The morning call., 1893-11-17
WAS 1T CHANGE ?
A Sibyl's Prophecy That
Came True.
TOLD IN OLD NUREMBERG.
And Enacted by Daring Burglar
in Store.
A GIRLS PLUCK SAVES $500.
e. j. Hollis Receivers All the Valuable
Stamps Which Had Been
Stolen From Him.
A GIRLS PLUCK SAVES $500.

A very peculiar coincidence to say the
least of IL, and one that is likely to give
the fortune-telling booth of Old Nurem-
burg widespread nOtoriety, was report
ed yesterday in connection with the burg
larry of $500 worth of old stamps from the
store of w. II. Hollis. 105 O'Farrell street.
Last Saturday Mrs. Hollis had her
fortune told at the fair, and the sibyps
most solemn prediction was, Your hus-
band will be robbed of nearly all he owns
by fair young man. The loss will in ter
rupt your business for time, but 1 see
sunshine ahead, the trouble will only be
temporary"
81 paid no attention to the prediction at
the time" said Mrs. Hollis yesterday to
CALL reporter. ut sounded just like he
letters from dark women and the journeys
across wafer that one always hears of in
fortunes. But the strange thing about
this was that 1t came true. So little did
we think of being robbed, however. that
my husband. who was woi king at the store
till II 80 on Tuesday night, did not carry the
most valuable portion of the stock home
for safe keeping as he usually does. He
just locked up every thing securely and
left the place little before O'Clock.
when he came down the next morning
the showcase was stripped. most of the
valuable stock in the albums and pasted
onto glass had gone, though two or three
fine collections had been overlooked. to-
gether with $50 in cash, which the thief
had not taken from the drawer. MIR.
Hollis saw at once that the burglar was
an expert in stamps. There were several
hundred thousand of the common stock
that ne had n OF even taken the trouble to
overh haul.
'The strangest thing was that the burg
larry had been committed so neatly that
one could scarcely believe that the man
was not thoroughly acquainted with cur
stock. OF course the first thing we did
was to give notice TO the police, and N.Y.
self went to all the other dealers in -towH
to warn them we had been robbed, as we
knew they could recognize our stock"
1t would be difficult TO imagine more
cool and daring thief than the one of
whom Mrs. Hollis was speaking. Events
have shown that the burglary was COM
mitted entirely by one young man, whom
the police now suppose to be a daring
Denver criminal named Bishop, although
when arrested he gave the name of Will
liams.
This Williams or Bishop had only once
entered the store of Mr.. Hollis previous TO
the burglary. On that occasion he repre-
sented himself as an Eastern tourist
anxious to start a collection of stamps
He examined number of specimens, and
doubtless studied the lay of the land WELL
though no particular attention was paid to
bis action at the time
Last Tuesday this Williams, who is a
blond young man under 25, sauntered
jauntily into the store OF j. H. Makins, a
| stamp dealer on Market street, and in
| formed him that be expected To have a
number of valuable specimens to dispose
of the following day. He did not add how
he expected to obtain them. but true to his
promise called early on Wednesday morn
ing and disposed of SIS worth.
This sum, however, was not sufficient to
take the penniless burglar East, and
Knowing that the news of the burglary
would soon be noised abroad in the city,
he determined to extend the sphere of his
next operations to Oakland.
Now 1t happens that Mr.. Makins has
also business in Oakland, managed by
| his son. Thther the burglar repaired
and offered some valuable stamps for saie
They were so valuable and rare that
the young man recognized them immed-
ateIy as part Of w. Ii. Hollis stock. To
make sure he told the would be purchaser
| to call again at o'clock. and in the mean
time telephoned to the city to inquire if
| burglary had been committed.
w. IL. Hollis Immediately responded in
person, but as O'Clock came without the
| thief putting in an appearance he returned
| home. About an hour later the man
called. A young lady belonging to Mr..
| Makins' family opened the door to him
and graciOusly invited him into the parIor
| time, but eXcusing herself for anoment
| she rushed into the kitchen and exclaimed
| to the girl: Quick run for a policeman.
| The thief is here" Then the courageous
| young lady returned to the parlor and kept
| the burglar engaged in conversation till
the officer appeared upon the scene.
AT soon as he was arrested the man
owned at once to his crime. giving up
Wels-Fargo receipt for the bulk of the
stamps which he had dispatched to Chi
cago TO the address of one 7. Arthur. The
parcel was Immediately stopped by tele-
graph. and ]. Hollis expects 20 receive his
lost property to-day. Both Mr.. and Mrs.
Hollis express great gratitude to the
Makins family for their assistance in cap
turing the thief.
If the arrested man is Bishop. as the
police believe, be is a valuable find.
Bishop was stamp expert, who robbed
the revenue of large amount by restoring
stamps that had been used and selling
them IS new. He was actually arrested
once in Denver, but escaped over roof.
The man Williams answers in all re-
spects to the description of this criminal.