The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-31
SAFE Quilted, CASH GONE.
EXTRAORDINARY ROBBERY OF JAs.
M,HENRY's TRUST ESTATE.

A'hbNAAo Aho DoAAA0@
manager Rsiny's Confidential man Missing
with All the Boohs ana Deeds ana All bat
p7e or the Bank BaIanee-Rnissd nis SAL
arg Check Progressively for Three s1onthn.
IT. safe and the Offices Of the American
pstates Association, the trustee Of all the
American property and estates of James Nc
Henry and I. Kennard Of Eric Railway fame,
we're robbed yesterday, and Joseph Lockley. the
book eeper and confidential clerk employed
By the association, has disappeared. In addl-
dition to the looting OF the offices and the
pafc, the bank account Of the concern has
been re bbed Of thousands Of dollars by means of
raised checks. AID when 1t was examined yes
tsrday It was found thero was only $40 left.
Even tie bank book was missing. Something
like 500 pounds Of books, deeds, bonds,
and other papers and everything that
tho An erican Estates Association pos
sessed that was In the Office Of the concern
except thu office furniture 10 gone and every
cent from the bank except tho $40. What tho
total amount Of cash stolen IL 10 not known at
present, but IL 10 well mp In the thousands, and
the deeds aud other papers represent hundreds
Of thousands Of dollars moro, though they are
not negotiable.
The Offices oil tho American Estatos Associa-
ton are at 1852 Broadway on the third floor.
Tho association occupies the whole floor. h
American Estates Association was organized
years ago to take charge OF the American estates
Of McHenry and Kennard. Tho trustees Of the
association are Thomas p. Fowler, Presi.
dent of the New York. Ontario ana
Western Railroad. and e. G. Perkins
head of the law Arm Of Perkins G jackson. at
115 Broadway. James McHenry and I. Ken
nard built the New York, Pennsylvania and
Ohio Railroad, which IL now . part of the Erie sys-
tenn. They were Identified with Erie during the
troubles of1s71 and 1872. During the building
Of the New York. Pennsylvania and Ohio they
acquired large properties in various parts OF
the country. chiefly in the shape Of valuable
mineral lands in western Pennsylvania, West
Virginia, and Ohio. They acquired also o great
deal of improved real estate.
James A. Reilly was confidential man for
James McHenry. and when the estates, repre-
sonting several millions of dollars, were put in
the hands Of the Trustee Association, Mr.. Reilly
became tho manager Of the association. h
association has had but two confidential clerks
and bookkeepers in its history. The first served
thirteen years and retired to go into another
business. He was succeeded seven years ago by
Joseph Lockley.
Iockley lived in 1920 street with his mother.
He was employed by the manager Of the Ameri-
can Estates Association on the recommendation
Of his brother, who was employed in Cables
restaurant in Broadway. where Mr.. Reilly
used to lunch. He was an exemplary
young man. He had no vices. He was
shocked at the sound of nm oath. He
occasionally talked OF poverty and said no was
the sole support of his mother. He had the alb
solute confidence Of his employer. who often
lent him money. There never was tho slightest
ground to suspect anything wrong.
Tho association makes its accounting four
times q year to tho trustees for the owners of
the estate. Lockley has been employed for o
weak on the accounting for the fourth quarter
Of 1897 M. Reilly told tho police yesterday
that he went home shortly after 3 o'clock
Wednesday afternoon, leaving Lockley In tho
ONCE. Before going he looked over some of tho
work and suggested some changes, which Lock-
ley cheerfully said he would make.
Mr.. Reilly reached the ONCE yesterday morn
ing at o o'clock. Iockley was not there. He
should have been there at 8. MIR. Reilly waited
until $50, and then looked mp tho memoran-
dun Of the combination Of the safe and went TO
work at the safe. He worked half an hour.
He couldn't do anything with 1t. Lockley didn't
come.
Mr.. Reilly began to suspect, and he went to
the bank where the association keeps its &C
count. He knew there were several thousand
dollars there to the credit of tho association.
lie asked what the balance was, and the clerk
looked 1t up ana said blandly:
"Seventy-nine dollars. Mr.. Reilly"
"Whew!" whistled Mr.. Reilly. Let me SEQ
M book. It's here"
The clerk looked for 1t. NO." he said. at
must be at your office"
Next Mr.. Reilly wanted to see some of his
cancelled checks. Tho first one that he got q
glimpse of was drawn to tho order of Joseph
Lockley and called for q .387.75. 1t was
dated Nov. 80. 1t was duly signed by Mr..
Fowler and Mr.. Perkins as trustees. and 1t
looked all right until 1t was examined closely.
1t had been raised from $50. 1t was the salary
check Of Mr.. Lockley for the month Of November.
Mr.. Reilly looked back further. There was q
check dated the last day Of October. 1t called
for $3.50. 1t had been raised from $50, like tho
other. A further search brought to light .
check dated the last day Of September. 1t called
for $3.50. 1t had been raised from $50.
There was . row right there and then. The
bank officials said It wasn't their fault. Tho
checks were all right on their face. Mr.. Reilly
wanted to know II the bank officials had any
idea that an association like the American Els
tates Association would be likely to draw O check
In favor of Q $50-a-month bookkeeper In its EN-
ploy for S5, 367.75.
After this. as he told the police. he hurried
back to his Office and sent word TO the Marvin
Safe Company to send a man to open his safe.
The safe Is q big double-door affair made of
chilled steel and burglar proof. The professional
safe opener tinkered with the combination a
moment and then said:
why. it's plugged: that's what's the matter
with 1t. There's only one way to open it-thats
10 cut 1t OPEN"
So he went TO work at II. He smashed all his
tools on 1t and half of q new set before he finally
succeeded in getting into 1t. He and Mr.. Reilly
peered through the hole. The safe was empty.
Not a book, not a scrap Of paper was In
sight. Thesa opener got the doors open. In q
little hole on the inside of the door. back of tho
combination. was an iron plug. That plug was
all there was In the safe. The strong box and
the compartments for deeds and valuable papers
were empty. There wasn't even any dust In
un"ni. They had been cleaned absolutely. The
ooo"s and papers OF the association had been 30
many that Mr.. Reilly had contemplated buying
another safe; but not a paper was laft-