The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-23
VINO cor ira ozroS,s MONEY! FAC,
Perhaps so-e One In +. Passing vehicle
seooted Uptswn with IL.

| Sherlock Holmes being dead, nobody has
caught the thief who stole the canvas grip con-
tanning $4,000 In $40 and 50 bills, belong lng to
| the Metropolitan Traction Company on Monday
| last. Central ONCE men and private detectives
| employed by the surety company which guar
| anteed the railroad company against loss have
| been working on the case ever since. but as far
| as could be learned they are simply cropping
around In the dark. looking for some crook who
is trying to burn the $4,000. According TO the
statement made by George s. wickbam, tho
collector aud bank messenger Of tho Traction
Company, the bag disappeared from his wagon
in the twinklinR Of an eye. and the thief must
have been an unusually tall man or must have
stood upon tho hub Of tho front wheel and
reached inside TO get the bag, or perhaps he was
In another wagon himself.
The money wagon was especially constructed
by tho company for the purpose for which It
was used-is still used-upon plans designed By
Mr.. wickham and his predecessor. In the body
OF tho wagon and back Of tho seat was the strong
box. There was = back rest on the seat and
this had to be folded over to get at the box.
There were seven bags in the strong box when
the wagon stopped In front OF the Pacific State
Bank at 40 Broadway on Monday, and Mr..
wickham says he let down tho back rest to get
at tho bags. Six OF those contained silver.
while the seventh had the bills. lie passed out
the bags conts ming the coin two At time
who carried them into the bank. Between
tho passage OF the second load OF bags to Bat
tey. Mr., Wickham said his attention was at
tracted for moment by n man who spoke to
him. The man looked like an 1sraelite and
wore gold-rimm speciacles. That Is all tho
does not remember whether the man was tall
or short, slim or stout, old or young, how
the w same ot time Mr.. wsRS.m n" noticed two
policemen standing near by. ono was little
sisu on y, som some an" SudinS Whlo the other was
further down the street and seemed TO DO pa
trolling along toward the SOUTH, Other than
the street was as busy as Broadw ay usually 10
In that region at the MONDAY hour.
his attention he saw tho bag containing tho
bills on top OF the strong box, where no had set
y In h .bs eq SaS n Mt
the bills himself after Battey had carried In the
Others. Ho was about delivering, tho last
two bags Of coin to Battey whom he discovered
apparently vanished into air lie was. on
certainly could not DO reached from that side.
Stiil. 1t did not seem possible to him that any:
IN up 90 on and
All the police could do was to send out de-
tectives on hunt for man carrying can.
niche, across the bottom which was OF leather.
The traction company will be indemninod by
e Cor WHEN wa. oe Mr wi %ictS. Is
bond for $4,000 and on Battey's bond for
$4,000; Both employees were suspended
after the robbery was reported. Mr.. Wick ham
10 member of the Lotos Club aud a brother
Of the late William ii. wickham. once Mayor
OF New York. He 10 about 90 years old. I'M
married. and 1.-Two. with his mother at 342 Lex
ington avenue. He was at time In the dia-
mond and jewolry business In Maiden lane.
1t Ia thought that the robber or robbers were
formerly employed by the traction company.
and knew tho system OF collection and bank ing
pany passed the wagon At thirty-seoond inter-
walls, and there are few EN- ployees that do not
know tho money wagon. Plenty of other vehi-
Giles were passing, too, and the money seems to
have disappeared from their side Of the money
wagon.