St. Paul daily globe., 1890-12-08
COOKE A COOL ONE.
A Northern Pacific Night Op-
orator Gobbles Several
Through Tickets.
He Steals Of Two Roads and
Sells His Goods to Vari-
Gus Seaipers.
When Detected He Makes an
Unsuccessful Attempt to
Run Away.
A Short Season of Reflection
at st. Cloud May Reform
Him.
Special to the Globe

Special to the Globe.
NORTHERN PACIFIC JUNCTION, Dee.
IA daring robbery has been going on
at the ticket offices of both the st. Paul
& Duluth and Northern Pacific raj
ways, in which both companies are los
ers of large number of local and
coupon tickets, the discovery of which
happened in time to prevent serious
loss to the agents of both roads. About
two weeks ago one Fred c. Cooke came
to Northern Pacific junction as night
operator for the Northern Pacific rail-
road. He soon became fast friend of
the st. Paul & Duluth night operator,
and they were wont to visit back and
forth. During the unoccupied hours OF
the night, during Cooks visits TO the st.
Paul & Duluth railway Office, he had an
eye to business as well as pleasure, and
when Mr.. Burris, the st. Paul s. Duluth
night operator. was attending to trains
outside, he quietly gathered in three
coupon ticketss stamped and made them
out to various points of the country,
San Francisco. Dubuque, etc. Agent
Stevens. who resides above the Office,
on the night of Dec. heard the ticket
stamp going about I O'Clock in
the morning. and supposed his
operator had sold a ticket. but
no account having been given to
him Of the sale, examined the case and
found three tickets missing. He at
once nshed for the rascal and took him
at the first pull of the line. Detective
DecOrsey. Of the St. Paul & Duluth,
was at once summoned to appear and
work on the case. which was done III
about the time that it required to relate
the story. The Duluth night operator
was at once arrested and lodged in Jail.
He strenuously denied the crime to the
last and then suspicion rested uponCOoke
as being in connection with him. De-
corsey and Agent Stevens at once Vis-
tied Agent Beall, of the Northern Pa
cIflc. and demanded the surrender of
Cooke, saying he bad been stealing
tickets Very much surprised at tie
charge. Beall surrendered his man. do
ing the work himself until man could
arrive TO take his place, and, in the
meantime, checked over his case of
tickets and found in all sixteen tickets,
cards and books missing. When Cooke
was notified that he was wanted for
stealing tickets, he started for
the door, but was taken care
VI ny OtoNeIlS, DecOrSey anu ufguSOn
and placed behind the bars A careful
search of his room in the Commercial
hotel revealed number of the missing
tickets. Those of the st. Paul & Duluth
were coupon and would be fine meat for
scalpers to get hold of. Those of the
Northern Pacific We're made out to
Portland, Or, and Seattle, Wash, all
first class. One return ticket read
Northern Pacific junction to Portland,
Or, and was valued at S130. Several
are yet missing and may now be in the
haads of scalpers, although they are
bulletined. Complaint was made before
the grand jury, now in session, by II. g.
Stevens in behalf of the st. Paul &
Duluth and 4. F. BealI in behalf of the
Northern Pacific. When Cooke was
taken before Judge Stearns he pleaded
guilty to the charge of forgery and
grand larceny and was sentenced to the
refOrmatory at st. Cloud. Cooke, al.
though young in years, has evidently
been in similar business elsewhere |
He has been here but two weeks and
lost no time in his work.
Cookies home is in Alabama, and he
is wanted at Knoxville. Tenn, for the
stealing Of large quantity of railway
tickets.