St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-11-18
MYSTERY DEEPENs.
Did john A. Drake Steal the
TWENTY-FIVE Thousand

CHICAGO. Nov. 1.-THE theory that
the story told by Treasurer John A.
Drake, regarding the robbery of $4,000
or Indiana, Illinois & Iowa railway
money may not be strictly true has
gained ground with the police. and they
are Still engaged in looking up the
young mans record. Officials of the
ROAD. however, are firm in their belief
IN young brakes innocence, and the
latter'S father. Gen. Drake,is now work
ing on theory that the robbery was
planned by blackmailer.
ms talk about John taking that
money is all boSh," said Gen. Drake.
Il KNOW there are suspicious circum-
stances. but would wager that nv son
is gulltess of such all action | know
man who was on very familiar terms
with my son has turned bis enemy He
has written Mr.. Drake Matchmaking let
tiers, and on looking up his record we
lind that it is not quite clear. He is
about the only man in the city who
Knew the custom of my son OH pay days
L nave learned that he was seen with
suspicious characters some time before
the robbery. and that he has been very
much Interested in the case. Today
oilcerS will be set TO work to Investigate
THIS part OF the case.''
The police tell queer story In regard
TO the $4,000 ROBBERY of Treasurer
Drake. of the Indiana, Illinois & Iowa
railroad. City Detective PlantetJ this
afternoon said: "While l was ques-
grew angry and said that he did
not see why the city police took
so much interest in the rob-
cry. He then went on to tell us that he
thought it did not concern people at
large, and that the matter might as well
be dropped, as the loss fell Oh the Three
IS road, and only affected bis father
and himself. Tie case, understand,
has been turned over to the
Plnkertons by Gen. T. NJ. Drake.
Detective Conway, after making thor
ough examination of the floor of the
railroad orficc in front of the safe where
the robbery occurred, says he finds no
marks of scuftie. The floor is of pol
lshed hardwood, and he sees 10 reason
why 1t should not be scratched
by the slipping effect i'll a
| scutfle. Other city detectives say
! that man can inject cocaine
into part of his body and deaden
the senslDlity of it to such a degree as
not to feel the effects of heavy blows of
club or other instrument administered
~ vi OlllClo IOl UuC UuI-
| pose, and that they have known this to
| be done in several cases that have came
under their observation. The police are
now largely devoting their attention TO
tracing up several of the stories regard
ing young brakes past
The police department is not to be
mlsled in a case of this kind, and we
shall not cease WOrk OH this alleged rob-
berry until it has been established that
actual robbers did this job or not"
said Assistant Supt. Ripley this after
noon. mo outside influence can call
the police off the case. 1t is our duty to
find out whether sandbaggers
are really holding up citizens
in their offices in the heart of the city
in broad daylight. The fact that the
loser does not care to prosecute the
search makes no difference with our
duty: Every body is interested in know
Ing If such crime was committed. and
the paid police must find out. We are
not private agency employed at so
much DAY to prove certain things"