Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-09
DUNCAN'SDODGE.
A YOuEs DIAMOND IEIEE wHu ELUDIE
TEH P0lIuH
yor Months Finally Captured When BE Thought Hs
Vas Sscure-Es Got Away with Platter
ofSpnklsrs Worth Thirty Thousand Dol
lars-fhs History Of the OrmA

New YORK, July s.-Young William
Duncan, alias "E. Valdez" the beard
less Brooklyn boy, who In January last
stole $4,000 worth Of precious stones
from his employers, Lewisohn s. Co., OF
No. Il Maiden Lane, was neatly cap
tured last night at the Aston House by
one Of Inspector Byrnes' men who had
been Notified Of the young fugitive's ar
rival by the managers Of the hotel.
Immediately after the robbery, winch
occurred on January "a last, Duncan
registered at the AstOr House as T.
Valdez, st. Louis" and an hour aIter,
ward deposited in the hotel safe a small
box, loosely tied with Irvine, Tor whlcn
he received receipt.
On the following morning the young
man disappeared and was not again
seen until last evening at ABOUT eigne
o'clock, when he stepped up 10 the
hotel desk, greeted the clerk pleasantly
wrote the name of +. Valdez on the
register. and. presenting the old receipt
asked for his box. mi,
But the clerk was ready Tor nlm' Inc
Young criminals reception had been
carefnUv MANNED aud rehearsed Tor
weeks. and the programme was carried
out with fautless accuracy:
s.Well. Mr.. Valdez" said the clerk,
'.vour little box has been slowed away
as is our custom, you Know Win PACK,
ACES left in our care any length OF
time" , .bo
irritated reply.
t,It shall be looked up at once and
sent TO your room, sir" ratified OIL the
clerk in brisk professional style, ana a
moment later Duncan was shown up
stairs by hall boy.
II did not take the clerk more than
ten seconds to reach the telephone ana
ring I'D Police Headquarters. Twenty
minutes later one of Inspector Byrnes'
men arrived and Mr.. Duncan, alias
VALDEZ. was promptly taken into custo-
DIV and hurried of TO headquarters.
The history OF young Duncan'S crime
is still fresh I'm the public memory, as Is
also the fact Of the discovery OF the dla-
mOnds he left behind him, by the aston
isbed manager of the AstOr House two
mouths after the disappearance OF the
mysterious one night ledger.
William Duncan had been clerk for
six months i'm the employ Of Lewisohn
& Co. ut the time of the robbery. He
was but seventeen years Of age, re-
ceived a salary of $40 per week, and
had been taken into the house solely at
the request of his uncles, who formed
the firm of Bloch & Brother, also jewel
ers in Maiden lane.
The boy proved bright, attentive and
apparently trustworthy. On the
strength of his supposed good qualities
the firm allowed him TO act as sales
man and intrusted him with the de-
livery Of gems 10 city customers.
He watched his opportunity Tor a
big haul and took full advantage OF IL
when it came Claiming several up
town jewellers as probable customers
he secured permission to leave with
them for their approval $4,000 worth
81 aio.a4rds -astanSiblE making the de-
- o.y ger ne Sra--
Office with $4,000 wOrta ! MrfvhuS
and pearls, on similar errand of dis
tributiOn, and was not seen again.
He took away with him fully $50, 900
worth of gems, but, fortunately for
LewiSOhn g. Co., left nearly all Of them
In the box which he deposited in the
AstOr House safe.
William Duncan, up to the time OF
this theft, bore an excellent reputation.
He was a member Of DIR. Talmage'S
church, q member of the Brooklyn
Young Mems Christian Association and
secretary Of the Elliott Dramatic AsSo-
ciati1u, one OF the most ariStocratic
social organizations Of Brooklyn.
His family connections are good. 1t
is believed that Duncan has been in
Europe during the past three months
and returned for the bulk of the stolen
gems, thinking that by this time the
robbery had been forgotten
1t was an error in Judgment which
will prove costly 10 its victim.
The AStor House clerk who spotted
the spurious Valdez, regards himself as
as second only 10 Inspector Byrnes as u
detective. This geutleman'S name
BY the way-iS Mr.. Van BenScoten.