The Helena independent., 1893-12-15

velOpeS and left IN the safe over night. As
it was his intention to take 7:35 train and
60 out over the road to pay off the en-
ployees, he arrived at the Rookery at Z
o'clock, an hour when the building was
practically deserted.
He left his keys in the Office door, went
in and opened the vault and the safe inside,
and took out the package of money envel-
opes. The money was put in g valise, to-
gether with the payrolls and other papers,
and stepping outside Mr.. Drake was just
about to close the vault door. As he
swung it back into place a man threw one
arm about his throat from behind, and an
other struck him hard blow on the tenn
pie. Drake struggled and tried to scream,
but the robbers struck him several heavy
blows on the head with blunt weapon,
and he fell to the floor unconscious.
About half an hour later John Hale, a
letter carrier, found Drake on the floor Of
the Office stunned and only partially con-
scious His head was badly bruised, and
his general appearance bore evidence of the
rough treatment he had received The emp
ty satchel, wide open, lay few feet away,
surrounded by a confusion of papers. The
package of money envelopes was gone.
The police were at once notified, but were
unable to trace the robbers. After investi-
eating the case they were mean enough to
suggest suspicion that Mr. Drake may
have sandbagged and robbed himself.
brakes friends pooh pooh this idea. While
they admit that the young man sometimes
played the races, they say he could have no
motive for the crime. He did not need
money and could have obtained $2O,O 600
from his father by asking for it. Young
Drake is son OF General F. M. Drake of
Centerville, Ia, president of the Indiana,
Illinois and Iowa road and founder of the
Drake university at Des Moines.
This Drake robbery is only one of many
recent crimes which have caused Chicago
ans to realize that the Worlds fair was not
an unmixed blessing. The crooks, who
We're attracted from all quarters by the ex-
position, seem to have turned themselves
loose on the citizens of the town. Never
before were the police so busy, and there
are more crooks, thieves, thugs, highway
men, robbers, footpads, window climbers
and bad men generally under arrest at the
present moment in Chicago than at any
previous time in the history of the city.
On the same morning that Drake was as
saulted and robbed Thomas Prunty was
murdered in his own home by burglars.
and his son and daughter were shot and
wounded. Although it may seem incredi-
bic to the mere finite mind, footpads had
the temerity to hold up one of the knowing
newspaper men who writes scorching cri-
tiques for the morning papers and relieve
him of his watch and chain, overcoat and
pocket money.
This last outrage was a meet forerunner
to the crowning infamy-the swiping of a
jackpot. This dastardly crime took place
at o'clock in the morning in the rooms of
the Amity club, where l6 members were
enjoying quiet game of poker. Two in
truders appeared suddenly, showed their
hands and took every cent of the $4O0 on
the table. After making the haul the rob-
bers got away before the astounded players
had time to look around
The municipal authorities have taken
vigorous means to suppress the reign of
lawlessness. All of the extra police are on
duty at night, and pedestrians encountered
after midnight are required to give a salts
factory account of themselves This strict
surveillance will probably have the desired
effect in impressing upon the criminal
classes the advisability of leaving town.
The discovery of wholesale counterfeit
ing of railway tickets is another revela-
tion that has startled the community.
l. Lie principal IdilfOduS NlCullliZeu were Cl6
Baltimore and Ohio, Erie, Nickel Plate,
Missouri Pacific and New York, Ontario
and Western. 1t is alleged that they have
been mulcted to the amount of over $780,
600. and probably 500, COO more is represent
ed in the forged tickets that have not been
used nor captured by the detectives.
The tickets are the most perfect counter
feits ever issued. In checking the used
tickets from the original record, two tick
cts of the same form number were found.
The numbering of railroad tickets must be
absolutely accurate. The auditor satisfied
himself that both tickets were genuine and
sent a singing note to his printer, scoring
him severely for his carelessness.
The printer appeared in person with an
indignant denial of the charge, but when
he saw the two tickets Of the same number
he was compelled to acknowledge that the
error was made in his Office. The next day
the auditor discovered 67 duplicated tickets
and the day following nearly 800 duplicated
tickets showed UP in the collections. and
panic reigned in the auditing department.
Experts were called in, and the fraud
was detected. Then the other railroad
were notified, and further sensa-
tional discoveries followed. Detectives
were placed OH the trail of the counterfeit
ers, aud the end is not yet. in the mean
time the ruilroad officials are holding their
breath in fear Of further disastrous devei-
opments. Z. +. BAXTER.