The evening world., 1894-04-20
MEGLEY HIS OWN DETECTIVE.
Didn't Tell the Police of the Theft
of Those $4,000 Bonds.
They Discovered 1t by Accident and
Are Looking for Coleman.

BY a mere accident on the part OF the
police, Gen. James S. Negley, of 1856 Lib
erty street, hopes TO recover bonds rep
resenting 1000 which were stolen from
/ him a month ago by a dishonest gar
/ dener.
A few days ago the Tenderoin police
were notified by n woman residing on
Madison avenue. that her butler had
disappeared with a gold watch.
Detectives Jeroloman and Kash were
sent to the house. and in examining the
room occupied by the man found n can
vas-covered valise, which they opened.
They were astounded to find 1t con-
tained bonds representing $50, 600 a COM
mission signed by Abraham Lincoln, a
life-insurance policy. and a package of
annual passes over nearly every road in
the country, made out to James 8. Neg
ley.
Inspector Mclaughlin looked over his
list Of complaints to ascertain II the
robbery of any such bonds had been
reported. but found none.
Gen Negley resides at Plainfeld, N
j.. and has an office at 1876 Liberty
street. where he was seen by an Even
ing World" reporter to-day.
II have been on the track Of the fell
low that stole those bonds from me for
twenty days" he said. II did not re-
port the robbery to the police because /
was afraid the man would get wind of
it, but l have been quietly working on
the case myself.
THE mans name is Michael Coleman.
He came to see me in answer to an adj
vertisement inserted by friend Of mine,
who wanted some gardeners. My friend
saw the applicants here in my office.
men wanted had been engaged. He
seemed bright. and impressed me very
favorably.
II gave him n line to a neighbor, who
l thought, wanted a gardener. but he did
me- so l engaged him myself He was
with me just thirty days when I dis
charged him for stealing some studs and
"One day. | had occasion to look at
some valuable papers which I kept In
a yalise on shelf in my library. The
1t had been put up in the attic while j
was in Europe. / went up and searched
for 1T, and not finding 1t at once sus.
pected Coleman.
II did not even tell my suspicious to
my wife. but started on a quiet hunt
l found that Coleman had left a bond at
saloon as security for bill and had
servants informed me that he had dis
played to them a roll of bills amount
ing to $500.
About this time the President of an
uptown bank notified me that one of the
bonds had been offered to him for sale
at very low figure. Now that the mat
ter is out. 1 sincerely hope the fellow
VIII ni be captured np for want to make an
Gen. Negley. thinks the man Is a pro-
fessional crook, and was fully aware of
the value Of the bonds. although his
actions in showing them to various
people would seem to directly contradict
| this theory.
The bonds are per cent interest bear.
ing bonds OF the New Castle Northern
Railway. issued in 1883, and maturing ir
1923. Gen. Negley Is the President OF
the road. He said he could not plac,
an accurate valuation on the stoler
bonds and would not give a list Of them
Gen. Negley was formerly a lawyer o.
prominence In Pittsburg and somewha
Of politician. He was elected to Con
gress there and was next term defeated
In the Convention by Congressman Dial
zell.
Detectives from Police Headquarters
are looking for Coleman.