The morning call., 1891-09-15
The TACOMA CASE.
Robbery Of the Fidelity Trust
Company.
Testimony Of The President Of The Mulcted
Institution.
Meeting With The EmiSSary Of the DE-
faultilg CaShier-HOW the Stolen
Securities We're Returned.
Special to THE MORNING CALI.

concealing stolen property in connection
with the Fidelity Bank robbery, was called
In Justice Sharp's court this afternoon. He
is a cousin of Edward Abertson, the de-
faulter, who has not yet been caught. Be-
fore the hearing commenced. the original
complaint against r. B. Albertson was dis
missed, and one of grand larceny substi-
tuted. The hearing lasted all the afternoon,
and will be continued to-morrpw. The
first witness called was Thomas H. Wallace.
President of the Fidelity Trust Company,
who testified substantially as has already
been published. He said: "On the 22d of
August, Saturday night, E. Alberts0n ab-
seconded with money belonging 10 the bank.
At o'clock Monday morning a messenger
delivered letter to my house. On opening
it found it to be from E. a. Albertson, in-
closing an agreement in triplicate, and di-
rections for me to meet man named Chand-
ler on Browns Point. l got in my buggy
and drove to Old Town; there got in skiff
and went to Browns Point, and had boat
man row me over"
Mr.. Wallace produced the instructions
and contract. The letter of instructions is
written in ink upon the letter head of the
Fidelity Trust Company, and is as follows:
r. B. WdNnCe-DEAR SIR: l am short Ia my
accounts, S1l750 being the aggregate OF the
sums squandered by me at different times, since
one year ago this month, IN speculation. |
haven't dollar left. Realizing the impossibility
Of ever leplacug 1t and being in constant dread
OF detection l have become desperate, taken
enough more 10 make 10000 aud left. The
amount Of securities taken from the safe In ad-
dltIOn 10 this cash Is over S9Oo,OOO which IN
nfss tho aFNNfa MI a lfA
company contracts. In addition 10 lhlS have
changed all the combinations after locking up
all the bank books IN the steel vault. IL you viii
Sign three papers, In trlplcate herewith.
In the presence of two witnesses, aud
have the same duly acknowledged, and
deliver all three TO Fred n. Chandler
at Browns Point before O'clock Monday
morning Csee directions below how to meet hlm).
He will deliver to Jou all the securities, etc.
valued al 100000, and the keys TO all tile safe
doors, so that you can commence business al tie
usual hour, except my personal uote Of $4,000.
which have destroyed, but the collateral. forty
shares OF stoc-, you viii get II you VIII meet
Chandler, with the paper, duly executed you
viii fud the company's seal In the drawer at the
end OF ID nman's desk, any time between and
O'clock on MOuday morning. You VIII then
get all OF The securities above menllOned aud be
ready for business the loser Of just $4,000. Re
fuse to execute and deliver the papers, and
securities valued at over 100000, none OF
which. except the companys notes, has the com.
pany any record Of Will be burned, and II Will
cost you $4,000 to $4,000 to open aud replace
the safe doors, and four TO six months time in
which 10 do IL; aud you, yourself, we'll know, at
the lowest estimate, IL Will cost you not less than
from 100000 to 100000 of the above, besices
a great deal of trouble to get the balance. And
besides this loss In actual money. Just imagine
The cost to the company through the loss OF the
confidence OF the public and an absolute 5us-
pension of business for at least month. To sum
up: Accept conditions and lose $500, 600, which
people need not know about; re ject them and
lose (take your own estimate OF their value) the
SJOO,0O0 and be compelled 10 absolutely sus-
pend business, You can't pay any checks, as
you have no balance books TO go by. aud you
dare not draw on New York and San Francisco
for both accounts are wrong / have made
memorandum and left IL In tue SAFE Just now The
shortage lies. Respectfully,
L. A. ALBERTsoN.
Directions to reach Chandler: GEL row-boat
and one man to row for You df you want hn)
point, and about forty rods this side, you will
see pole sticking IN the bluff (near The top and
a white handkerchief attach d 10 IL. Reach this
place between the hours OF q and o'clock
Monday morning. August oath, land your boat
aud leave your oarsmdn in It. You Will at once
see Chandler, who Will direct you now to
reach him. When there hand him three
papers, and il duly signed, witnessed aud
acknowledged he Will place In your
hands the articles mentioned In the agreement,
when you Will at once sign receipt for them.
