The Saint Paul globe., 1897-08-13
ROB RIGHT AND LEFT
THIEVES AND GRAF'TERS WHO
FIND AN UNDISTURHED RESI-
DESCE IN ST. PAUL.
TRY HIGHWAY ROBBERY NOW.
ALLOWED TO PRACTICE
CHEAP GRAFTING.
MAN RELIEVED OF s7oO IN GOLD
Follows the Men Who Robbed Him,
and One Man Is Now in
Jail.

|
confidence men, "grafters" and thieves
who find an undisturbed residence in
! St. Paul and work in Minneapolis and
around the st. Paul union depot, was
accomplished yesterday morning when
! George Roebuck, of Brooklyn, N. Y,
was fleeced out of $40 by means of the
'flock" game and then robbed of a.
money belt containing $700 in gold
| The robbery took place at Eleventh
and Robert streets shortly before IL
o'clock While the thOrOughfare was
filed with pedestrians, and was the
work of four "con" men, whose bold
i ness showed them to fear police in
terVention less than some curious citf-
zen. Later, a man supposed to one
Of the quartette was arrested. He
save the name of George Williams,
but is said to be noted confidence
operator from Chicago named Kid
! FURRY He is charged with being i'm
plicated in the robbery. The belt, with
all but $3.50 of the stolen money, WAS
found in his possession. Nine $40 gold
| pieces had been taken from separate
receptacles by cutting the belt with
a sharp knife. Furry was arraigned
in the municipal court in the after
noon on the charge of grand larceny
and was granted a continuance until
| today. Roebuck positively Identifies
| him. as the man who Snatched his
money belt while the other three men
held him.
Roebuck is on his way to the Klon
! dixie gold fields and arrived in st. Paul
yesterday morning. He had $500 which
had been given him by his father when
he left Brooklyn for Alaska. Finding
he had some hours at his disposal be-
| fore leaving on the 4:30 train for Seat
tie, Roebuck decided to take a stroll
about the city. He proceeded UP Sib
ley street to Seventh street, and while
debating which direction to take next
was accosted by a we'll dressed strang
| er who called him by name and Show
| ed an unusual knowledge of the young
| mans affairs. The fellow professed
| to have known Roebuck in Brooklyn
and in a casual conversation learned
his intention of going to Alaska. The
stranger was apparently frank, hos
pitable Individual and when he asked
| Roebuck into a neighboring saloon to
have a drink the New Yorker did
not object. Then the stranger sug-
! gested to Roebuck that they go for
walk and look the city over together.
| Pleased with the opportunity of being
entertained by an engaging person
until train time, Roebuck consent
ed and the two went up Seventh
I street. At Robert street a second
| stranger accosted Roebuck's acquain-
! tance, and after being introduced to
| the young man, asked permission to
/ join in the sightseeing tour. The
| trio went up Robert street, and when
near the corner of Eleventh street one
| of the strangers apparently found Il
brass lock. The little device was hand
ed to Roebuek for examination and he
easily opened it. This was the first
! step in the game. A little further OH
another man joined the party. He
was shown the lock and at once Of
fered to wager that it could not be
! opened. Roebuck was induced to bet
! twice with the man and lost $40. AT
this state of the proceedings the bogus
| policeman put in appearance and
| placed the entire party under arrest.
The policeman" declared that he had
witnessed Roebuck and his acquaint-
| ances gambling on the public streets
and thoroughly frightened the New
|
| tence of six months in Jail would be
inflicted Roebuck, however, insisted
| that he was not a professional gambler
| and to emphasize his claims to re-
pectability declared that he had S700
! in gold in belt about his waist.
Scarcely had he uttered the words
when FURRY, whom he says personal
! ed one of the Officials" tore open his
vest, while the other of the con men
now claiming to have been a detective,
! seized him by the arms and held him
while FURRY took the money. Frigh-
| tened by the threatening methods of
! the men and their claims that it was
their duty to search prisoners, Roe
| buck made little resistance, and in a
/ moment he was being walked in one
direction by the policeman" while the
| bogus detective" started down the
opposite street Just then Roebuck
discovered he had been robbed and
started after the trio. When they saw
Roebuck follow them, the men started
into a run. Taking after the men at
| the top of his speed, he chased them
to an alley near Seventh and Cedar
streets, where they disappeared into the
rear of w. H. Grifins saloon.
! By this time Roebuck was close be-
hind the fugitives, but when he rushed
| into the saloon none of the men whom
! he had been following were in sight
/
door and on the sidewalk met FURRY.
| Calling police at the top of his voice,
| Roebuck seized FURRY and threw him
| to the ground. While the men were
| struggling before a gathering crowd,
| parties from the saloon came out and
| induced Roebuck to let FURRY up and
| go inside to adjust the matter. In his
| statement to Chief Goss, Roebuck says
| he was offered all of his money back
! except $100, after entering the saloon,
if he would let FURRY go. This he
refused to do, and again began calling
for the police, when Officer Carey and
! by the excitement, entered the saloon
and placed FURRY under arrest The
prisoner was completely out of breath,
and vomited continuously.
Though Roebuck is positive in his
| Identification of FURRY, and the evil
dence against him in finding the money
| in his possession is supposed to be
strong, it is possible that the alleged
| thief may escape punishment, as the
victim of the robbery insists that he
must leave the city today. He says
he has ticket on a boat which leaves
Seattle for Dyea, Alaska, Aug IT, and
| that he cannot possibly remain to
/ prosecute FURRY unless the case can
| get $500 of the stolen money back, and
| declares he would not miss the boat
| for double the amount missing. FURRY
| made a strong appeal to Judge Twohy
| for continuation. County Attorney
| Zollman, however explained the situa-
| ton to the court and insisted upon a
| hearing today.
| Mayor Doran has at last got out of
his trance, and last night he had a