The San Francisco call., 1896-03-24
Why DR.. Benjamin B. Lee Was
Arrested and Placed in
the Tanks.
SCHEME THAT FELL THROUGH.
William Loughridge, Alias Rodgers,
Supposed to Be Missouri Bank
Robber.

the s'tanks" for a fraudulent bond trans
action. which was referred to in yester-
days CALL.
On February the vault in the State
Bank at Savannah. No., was cracked and
fourteen $1,000 thirty-year bonds, bearing
interest at per cent, were stolen. The
bonds were the property of Mrs. Eliza
Breckenridge of Savannah. who offered a
reward of $1,000 for their return, in addi-
ton to the reward offered by the bank
officials. The bonds were numbered l14,-
191; 120, 73S to 12o,7 ,745, inclusive
On March IL Chief Crowley was notified
by telegram from Kansas City to arrest
William Loughri dge, Jake Weber, alias
Dutch Jake" and William O'Brien,
alias John 0 O'Brien. alias "Red" O'Brien,
alias John King, alias Denver Red" the
last two being expert bank burglars.
The telegram was followed in few days
by letter fully detailing the facts of the
bank robbery. and that the three men
mentioned in the telegram were suspected
OF being the burglars.
As soon as description of the bonds
was received Captain Lees communicated
with all the local banks, requesting TO be
notified at once if any person attempted to
negotiate any of them.
In a few days Captain Lees located
Loughridge in house on Devisadero
street. where he and his wife were living
with relatives. He found also that he had
obtained employment in the office of
real estate firm.
Detective Harry Reynolds and three
men were detailed to shadow" Lough-
ridge. but no DEVELOPMENTS occurred till
last Friday. On that day A. I. Johns,
stock broker on Market street, notified
Captain Lees that DR.. Benjamin B. Lee,
400 Geary street, had asked his assistance
in the sale of two of the stolen bonds
Nos. 120,737 and 120, ,73S. Acting on the
captains advice Mr.. Johns requested DR..
Lee to return on Saturday.
On Saturday Mr. Johns took DR.. Lee to
the Market-street Bank, where the bonds
were submitted to Cashier Hopkins. who,
by Encouragement, asked DIR. Lee to
accompany him TO the Bank of California,
as he was not familiar with tie bonds.
Detective Ross Whitaker was detailed 10
wait outside the Market-street Bank and
follow Cashier Hopkins and DR.. Lee to
the California Bank. Then he was to
shadow" DR.. Lee with the object of dis
covering the person with whom he was
dealing, as the Bank of California people
were to make some excuse for not pur-
chasing the bonds outright.
The saying that 1.-The best laid schemes
of mice and men gang aft agley," was ex-
emplified in this case. When Cashier
with DR.. Lee he looked around to see if
Detective Whitaker was in sight. .Whita.
ker was standing on the opposite side of
the street, but Hopkins did not see him,
and fearing that DR.. Lee might get away
he called in the policeman on the beat and
had the doctor placed under arrest.
This unexpected action of Cashier Hop
kins killed the whole scheme and DR.. Lee
was ~hnrried out to the City Prison and
placed in the s'tanks." Detective Reynolds
and his men were instructed TO arrest
Loughridge at once, and they surrounded
the house on Devisadero street, about
O'Clock that night. A search of the house
was made, but Loughridge had fed. He
was discovered in the act of cIim bing over
the rear fence and was ordered to surren-
der.
He was secured and handcuffed and
taken to police headquarters. When
searched in Captain Lees room loaded
revolver was found in the pocket of his
overcoat and o 500 bill concealed in the
lining of his coat. He at first denied his
identity, saying his name was William
Rodgers and that he was from Texas, but
when asked If the woman living in the
house and known as Mrs. Loughridge was
not his wife he admitted he was the man.
He denied any knowledge OF the Savannah
bank robbery and said he did not know DR..
Lee.
Captain Helms of the Pinkerton agency
was Immediately notified of the arrest of
Loughridge and hurried to police head
quarters, where he remained for hours in
consultation with Captain Lees.
Loughridge's trunk was taken from the
house on Devisadero street TO police head
quarters, but an examination of Its con-
tents did not disclose any of the stolen
bonds.
The Kansas City authorities were mott
fed of Loughridges arrest on Sunday and
a reply was received yesterday that an off,
Ger would leave at once to take him back.
Loughridge does not propose to go back if
he can help it and has retained Carroll
Cook to look after his interest. Carroll
Cook yesterday applied for writ of
habeas corpus before Judge Slack, which
was made returnable at 10 O'Clock this
morning. In order to hold Loughridge a
charge of carrying concealed weapons was
booked against him.
Dr. Lee, it seems, claims that he is the
innocent victim of others, who led him to
believe that the bonds were good and he
thought he was engaged in perfectly legit-
innate transaction.
CAPTAIN Lees was at first of the opinion
that Weber and O'Brien were also here,
but he does not think so now and belle yes
that the burglars divided their plunder
and parted com pany.
Captain Lees last night received the fol-
lowing dispatch from IL. II. irYIn, Cniei OF
Police of Kansas City, in reference to the
arrest of Loughridge:: "BurgIarizing the
State Bank of Savannah. Andrew County,
Mo-, on the night of February z, when
S14. 600 N United States Government bonds,
denomination $1,000 each, were stolen. the
property of Eliza Breckenridge. Other
property and money taken amounting to
about $4,000, belonging to various parties.
Application has been made 10 the Governor
for reduisition on the Governor of Cali
fornia for the return of William Long
bridge. Complaint filed March q. before
Pembroke Mercer, Justice OF the Peace, by
E. C. Trumbo, son-in-law of Mrs. Bracken-
ridge, at Savannah.'
The CAPTAIN said last night that he did
not think Lee had received the bonds
directly from Loughridge, but he felt sure
they were got indirectly from him. Just
who the other party was he had not yet
been able to.find out.
The other party is believed to be Alfred
Holmes, an ex-saloon-keeper, who 1t was
reported on Sunday was also in the tanks,
from the fact tnat many inquiries were
made at the City Prison for him. Unfor-
tunately the report was not true, but the
police have been and still are hopeful OF
being able to capture him. Holmes. 1t is
said, was the man who introduced Lee to