352 and 1855 Jacksonville, Tampa d Key
| Vest ratlrOAu, 81 600 each; Nos. as and So.
Stafford X LNke Eustls railroad, $1,000
each; and certificates OF stock Ia Equitable
Insurance Company OF Kansas City, Mo-,
$1,000.
Inc last mentioned ia the only security
among tha whole number not negotiable.
The security box WAS dark green,
jepaunea, with Mr. Pat!erson's name IL
bold letters.
Mr.. Baird had no cause for suspicion OF
any kind. Egerythirg wns quiet and
orderly. He noTiced three strangers. One
stood near the door at the time he noticed
them and two Others stood Mt his
window or go near that they looked as
IL they were waiting to transact
business In tho usual way. As Mr.. Baird
looked up ths two men seemed to make q
slight movement forward al the same mo-
ment as hr. Patterson. They stepped back
u half step aud let the ex district attorney
be attended to first. Mr.. Patterson trans
acted his business, and the cashier, as
stated, was making the credit when the
cry OF alarm was heard.
Cashier Baird remembers n medium
sized man apparently about SO years ofage,
neatly dressed. He was more of Il blonde
than brunette. Ills whlskers were thin.
MIR. Baird Is impressed with the Idea that
he wore black silk hat. Another man
somewhat taller stood with his back to the
inner door Of the bank.
None OF the men spoke word to Mr..
Baird.
No one In the office saw the box snatched
up, 20 that there Is no witness to the actual
theft. 1t was accomplished as click and
Leat as II by the most apt and crack thieves
OF the country.
President Banning and other bank officers
were present. butnone OF them noticed any
thing whatever.
WHAT TELLER SMITH SAW.
Teller Edward w, Smith says that one oil
the men came TO bis window, placed four
IS notes on tho slab asking for n $50 note
lne next he remembers is Mr.. PAtterson's
cry. All the three men had gotten of clear
out Of the office when Mr Patterson gave
| the alarm. Mr.. Smith remembers that the
man who got the change Of him bad a dark
Rous'ache. He said simply "Please give
me S2j Dill for these" lie got II, thanked
Mr.. Smith aud Withdrew.
John II. Banning, Jr., was going out Ia
Adams express Office when he met the three
men coming into tho bank.
MIR. pATTERsoN's STORY.
Ex-Dstrlcr Attorney Johu O. Patterson
was next seen. He gave the GAZETTE
reporter the list (as given above) which
covers all that lie could remember of the
conyoufs OF his security box, giving a total
Of ell 100. He states, however, that with
the amounts he cannot cell to mind it 1.
probable that the total loss will not be more
tAun $4,000.
lie went 10 the bank for the purpose oil
obtaining the two Kansas coupons that had
matursd and placing them to credit of Ills
account.
When he not to the Office he asked for
hts L6x which was handed him. There
was meeting Of the directors at the time
These gentleman occupied the table
behind the oank counter which Mr.. Patter-
sou along with otner Gus, omer5 OF the bank
el.aEg
cutities. He was invited inside but seeing
the table occupied, replied: "Oh, never
mind, this will do, and placed his box on
the high deek along the north side of the
counter In the public part OF the office.
dc unlocked 1t and took out the
coupons together with another document
which he placed In his pocket. The latter
Is the only document saved out CT the box.
He locked 1: up, left 1t on the desk and
turning around walked across to Cashier
Baird handing him the two coupons as
already described. This ali happened IN a
few seeouds-"ln an instant" Mr.. Patterson
says. The three nlsn we're standing behind
him talking. The one next him Was a
short looking man with Il red face. He
was not very tall. Mr.. Patterson thinks he
NAV have worn dark clothes,
"No, l have rot lost S20, 600. That Is an
over-estimate. The amount have given
you 10 nearer the exact fgures.'
Mr.. Patterson says his box has been de-
posted In the bank several years. lie did
not carry 1t IN the street.
Teller Edward VI. Smith noticed that one
OF the three men stood with his back to the
tlesk, standing close TO 1t, while the other
two disposed themselves at different times
In the various positions from door to
cashiers and teller's windows, as described
STRANGERS IN THE VICINITY.
During the week Two strangers called
several times at Christy's ciFer store, oiag.
ouaily across from Delaware Bank, aud
. 1 ,yIE NV pet A