The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-22
R. G. ERWIN ROBBED
By a FELLOW TEArLooKED LIKE
BIN.

says mat he Is Not Rogue But q
Victim.
From Saturdays Eeto York Sun.
There is now confined in the Leonard
street station asmanIwho is either a very
clever and bold thief or most unfortunate
victim Of a clever and bold thief. The
police say be is the former; he says he Is the
latter.
His name is Egerton Robertson, and he
lives In Chicago. On Wednesday he went
20 the carpet shop Of D. Powers & Co., at
400 Washington street. aud ordered $500
worth Of carpets and oilcloshs for the Hart
ford Military Academy Of Hartford,
Conn.,, for which he was to pay on
the following day. Before he lefs he
requested the firm 10 cash a check for $45.
As he Is In appearance prosperous, we'll
dressed young man the check was cashed. Il
was on the Broadway Bank Of Boston and
was signed by Henry Worthington. On
the following day be came IN and presented
check for $500 on account of the goods
purchased. and asked to have another
check for SS5 cashed. The firm asked him
to call in the afternoon. and when he left
notified the police.
Detectives Handy and Dunn OF the
Leonard street station came TO the store aud
waited for the man. At , O'clock messen>
ger boy came with note, in which the
check was inclosed. An answer was written
by the firm, and the police followed the boy,
first to the Office at 4U7 broadway. and from
there to 422 broadway, In front
or which Robertson was waiting. The
checks were worthless aud the Hartford
Military Academy a myth He was
arraigned before Justice Diver at the
Toombs yesterday morning and remanded
until to-day.
When he was searched yesterday there
were found on him, among other things,
the following articles: A dozen calling
cards and business cards, bearing various
names, pawn ticket for a coat and waist
coat. issued by d. NJ. Nelson, 81 Harrison
avenue, Boston, q lunch ticket on "The
Spa" In this city, Elade out TO John Lavery
letter dated Imperial Hotel, N. Y, Dec.
10, 1884," giving directions for the buying
OF llpoleum for the Hartford academy,
signed BY +. p. Harvey. aud addressed TO
Henry Worthington, a slip OF paper giving
the combination to sefe afterward found TO
be the safe Of the Pullman Palace Car
Company in Pullman, III. some papers
relative 70 real estate In Chicago, two
letters from his wife in Chicago. some blank
checks, two passes made out TO j. e. Boo0e
vice president of the Sioux City and North
ern Railroad Company, one on the Pitts
burg and Cincinnati Packet Line, and the
other on the Central New England and
Western railroad: number of communal
tion tickets, and wallet containing some
calling cards bearing tue name of R. @.
Erwin, and also q large number of passes
made out to K. @. Erwin.
X. G. Erwin is general counsel for the rail-
roads OF the Plant system In Georgia and
Florida. and also for the Southern Express
Company. He lives at the St. James hotel.
On Dec. 10 his room was entered by a man
who had got bis key in some way. The man
walked boldly up the stairs, entered the
room, got some clothing which he wrapped
in brown paper, and went down and out Of
the door without being interfered with The
negro hall boy saw him coming down swing
ing the key in one hand and carrying a
brown paper parcel In the other.
A few days afterward Mr.. Erwin received
the following note.
r. G.. ErleiR, ESQ.,:
SIE-You may probably have missed several
articles from yopr room tosday. The fact is,
By q strange coincidence happen to resemble
you very closely tam a trifle better looking but
Will cay that and after you left your hotel this
a. N. saw you safely TO the street, walked up
and called for rs please"
Is took nerve, but nerve won In a canter. /
got the key. went to your room, tried on your
coat and vest, which fitced nicely likewise your
shoes We were evidently built on the same
mold Iregret you omitted TO leave your over
coat. Your head Is a rrihe smaller than mine;
otherwise your Mercury who brought your suit
away would also have brought your hat
consider you owe me s. for this, as the day
was 80 warm. ! also borrowed the better UNI
berella OF the two you won't mind will your
/ may have the pleasure OF meeting you In
Savanna at some near date and In the meantime
beg to subscribe myself
Your very ob'dt servt,
THE FELLOW THAT LOOKS LIKE You"
Yesterday afternoon Mr.. Erwin called at
the Leonard street station and identified the
property as his own. He said that the thief.
after leaving the hotel, sent messenger
boy with a note for Mr.. Erwin's dress suit
case, which was on the table In his room.
The dress suit case was duly delivered. II
contained clothing and two sets OF valuable
shirt studs
The hall boy who had seen the thief also
came 70 the station and identified Robert
son as the man who entered Mr.. Erwiu's
room Dec 10. The handwriting of the note
to Mr.. Erwin is the same as that of a mes
sage in Robertsons possession signed by
Henry Werthington, which Robertson ad-
mits he himself wrote for Worthington.
He lays all his troubles to Worthiugton,
who, he says, got him 10 present the checks
at Powers store, and fer whom he under
took the purchase Of carpets for the HART
ford Military Academy. The detectives say
that Worthington and Robertson are the
same person. Robertson tells this story;
Two weeks ago Friday came here from
Hyde Park, Chicago, and registered at the
Aston house. Three days later was In the
smoking room, and, as my shoe hurt me, /
took It off. A man sitting near said he
would sell me pair Of shoes for So. He
went into the hall, returning with pair of
shoes which fitted me. and which bought.
These, now know. were Mr.. Erwin's shoes.
have them on DOW. The man gave me
HE name as Henry Worthington. We be-
came well acquainted. On Thursday we
went to Boston and were there four days to-
gether at boarding house Ia Washington
street. Worthington pawned a coat and
waistcoat there at Nelson's pawn shop. he
was looking for place to buy carpet for
the Hartford Military Academy. We re-
turned to this city last Tuesday. went to
the Hotel Devonshire and tried to persuade
him to stay there, but he went downtown.
On Wednesday met him at the Metro
politan hotel.
"Athis request went to Powers carpet
shop and transacted the business there I
thought it was all straight then. On
Thursday he came to the Devonshire hotel
20 see me. and we went down on the ele-
waited train. He got out at some down.
town street and left wallet, which picked
up and carried with me. That was Mr..
Erwin's wallet He had also left MIR.
Erwtn's umbrella In my room at the Dew
onshire. bad seen him before with q
small alligator skin bag which had carried