The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-04
DISAPPEARANCE OF MONEY.
Says 1t Was Taken by Two Men
Who AssaiIed Him
AND FLED WITH ALL THE CASH.
Cincinnati Excited Over the Theft,
but the Culprit Soon Con-
fesses and Disgorges.

CINCINNATI, Jan. 3.-There was a great
sensation in the central part of the city
this afternoon on account of exaggerated
rumors about the daylight robbery of the
postofice. 1t was after o'clock when
Assistant Cashier Frank FL. Sparks was
found lying on the foo7 in An unconscious
condition by Janitor John II. Weise. No
noise had previously been heard about he
place. When Weise gave the alarm an
enormous crowd soon surrounded the
building. When Postmaster Zumstein, In
spector Salmon and Cashier Tucker ar
rived in the cashiers office Sparks did not
appear to be badly hurt, although he had
big bump on his forehead. There was
nothing known whatever about the money
drawer being short 1867. which was after
ward found 10 be missing.
Cashier Tucker and The others waited
till Sparks took his lunch first and then
thev went to lunch. Sparks was alone at
/ 80 P. NJ, when be says two men entered
the Office and asked for small change for
SIS bill. While he was unlocking the
money-drawer one of them rushed through
the small screen door which happened to
be open and soon they were upon him.
but was himself struck by pair of iron
kDuckles and be knows nothing that trans
pired from that time till he was aroused
by Janitor Weise.
Tne watchman. who is constantly pa
trolling the corridor. says that he saw no
such men as Sparks describes either enter
or leave the cashiers office. While all the
police, detectives. deputies and inspectors
have been working during the afternoon
and night on the theory of robbery, yet
they have been shadowing every move
ment of Sparks since he left the Office, as
we'll as looking out tor either the robbers
or accomplices. They say it would have
been very plausible for the robbers to
have asked for change fer S5 bill so a.
to locate the money-drawer as we'll as to
get it unlocked before thew rushed in on
the man in charge of the office. But the
detectives 60 so far as to say that Sparks
injured forehead Is not the result of iron
knuckles or Of a slungshot being used on
him. but of a bump inflicted by contact
with the vault or something equally hard.
On q cenTer-table near the money
drawer was over 5000 in envelopes for
the letier-carriers, this being their pay
day. Although 1t was in trays that could
easily have been carried off, il was not
touched. Sparks thinks this was because
the envelopes were covered by a news
paper. There was much larger amount
still in the vault which was open and not
touched.
This circumstance would weigh in favor
of Sparks were it not for the fact that thi
was the day for his settlement. After
paying off the carriers he should have had
SS67 in the drawer. but the detectives are
unable TO ascertain whether he had any
other considerable amount in the drawer
before the robbery. They refer with sus-
picon to the door being left open at a
time when the assistant cashier was alone
with 1857 in his own cash-drawer, another
drawer equally full, $4,000 on the table
and the vault accessible. They are not
only shadowing Sparks, but also inquiring
into his ha bits and associates
AS nobody was in the office except
Sparks when the robbery occurred, it is
impossible to get anything except his own
statement The postoffice building ad-
joius Fountain square in the center of the
city, where the streets are always crowded
during the day. The fact OF daylight
robbery in such location has much to do
with the local excitement of the afternoon
and evening.