Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-11-23
DARING ROBBERY.
The Treasurer Of Railway Boat
On Into Insensibillty.
OVER $4,000 WAS SECURED.
The Money Taken Represented the SEMI
Monthly Pay Roll Of tho Indiana,
Illinois a. Iowa railroad
Company

nOlh N lOWu ThllWhy lnlO lnhenhlDllltF
yesterday morning and got away with
something like over Ell, 900 in cash.
The victim of the assault was John A.
Drake, 80 years old, son OF +. NJ. Drake,
president and builder OF the Three
rs" road, and the crime was committed
Ia the company's office, on the ninth
floor OF the Rookery building, one
block fran the board of trade. IL was
an easy matter for the thugs 10 make
their escape from the great building,
which is practically deserted at
o'clock, the hour at which the robbery
was committed The money taken
represented the semi.monthly pay roll
Of the company
MIR Drake intended 10 take the 1880
o'clock train ON the Nickel Plate for
Knox, Ind, the eastern terminus Of
the "fhrcc I's," from which point he
has been in the habit Of working to
the western terminus at Streator. Ill,
with his pay car. 1t had been the Gus
tom Of the company TO pay its employees
In checks altogether, payable to bear
er at the banks on the line, and after
ward n change was made To part checks
and part cash But IL was suspected
that dummies were on the pay roll, and
the last change TO paying in currency
only led to the discovery OF two dunn
my employees
The custom Of paying in cash had
been in vogue about two months, and
this fact must have been well known
to the robbers They were also famil-
lar with the treasurcr's movements at
the time he started out of Chicago on
his pay trip lie drew the amount of
the pay roll from the Illinois Trust and
Savings bank yesterday, and made up
the 900 in envelopes for distr bu-
tion TO each cmpoye. These envelopes
were placed in the safe for the
night, and nothing was disturbed
when Mr.. Drake came to the Office
about o'clock lie walked up the
nine lights of stairs, AS the elevators
were not running, and had arranged
with 4. i. Shouts, general manager of
the road, who is son-in-law of Presi-
dent Drake, to meet him below. The
two officials intended going together
on the pay trip. but Mr.. shouts went
alone, and the first explanation he re-
ccivcd as to his laws absence
was telegram notifying him OF the
robbery,
Mr. Drake says he had just put the
money packages in handbag and was
stepping from the vault when he was
seized with vicc-lite grip sideways
round the body, and while his arms
were pinioned by one robber the sec
ond robber dealt him stunning blow
over the right temple with Il slung shot
As he staggered the robbrr, who had
released his grip, struck the victim
IN the face twice with his iist.
At the same time the robbcr with the
lsung shot hit Drake again over the
forehead, telling him to the floor un-
conscious. The robbers then abstract
ed the packages Of money, and placing
the satchel on Il chair just outside the
vault, walked down stairs without be-
ing met by anyone, Nothing has been
seen Of them since and the police have
no clew which promises anything
Drake left the office door unlocked
when he entered aud the key ON tine
outside, which Chief Inspector Sheet
thinks was Every careless act To say
the least"
! Recovering consciousness the tr.a,-
urer crawled to the Office door, which
| Is next to the one In which the vault is
/ built, and sat ON the floor In II duzed
condition against a partition. Mail
! Carrier Charles DAILY was delivering
letters through the door half an hour
ufterward and heard a moan from the
inside. Opening the door he discovered
MIR Drake and alarmed janitors aud
elevator men. The victim did not
think he had been unconscious, but
could not remember seeing the rob.
bcrs snatch the money from his
bag, and could only family describe
the one who had used the slun yshoL
lie waited Ia the Office until his clerk
came, and at o o'clock went to the po-
lice headquarters, where he told the
story to Inspector Sheet, Then he
went to the Plaza hotel, where he re-
sides lie carefully avoided newspaper
reporters, although his injuric, are
slight Word was sent to his father,
who lives in Centcrville, Ia, and a re.
ward will be offered.
The clerks were put to work at once
making out the checks to duplicate the
pay roll, and the company will not be-
embarrassed by the robbery
It is probable the robbers lcarne I
this months payroll would go out in
currency, from circular which WAS
issued the frat of the month nnnouuc.
ing that WAGES would thereafter ho
paid in cash Instead of checks. Ihrs,
circulars were distributed all ulur,
the road among the employees and .
of them could very easily have flll,u
into the hands of the thieves. IA,
company pays its men twice month
ON the LIST and the 10th, and II was 4.
make the last Novem er payment that
the treasurer was starting To do whrr
the robbers attacked him and stole Oh,
S!t 900, which was intended for the
cuilroad men.
The news of the robbery created Il
hustle at the central police station, tn,
like OF which has not been seen sine,
Assassin Prendcrgast was brought
: there after shooting Mayor Harrison
The police overhnuled many suspel Il
! and II was reported detectives have ar
, rested two men at thS depot who re-
b iIscd to give an account OF tnemselvc
2 aud that they were jailed None o
the officers would admit that an arres
( = '--s- NADIA