The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1891-10-16
Postscript.
THE TACOMA BANK ROBBERY.
HOW ALBERTSON AND CHANDLER
MANAGED 1T.

n Story of n Most Daring ana Carefull
| Planned CrIme.-HOw Chandler, n Brat
tIebOrO BOY Negotiated with the Banl
Officials.-Pian to Escape TO Mexico.
The Fidelity trust company, one of the hes
b nown and strongest banking institutions o
Tacoma, WASH, was, 1t will he remembered
robbed last August by It's secretary, Edwar'
la lbertson, of $920,0OO In securities an,
money. The news of the theft and the sub
keouent capture of Albertson and his accom-
,liccs has been published In piece meal, blu
he complete story as brought out at the tria
hows that the theft was planned with re
narkable cunning and executed with as
oundlng boldness. The story too--whch b,
he way is told by Seattle correspondent OF
he New York Sun-has additional Interest
n this locality from the fact that Fred N
handler, Albertson's principal accomplish
pas formerly resident Of and well known
Brattleboro. Here is the story Of the
lot, which was most cleverlv laid
June IS, months before the robbery was
Committed Fred N. Chandler walked into the
tfice Of Preston, Alberlson e. Donworth.prom'
,ent lawyers of Seattle, WASH, and In
uired for r.. B. Albertson. This Mr.. Albert
on is a cousin of Edward, and, while they
ere Intimate as boys, In later years they had
zen comparatively little of each other.
handler was unknown to II. b. Albertson.
hen the two men were closeted. Chandler
no gave the assumed name of Ross, sal :"1
ave come In behalf of common friend,
hose name cannot tell you. For some time
) has been the trusted emplOye OF large
pmpany. but he got behind In his accounts
id became so involved that he could not
AXE himself square. How all this happeued
hes not matter now. Well, to make long
DRY short, our friend has been taking IRON
me to time amounts from the funds at the
mpany aggregating IN all about $15, 900.
DW in order to protect himself our friend
Es also takep from the safe of the company
;urities worth about 100000 and has
anged the combination In the lock OF the
lie. The president of the company gave our
end full control, so that this could easily
done. If these securities are not returned
d the safe opened, the institution will be
rocked. or course the company Is anxious
have the matter hushed up and is ready to
mpromise." Lawyer Albertson at once
opposed that some Seattle bank was invOlv-
and that one of the MANY bank clerks he
lew was the criminal When Albertson
estiOned Chandler the latter replied: II
mot tell the name of the man, but he is a
end of yours, for he knows of the days
len you piled lumber In saw.mil here,
hen you were reporter on the Chronicle,
len you were studying law. Here Is the
of agreement that our friend wishes to
We put In legal form. "and Chandler showed
bertson rough draft in Ink of a guaranty |
immunity from prosecution IN case certain |
|urities, for which blanks were left, were
urned and the combination of the safe re-
lied. Blanks were also left for the names |
the parties to the transaction. AlDertson
lained that such an agreement would |
re no legal force, but Chandler declared
t the company could he trusted to live up
t. Abertson had strong doubts as to
ether he had better draw the agreement,
he consulted George Hyde Preston, his
timer, who advised him to have nothing to
with 1t. Then Aloertson reflected that he
ut to stand by his friends, and that were
agreement not drawn Seattle bank
mt 90 to the wall, many innocent people
ruined, and much harm be done the com
nifty. So, acting by impulse rather than
Judgment. he consented to draw up the
PER, and told Chandler to call for 1t the
day. As Chandler went out of the Of
ne said: "AnOlher man has tried to help
Irleh', ana has also beceme involved; so '
Mspartics." h
Hn Chandler had gone LAWYER Albert. |
= ta1,ctat,si the form IN blank to the stenoe- G
'ner, and had 1t done In typewriter, with i
notarial acknowledgements. County of G
", state of Washington"-tb county In
ich Seattle is situated. Tacoma Is In Pierce c
nty. The next day Chandler returned, e
/. still living the name of Ross. took the ]
Dix agreement and insisted upon paying O
for II. Nothing more was heard of the 4
tier for weeks, and Albertson supposed a
!, the affair had been settled and hushed t
Tbe next thing was the robbery at Taco t
on the night of Sunday. August 90, word r
5 teIephoned to the American district tele- S
nh At Tacoma, that a man IN room Sc at t
Fife hotel wished to be called at .15 q
ndav morning. Willie Williams. a night a
ssenper. was sent to make the call, but C
en- he was near the hotel he met a man +
n asked. "Arc YOU going to call Sc at the b
. p: "Yes.u swell, l am the man, so you
dn,t bother aoout that. Here Is 80 cents. C
nt Won TO hire a gurnev and take this pack. Y
IN MIR. Wallace at 10 Pacific ayenue..' Att
clock that morning T. B. Wallace, presi- O
# of The Fidelity trust company, was t
akeIled by a ringing at his door-bell He v
med on his clothes and went to the door, b
GRO n messenger handed him large enyel- d
addressed to him IN the handwriting of t
ward Albertsop, the banks secretary. G
hin on the paper of the company, under f
o of August %. was the following aston. r
mo letter
~ U.u.oo pros,aont
d. " C ni'a0oi .'hort l., nav, oooo,r+s e11 S
'eaI Oh nm Of a., nm; y S,nandoraa t
pen'S an iiga,on, tiu,oS sInoo ona ~oar aoo
ne a. "; ~ s,,aouIatton and bovan,to r
MUM II" p,ot, 49,, ,,n,sib;iit, C
iar lIi oi,,, =, nnd Eo,nn IN nanstant dyood t
u Iepia. 800 a t,ooon,e doSnarato tn,lon
letection, na'o -, Io' IL eooo 600 80 Iatt
'ugn inoio ~ ,n,t;oS fro,, OH" tha snto
a' n,,t " III oosb is go COCO 900
auultl1n W tn,1 1asn, 10 u,oi %ooo'ooy'
lcn lno,u rs on uno on,'trSo, III
,raI am 'apu uo ntan iii III 10 ,h huu
u :" .ftor lockipo nm ali tho bank hoops IN
rs, ai.ei ro0hi"s up al 'no o"nh oooAs ~