Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-25
ROBBED IN A HANSON CAB.
An Unusually Bold Operation without
Leaving n Clue.

One of the most daring robberies ever per-
petrated in New York city occurred Satur-
day night in the very heart Of the Tender
loin" district. James W. French. a piano
manufacturer. was the victim of the rob-
berry. and lost $500 in money and a scarfpin
made of cats eye, surrounded by dia-
monds, and valued at $50.
After closing his place of business, Mr..
French started uptown to make some Christ
mas purchases. He stopped at several stores
end finally at a restaurant where he had
dinner. He walked into William Moulds'
saloon, at about 10 o'clock, and remained in
side drinking until 1890 Then he left the
saloon. and when he reached the street he
staggered so as to cause a little crowd to
collect.
A hanson cab belonging to John Shorten
stood in front Of the saloon and Mr.. French
staggered toward it. AS he reached the
curbstone he pitched forward and fell under
the horse. Driver Shorten ran to his assist
ance and lifted him up, and was trying to
steady him on his feet, when a man pushed
through the crowd which had gathered
about, and, taking French by the arm, said
to Shorten:
'Lif: him into the cab and drive to Milli-
gan's."
Together they lifted Mr.. French who was
into the cab. AS Shorten climbed up on the
box, the stranger jumped into the cab along
side of French, who had recovered his SEN
ses, and was apparently aware Of what was
going on.
Shorten drove to 33d street and Broadway,
when the stranger leaped out of the hanson
and shouted to him to stop. He drove up to
the curbstone. but before his horse had come
TO standstil the man jumped out and dis
appeared in the crowd of people returning
home from the theaters.
Suspecting nothing, Shorten drove his
horse down to Milligan's and stopped. He
raised the little window in the top of the
cab and discovered French lying in a heap
In the bottom. He hastily summoned Police
man Keeper. who was on post in Broadway,
and asked him to look at the man.
Repper opened the doors of the hanson
ana found French apparently stupefied
probably from some drug administered by
the bold thief. Pepper shook Smith up and
managed to get out of him that he had been
robbed Of $780,
Pepper got into the cab and told Shorten
to drive to the West 3Oth street station
house. By the time the station house was
reached, French had recovered sufficiently
TO tell connected story to Sergt. Lane. He
said he had never seen the strange man
who helped to put him in the hanson. The
man, he believed, had followed him out of
Moulds'. where he had exhibited his money.
1t was his belief that the stranger had ad-
ministered some powerful drug to him in
the hanson cab.
Mr. French acted in a dazed manner and
seemed unable to collect his senses. While
he was talking to the sergeant, he put his
hand up TO his cravat and discovered that
his cat's-eye and diamond scarfpin had been
stolen also. The money, he said. was taken
from his vest pocket. He said that he lost
his senses almost Immediately after getting
into the cab, and seemed to be forced down
into the bottom of the hanson. He could
not remember the man taking his money,
but he knew that ii was taken while he was
in the cab.