Any attempt 10 intimidate or parey with Chand-
Ter Will be OF no avail, and Will only result to
your disadvantage. And II you come with more
than one man, or have any boat follow or precede
you, or should you fail 10 be there by O'Clock
sharp, Chandler will be gone aud all books aud
"
covering these papers, valulOles, etc. VIII be for
you 10 carry out these instructions TO the letter.
(SiEuature TO the note) L. a.
Mr.. Wallace continued: 1 delivered the
agreements to Fred n, Chandler, an accom-
pice Of AlbertSon, on Browns Point,
Sunday morning The agreement was that
the Fidelity Trust Company, in considera-
tion of the return of the securities, agreed
not to prosecute AlbertsoD. On the back of
it was receipt from the company. 1t
fofn Isat pnff fp 4
son ard Fred n. Chandler for theft of
money and securities. | signed the papers,
went to Old Town, and, procuring boat,
rowed to Browns Point Chandler was
standing on the embankment when arrived
there. He said to land and come to the
foot of the bank The bank was nearly
perpendicular | went up to where he was
and asked him if his name was Chandler.
He asked me to follow him into the woods.
We went about quarter OF mile. lie
did not seem TO know where they were.
After searching awhile he found two pack
ages in different places under some logs. |
opened both packages: they contained
notes and collaterals. | satisfied myself that
they were ours and gave him the agreement
asked if A lbertson had taken his wife and
children. He said: No. His wife had
nothing to do with it." He SAID: You'll
probably hear from me in few days. Pll
send you some money" No money was in
either package and no bank notes. They
CO0Lallcu nOltS, C6EtlHCdtto VI olOCk. war
rants, and lind contracts OF the value of
about S600,000. There was also the new
combination of the safe. l returned home,
took the combination and opened the vault
There was from $4,000 to 81, 600 gone in
money and currency and $1,000 drawn out of
our New York and San Francisco account
He had stopped the time clock by putting
sticks into the cOg-wheels. To the best of
my knowledge tha securities were taken on
Saturday. August 22d. The bank has re-
ceived all the property taken but
about $4,000; oss f. b. tna Aloer.sOd saaSOd
Monday after this occurrence and intro
duced himself as a cousin Of E. Albertson.
He had been up to the residences OF E.
Albertson, CohooD and Ward, and found
Mrs. Coho0n and Mrs. Albertson very sick
on account OF this affair He told me that
unless Cohoon was produced at once steps
would be taken to produce him. He said it
was necessary to save their lives that Co.
hoon be produced. He said he had not seen
E. Abertson for about year, and then
said he had seen his cousin last spring. The
letters were prepared, think, on the I'd
day of August Saturday, and the bank was
robbed that night. l left the bank at 3 p. NJ.
and everything was all right as usual.
Every thing was safe in the vault at the
time aud that was the last time ever saw
L. Albertson." This closed Mr.. Wallace's
testimony. Several other witnesses corrob-
GRATED the testimony of Mr. Wallace. 1t is
the purpose of the prosecution to show that
r. b. Albertson prepared, three weeks pre-
vious to the robbery the above agreements.
and that he was cognizant of the
whole affair and was party to it. This, it
is claimed, will be shown by documents and
letters In the handwriting OF X. B. Albert
son and by one of the agreements of which
possession has been obtained. 1t is also said
that it can be proven that the two Albert
sons were in conference in Seattle and
Tacoma previous to the commission of the
crime.
EUGENE (Oregon), Sept 14.-The Sheriff
and detectives here are in search OF Edward
Abcrtson, defaulting secretary of the Fidel-
ity Trust Company of Tacoma, who. it is
believed, was in this city few days ago,
and was observed by officers. but at that
time description Of Albertson had not
been received. Since the report from Flor
ence. this county, that handkerchief bear
ing Albertson's name has been found, it is
thought Albertson went from this city to
Florence, and is now making his way along
the coast A detective has gone to Florence.