The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-02-13
LAST EDITION
SLICK WORK.
Successful Issue Of an Old
Fashioned Trick.
YOUNG MAN SAID HE WAS SENT.
He Received a $500 Stamp CoIIec.
tion on False Pretence.
PROPERTY OF GEORGE II. WOOD.
His Whereabouts Unknown and the
Police Looking for Him.

"Slick work" is the only characteriza-
tion OF the latest thieving reported in
this city. 1t happened last evening and
George III. Wood, Of the firm OF Wood,
Bicknail * Potter, is out from 5000 to
$500. That Is the value he puts upon
his philatelic collection which was taken
from his house under false pretence by a
young man who claimed to have been
sent for it.
1t happened this way: Mr.. Wood left
his home at 8 Charles Field street about
z o'clock last evening, and about
20 minutes or half an hour later young
man called at the house and was received
by the maid. To her he said:
"Will you please ask Mrs. Wood for
Mr.. Woods stamp book? He is at the
meeting in the Trocadero and wants to
exhibit the stamps"
The maid reported 10 the mistress and
Mr.. Woods son, Rowland, went down to
see what the caller wished. To the youth
the request was repeated. Rowland in
vited the stranger into the hall, and then
got his fathers stamp book, wrapped it
up and delivered it the stranger.
When Mr.. Wood returned about 10
O'Clock his son asked II he had brought
the book home with him. xplanation
followed and Mr.. Wood Immediately
went tc~the Trocadero, where he had
not been during the evening, and
was told that nobody had sent for
his collection, nor was anything known
-abontit. Mayor Olney was present and
at once advised MIR. Wood TO report the
matter to the police, at the same time
worrying about his own collection, valued
at 5000, which he thought the man might
possibly have called for in the same way.
The scamp who got away with the
stamps is described as being about feet
inches tall, OF slight build and has dark
hair and moustache. He is about 2S years
old aud wore dark clothes, with a dark
overcoat containing gray mixture, and,
it is thought, a derby hat.
He was we'll dressed, OF pleasing man
ner and voice, with no noticeable accent
That he was familiar with the fact that
Mr.. Wood lives there and had a valuable
stamp collection goes without saying, and
1t is thought that he was waiting in the
vicinity for Mr.. Wood to go ont, evidently
knowing about the meeting in the Troc-
ndero and confidently expecting Mr..
Wood to attend 1t.
The collection contained about 1000
stamps, principally of North America,
Mr.. Woods foreign collection having
been sold some time ago, and some of
them are catalogued at between 500 an d
900 apiece.
The book which contained them was OF
dark brown cloth, red leather back, with
gray cardboard pages. That is probab bly,
destroyed by this time and the collection
separated, so as to be easily disposed OF.
The philatelic society here and in Bos-
ton are searching for the lost stamps.
Detective Parker is at work. and leading
stamp dealers in the country have been
notified by telegraph.
Mr.. Wood says it was foolish to let the
collection go. perhaps, but he has sent for
his collection before, SO it was not very
much wondered at when the "hy young
man" asked for it.