The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-19
HOTEL SAFE ROBBED.
A Porter Walks Off with the Cash
While the Clerk Sleeps


The safe in the Pulaski house Office was
robbed Of between sl2O and sl25 early yes
terday morning. The night clerk was
asleep when the thief got in his work, bu t
the evidence is so strong against the night
porter that the officers, after working on
the case, arrested the porter last night and
lodged him in Jail. He stoutly denies any
knowledge of the theft, but there is little
doubt that he is the thief
The stolen money was the receipts OF the
bar and billiard rooms for the day, and was
turned In to the night clerk by the bar
tender at O'Clock in the morning. The
money was counted into tin box, which
was locked and placed in the iron safe IN
the rear Of the office. The CLERK neglected
TO turn of the combination when he put
the money in the safe, and any one could
open it. After cutting the money in the
safe the bartender went home and the doors
we're locked. Nobody was inside the Office
except the clerk aud the porter.
The clerk went out IN front of the Office
counter and sat down, and the porter sat on
the opposite side of the room, in front of
the clerk. In half or three-quarters Of an
hour the clerk fell asleep and did not wake
until about 4 o'clock. Looking at the clock
be told the porter to go around and make
his O'Clock calls. The negro aroused and
went upstairs. The clerk went around be-
hind the counter and began making out the
bills for those guests who were going TO
leave ON the early train. Just about the
time he had half finished the work he saw
the porter 20 out of the front door, and
heard him say something to somebody.
The porter was wearing a long buster and
the clerk thinks that he was bareheaded.
Shortly after that guest came down and
began talking with the clerk. 1t was about
. La L. 4
behind the desk for something, aud he saw
the safe door standing open. simultaneously
he glanced at the shelf where the money
box had been placed, but it was not there.
He looked at the clock then, aud IL was a
few minutes to 5 O'Clock. He waited
around in the Office a few minutes,
when the porter came in. As soon as
the negro came back the clerk said that
he accused him Of stealing the box, but the
negro disclaimed any knowledge of it, and
said that he had been out drinking with
friends
Mr.. Watson was first notified of the rob-
berry, and later Mr.. Powers. An investiga-
ton followed, but the porter was not ac-
cused by the proprietors until q better clew
could be had. Detective Wetherhorn
was put on the case, and he worked
it all day. Toward noon a baker
came upstairs with an envelope which he
lOuLlu III Tue cellar. IL was INC envelope In
which the money had been placed when it
was putin the tin box.
With this clew the officers soon turned
the trick" The tin box was found in the
cellar with hole cut in the top of it large
enough TO get a persons hand in. A check
for $40 was the only portion of its former
contents that remained.
A visit to the place where the negro said
that ne had been drinkingi developed the
fact that he had spent good deal Of money
carousing there early in the morning
When all this and more information was
obtained, the porter was arrested and COM
mitted to Jail The theft was unquestiona-
bly, perpetrated by an ignorant and blum
dering rogue, but by one who was familiar
with everything about the office. just
above the tin box on another shelf was a
package valued at S., 900, left by jewelry
man. The box lay on the shelf, being too
large to get in the vault, where valuables
to the amount of about 49, 900 were stored
The proprietors are careful about having
the safe locked securely every night, aud
they place a strict injunction upon the
clerk to turn the combination off imme-
diately after the last receipts are in The
officers will work on the ca Sc to-day for ad-
ditional evidence against the porter.