The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-14
MILLION IN jEOPARD
Albertson Held Securities to
Prevent Prosecution.
SAFES COMBINATION CHANGED.
His Pal, Gambler Chandler, Meets the
Banks Agent in the Woods.
The Thiers Partner Well Armed-The
Bonds All Turned Over-YaluabIe
Papers Hidden in = Thicket-De-
faulter Seen to Disappear.


The Examiner prints the following story
concerning the robbery of the Fidelity
Trust bank at Tacoma by its secretary,
Edward Albertson, on August 2+slast:
1t was heretofore believed that Albertson
lost some 5000 onlE in speculation. and q
surprise was caused by the extraordinary
efforts made To capture him. 1t now ap-
pears that ne took $50 900 N cash and
nearly 81 100000 in securities.
Early on the morning of August - Il
note was received by Paul Schulze, di-
rector of the bank, from Aibertson, saying
that he had lost $1,000 of the banks
money in speculation, and to force COM
promise had taken $1,000 more in cash
and 100000 in securities, and the
only thing Schulze could do under
the circumstances was, Albertson
wrote, 10 com promise with him.
he would therefore meet him or some
other single representative of the bank in
the woods near Browns point, across the
head of Commencement bay and Puyallup
river from Tacoma, and If he would sign
paper Herewith inclosed agreeing not
to prosecute him, lie would hand over to
the representative of the bank the securi-
ties The meeting was appointed for 8
ciock, only hEe hours later.
"It will be 40 use added Albertson,
"for you to attempt i capture. | am
armed efectually, and will not he taken.
L shall be at q high point in the timber,
where can look about me for miles.
shall see your boat coming, and If there
is more than one man in it | shall escape
or give battle. 4 fast horse is at hand
tied In the woods. E"
Mr.. Schulze was completely stumped
He hastily sent for Z. b. Wallace, presi-
dent of the bank; Theodore ID. Powell,
vice president, and others Interested
They held a conference. There was some
talk of at once notifying the police. Then
Mr.. Schulze read another section from the
letter. 1t said: II have changed combina-
ton of your vault. If you sign this paper
forward it to me you can have your COM
binarion as well as securities, but if you
do not do SO l shall keep it. 1t will take
at least three days for you 10 get il open;
you can do no business and will have TO
close up. The banks business will be
pretty nearly destroyed by that time"
The officials knew that If the bank was
not open at the usual hour Dame Rumor
would have something to say about it and
they disliked the inevitable result They
decided that the quiet " ~ was the best.
The paper agreeing not TO prosecute
was signed, and the man specially desig-
mated by Albertson set out at 5
o'clock TO meet him. As the banks
messenger rowed across the bay
toward Albertson's rendezvous he deserted
the outlines of man on the hill. A little
further on he discovered it was not Ed
Albertson and at hrst he did not know
what TO think. As he approached closer
he saw that the man was one Chandler. a
gambler of Tacoma. with whom Albe-tson
had for some time been intimate.
Have you got that agreement" sung
ont the man. tie held = shotgun in his
hand.
Yes" responded the ambassador, and
he held it aloft that it might be seen.
Then come on said Chandler. The
messenger climbed the heights and Chaud-
Ter led the way along the trail. He at
length picked up from under some thick
bushes, at one side of the trail. the pack-
age Of securities. little further along on
the trail Chandler stepped aside to a thick
copae and drew forth another package.
The two men then sat down on a log near
at hand and the securities were looked
over The exact amount of 500 900 was
found 10 have Ieen turned over
Aloertson all this time. was not in sirht
and the messenger handed over the paper
setting forth that there would be no prose-
cution whatever in connection with the
robbery in consideration OF the return of
the securities.
Chandler then wrote down the cornbina-
ton OF the safe. gave Il to the messenger.
and they separated.
As Chandler went up the trail he gave
haIioo and Alherr~on came forth from the
woods and Joined him. Goodbye was
shouted from distance. With this Al
bar,san and chandler disaaraarct a.ai,
into the woods. and the banks representa-
i've. with TWO bundles OF securities in his
possession, made haste to Se, back 10 the
city.