Evening star., 1897-06-14

! &C mnlitted a picture of Price was received
by Inspector Hollinberser from the Pink
! erton agency, and it was promptly identi-
| fled.
| The robbery was committed In the Va
| tcldi lunch room on the 31st of March be-
| tween 1 and o'clock in the afternoon
| Superintendent Badendrier of the 9th street
| branch OF the railroad had drawn the
| amount mentioned from the Washington
| Loan and Trust Company, and put 1t in a
| satchel. This was his weekly custom, and
| the money was to have been used in paying
| the men employed on the road. Soon after
| he drew the money from the bank he went
| IN the dining room to get his lunch. and
| handed Miss Eta Searles, the cashier, his
| satchel and contents to keep for him. She
| threw the satchel under the counter ani
| thought no more about it until Mr.. Baden
drier asked for it, and then she discovered
| that robbery had been committed. When
| TINS discovery was made the young lady re-
| called the suspicious actions of the man
whom there is every reason to believe stole
| the money, and walters and others in the
place were certain they could identify him
Thfs man. and she gave almost a per-
feet description of Johnny Price, the
| man under arrest, had entered the dining
! room soon after the satchel had been de-
posted under the counter and purchased
a cigar. Miss Searles then recalled the
| fact that the man had watched her move
E:ents very carefully as he walked up and
down the sidewalk smoking the cigar.
Getting the Satchel.
After having pa ced the sidewalk for
some time the man returned ana gave an
order for six sandwiches. When he gave
the order he stood close to the cashiers
desk. and he was careful to say that ne
wanted them wrapped in neat package
turning to waiter named Edward Miner
the young lady gave the order the man
mad given her. In order to do this she had
to take two or three steps from her desk,
and 1t was while she was giving this order
that the man reached over and got the
satchel AS Miss Searles turned and start
ed back toward her desk she noticed the
man walking out of the room. He had a
satchei in his hand, end this was seen by
nothing unusual in this sight, and it was
not until after the robbery was made
known that his movements were even re-
garded as suspicious. Then there was a
hue and cry. A large crowd soon gathered
about the dining room door and several
policemen and detectives were on hand to
make an investigation 1t was not long
before the catchel was found in the door
way of an office building but in the words
Of crooks it had been ''weeded," and there
was nothing left in it in the shape of
money.
Inspector Hollinberger showed the pic
lures of professional thieves to the wit
nesses in the case, and one man was Sc
lected. whom it was thought might pos
sibiy be the man, but there was no COM
plete Identification until the picture of
Price was received. and then, without any
hesitation, Miss Searles said: 'He's the
man. The walters and other witnesses
were equally positive, and the police were
more than satisfied that Price was the
man.
The Lively Chase.
The next thing was to get him, and this
they started to do by asking police depart
ments in all sections to be on the lookout
The noted crook was not without friends
and he was evidently warned, for when he
discovered that he was being pressed to
the wall agent Of his came forward
with an offer to compromise. This offer
was to return $1,000 of the stolen money
and square the deal. This meant, of course
that no prosecution would follow. As soon
as this proposition was made, Major Har-
ries, president of the railroad company,
was consulted. but he would agree to no
such proposition. This just suited the DO
lice, for they were more anxious to prose-
cute the man than they were to recover
the money.
President Harries, Inspector Hollinberser
and District Attorney Davis consulted
about the matter, and the result was that
they decided to have Price apprehended
If such thing could possibly be done.
Then the police renewed their efforts In
the direction Of capture. Price was SO
well known that they felt certain Of his
ultimate arrest. The offer Of q compromise
ago word came to the police that Price
was in New York. Detective Sereeants
McCauley and Flay were interested in the
case, and today they were rewarded In
their efforts to jail him.
Well-Known Crook.
Prices picture is In Inspector Byrnes'
New York book OF criminls, and he IL
classed as being one OF the cleverest bank
snealks living. He is now about ffty-sfx
years old. has dark brown hair, blue eyes.
Roman nose and horid complexion.
Amdkg his associates are such men as
Jersey Jimmde,'' "Billy' Derigan, ..Shin-
n.y. Mcguire, Fred. Lauther, Frank Buck
and others. In 1883. 30 It appears In his
police record. he was arrested for the theft
OF $4,000 In bonds, and waa sentenceud 10