The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-12-08
THE BROWN PAPER TRICK.
BALL, HUTCHINss 6 CO, RECEIVE a
NEAT PACKAGE OF THE STUFF.
A Package Supposed to Contain Twenty Five
Thousand Dollars Containing Nothing
But Brown Paper-Express officials
Worked up Over the Robbery,

GALVESTON, Nov. 30.-It was de-
veloped today that the banking house
Ball, Hutchings d Co., was the reci-
pient of a similar package to that re-
ceived by the Island City Savings
bank yesterday with the difference
that its package was from National
City bank of New York and was sup
posed to contain SOS, 900. This package
was received in the same express as
the Island City Savings bank package
of $4,000, at $40 O'Clock yesterday
morning. AS soon as checked
over it was delivered to
Ball, Hutchings u Co., and
receipted by their teller and placed
in the vault. Yesterday evening
about o'clock it was brought from
the vault, opened by the teller in the
contain nothing but strips of brown
baper cut the size of bank notes, neat
ly banded together with rubber bands
and placed inside the original wrap
pers The package was done up in
one bundle, the length and width of a
bill and about eight inches thick.
Both packages looked like old money,
and the teller, before opening it, re.
marked: "Those fellows have sent us
old bills" The package had been
opened at one end, the money alb
stracted, and the paper neatly substi-
tuted. The end was then neatly re-
folded and sealed with plain oval
seal with nothing but the word
"bank" on it.
AS soon as Ball, Hutchings q Co..
made the discovery they at once noti-
fed the agent of the Wells, Fargo
Express company, and also wired the
National City bank of New York
the fact The agent of the express
came at once, carefully examined the
package and promptly reported the
loss to the head officials of the COM
pany. A. Christensen, superintend-
ent of Wells-Fargo Express company,
and his assistant, G. A. Taft, arrived
this morning from Houston and have
instituted vigorous investigation. At
1890 today they, with the bank
officials, held conference at Ball,
Hutchings & Co.'S office, but nothing
new was developed and the papers
were delivered to the officials of the
company who receipued for them. Both
packages left New York on the 25th,
and Superintendent Christensen said
they were carried by Wells-Fargo q
Co. over the Erie from New York to
Cincinnati, thence delivered to the
Adams Express Company there. They
carried them over the Louisville and
Nashville to New Orleans and there
returned them to the Wells-Fargo
Company, in whose possession they
remained till they arrived via the
Southern Pacific in Galveston.
"These two packages are the only
ones robbed, as far as known said
M. Christensen, land we have tele'
graphed the company at New York
and all steps to find the money and
capture the thief will be taken. The
general belief is that both the $4,000
and $4,000 were rifled by the same
person and that it was done in New
YorR or in one of the transfe offices
en- route. Whoever did it If slick
artist and the banks or express COM
panies are out $4,000.
Ball, Hutchings & Co. received two
$25 200 packages this morning from
the National City bank of New York
one by Wells-Fargo Express company
and the other by the Pacific Express
company. The package by Wells
Fargo express on being opened was
found $4,000 short and they thought il
had been touched, but on opening the
package received from the Pacific Elk
press company 1t was found to be
$4,000 over. That evened up matters
and the firm was happy.