The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-03
WAS A COSTLY BATH.
An Augusta Man Lost a Round Sum
at Tybee.

An augusta wan Lost n ROund sum
at Tybee,
Mr.. r. L. Robertson of Augusta
is short a handsome diamond pin,
valued at $S5; a fine gold watch and $34 in
money, as the result of his Sunday visit
to Tybee Some sneak thief is just that
much ahead for the present at least.
Mr.. Robertson is in the furniture bust
ness in Augusta, and is also the proprie-
tor of loan Office in Savannah. He ar
rived here last week on his way to New
York, intending to sail yesterday by the
Tallahassee. He very naturally went down
to Tybee, and like hundreds of others in
dulged in surf bath. He secured his
bath ticket at the bath office of the Hotel
Tybee and checked his valuables in the
usual manner, leaving them with the
clerk and receiving a small brass check
in return. He placed the check in one OF
his pockets and after getting into his
bathing suit carefully locked the door OF
his bath room and fastened the key to his
bathing suitJ When he came out of the
surf about dusk he was surprised to find
the door of his bath room open.
Naturally he thought of his check at
once. and made search for it, but with
out being able to find it. He reported at
the bath Office and inquired if his valua-
bles were still there. He was informed
that the package had been given out some
time before on the presentation of the
check corresponding to the one with the
package The young lady in charge of
the office could give no description of the
party who presented the check a number
of parties having applied for and receiv-
ing checks during the interval.
Mr.. Robertson at once reported the mat
ter to Proprietor Graham of the hotel
who gave him every assistance in the eff
fort to locate the thief. Chief Prendible
was notified and an investigation was
made, but without obtaining any clue
All the parties are pretty well satisfied
that the theft was the work of a white
man, as no bathing tickets are sold to
negroes, and if a check for valuables de-
posted at the Office, had been presented by
a negro the fact would have been remem-
bered.
Chief McDermott of the Savannah police
was on the island and was eating supper
at the time in the dining room of the
Hotel Tybee. Proprietor Graham was not
aware of this however and though ef-
forts were made to find the chief he took
the 7:40 train to the city without having
been notified Of the robbery. Later he
received a telegram notifying him that
robbery had been committed on the island
and requesting that the detectives meet
Mr. Robertson at the Tybee depot. The
detectives did so. and secured a descrip--
ton of his valuables from Mr.. Robertson.
SO far, however, no clew has been discov-
cred to their whereabouts.
The robbery is likely TO bring up a
very neat point of law. Mr.. Robertson
has announced that, acting upon legal adj
vice, he will hold the hotel responsible
for his loss on the ground that he had
complied with all the precautions required
and the fact that the door of the bath
room assigned him was capable of being
opened with other keys than the one which
he had in his possession. Mr.. Graham OF
course, takes the opposite view. His po-
sition is that OF hotel men generally in
such matter, that the check given Mr..
Robertson for his valuables was the lat
ter's receipt, which IL was his business 20
preserve and upon the presentation OF
which the Office was bound to deliver the
vauables. When such a number Of checks
are being Issued, hotel men say, II is out
Of the question that the bath house clerk
should remember the faces of all those
who had secured checks Mr.. Robert
son did not sail last night on the ITALIA
hassee. but will leave tonight on the Kan
sas City.