New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-30
THEFT BY A FALSE MESA AGE
THE ELEVATED STATION AT CORTLANDT-
ST ROBBED
A BOGUS TELEGRAM CALLED THE AGENT AWAY
AND STRANGER IN UNIFORM TOOK HIS
PLACE, BUT DEPARTED SOON WITH
A LOT OF TICKETS AND
SOME MONEY.

SOME MONEY.
A clever and daring thief robbed the uptown
station OF the Sixth Avenue Elevated Railroad
at Cortlandt-st. last night. and secured S2o In
cash and 5000 elevated railroad tickets In the
safe at the time was a sum OF money amounting
to over 5000, but the thief was evidently greatly
excited while at work, for he left 900 on
shelf above the safe after he had looked the
contents of the safe over.
In this case there was hodup, In fact the
robber had plenty Of time to complete his risky
undertaking, for he had got possession OF the
cash drawer through means OF bogus telegram
which had caused the regular ticket agent there
to hasten to report TO the night Inspector Oh s'a
tons at Fifty-thrd-st. and Eighth-aVe' AS
soon as the robbery was discovered the facts OF
the case were reported to the police OF the
Church-st station. and a general alarm was
scnt ont for the thief The robber Is described
as being about five feet six inches tall or siender
build. and with dark complexion ana oiack
mustache. When he was last seen py an ef'i-
ploye of the railroad he wore a suit similar 10
that worn by a guard or station agent. IL Is De-
lieved that the thief was discharged employe
Of the railroad. for the robbery was the work or
one thoroughly ccnversant with the business OF
the office Of the inspector OF stations
THE FALSE MESSAGE.
PF Peterson is the regular night station
agent at the station, and 1t was he who received
the fake telegram that was sent there last
night The telegram was received about
o'clock and was brought by a guard on train'
who gave It to the ticket-chopper. AS hundreds
Of messages are carried from one station to an
other py the guards the tcket-chopper thought
that the telegram was genuine and at once
gave IL to the station agent. Peterson believed
that the telegram was genuine, too for he
quickly made preparations to leave the station
as the message was to the effect that he was
wanted at the office Of Mr.. Hassard. the night
inspector Of stations. Another man would be
sent Immediately to relieve him, so the telegram
read The message was signed by Hassard.
There was nothing strange about the order. for
the station agents are frequently shifted about
| at night.
A man answering to the description sent out
| bv the police got off train at the downtown
| station about fifteen minutes later, and walked
across the tracks to the other side. he wore d
| uniform, with brass buttons. and station
| agents cap. After sauting the ticket chopper
| he went into the station and told Petersen that
| he had been sent to relieve him Petersen was
! all ready to turn over the money and the tickets
| TO him. and after telling him the exact amount
! of cash and tickets on hand, boarded an uptown
train When the ticket office was turned over
| 10 the robber there was large number or per-
sons in front Of the window and rush followed.
| For about half an hour after Petersen went
| away everything appeared 20 be going on
| smoothly as the ticket-chopper had not sus-
| pected In the course Of that time that anything
| unusual was happening there. the chopper
| then learned that something out OF the ordinary
| had taken place by seeing an unusually larSe
| number of persons clamorng In front OF tne
| agents window for tickets. AS he Thought tnat
the agent had been taken suddenly ILL., he left the
| box and went into the station. There he saw no
| ore AS the cash-drawer was empty and as
| several large stacks OF tickets which he knew
! had been near the drawer were missing, ne sus-
pected that the stranger had gone away SUDDEN
| ~ with the money and tickets. He took charge OF
| the station without waiting to make furtner IN
| vestigation and began selling tickets
THE PLOT REVEALED
In the course of the next thirty minutes Mr.
| Hassard, with Petersen. reached the station
It was then that the true facts OF the case we're
| learned Mr. Hassard and Petersen made hur'
ried examination of the contents or the once
| and found that the robber nad taken tne
| amount mentioned. and had also handieo lne
| contents of the safe before departing The SJZ'
| which the thief took from the safe was FOUND
on shelf above 1t. 1t also seen that he
had left behind him the hat he had when ne
came to the station, and had departed with q
derby hat belonging TO the station agent The
police are OF the opinion that the hat the thei
| left behind him will lead to his capture.
As near as could be learned neither the sta
ton agent nor the ticket chopper had ever seen
the robber until last night Nor does the tlckel
| chopper know the name OF the guard VINO
| handed TO him the message. He told Tribune
reporter last night that the guard had charge
| of a second car and was well known to the en-
ployes Of the railroad. The chopper further
said that he did not see the robber leave
the station. 1t is believed that the man jumped
| an q train and rode TO the next station.