The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-01-08
IDENTITY DISCLOSED
THE POSToFFICE ROBBERS ARE
PRUSSIC AND JONES
Both Believed to Be Hardened Crimi-
mails But Their Work With
Checks Was Raw

Complaints were filed yesterday before
United States Commissioner Van Dyke
charging John Prussic and Will Jones
With the robbery on Wednesday night
Of postoffice station G. Jones was ar
rested Thursday while attempting to
collect payment at the First National
bank ON a stolen check drawn in favor
Of Arthur Bean of Alhambra, whom he
attempted to impersonate. Prussic, who
was Jones' accomplish, was arrested
Thursday on Los Angeles street by Po-
liceman Ross Phillips.
Two boxes were robbed on Wednes-
day night. One belonged to Brown
Bros, the clothiers, and the other to
the First National bank. The latter
yielded q number of letters, containing
checks and drafts. There were about
fifteen drafts in all, most of them drawn
for small amounts, aggregating in the
neighborhood Of $780, They were made
out, however, 80 that they could not be
collected except by order of the payee
The thieves must have been green
hands at the business, else they would
never have given themselves away as
they did by attempting to cash the
checks here. Shortly before noon Prus-
sic tried to cash a draft for 5000 at the
Los Angeles National bank Payment
was refused, and he went off. This act
furnished clue, which led to his arrest
a few hours later.
The detectives were informed of the
mail box robbery in the morning, and
set to work to find some trace of the
thieves. At the Los Angeles National
bank they learned of Prussic's appear
ance there, and his attempt to cash the
draft, which was Immediately identified
as one Of those stolen from the First
National banks box. A description Of
the fellow was furnished to the officers,
and when this was shown to Policeman
Ross Phillips he was able to recognize
1t as fitting Prussic, whom he had con-
sdered a suspicious character and had
been watching for several weeks. He
took the detectives up Los Angeles
street and pointed out the man they
wanted. He was Immediately placed
under arrest. AT the Los Angeles Ma
tional bank he was positively identified
as the man who had called there earlier
in the day with draft, which they had
refused to cash.
Half an hour later Will Jones called
at the First National bank, and tried
to cash 5000 draft in favor of Arthur
Bean of Alhafnbra. When he handed the
check to the paying teller he was asked
for his name, and inadvertently replied
that it was Arthur Dean, correcting
himself later, and saying that it was
Bean. This mistake, coupled with his
hesitancy in pronouncing the name, ex-
cited the teller's suspicious, and he de-
tanned the man oh one pretext and an
other until an officer could be telephoned
for. Jones was then placed under ar
rest and secretly taken to the city
jail
Nothing is known of either of the two
men, and the detectives, with that
characteristic of the Los An
geles Hawksha WIS, refuse to divu1ge any,
thing as to their character. 1t Is as
serted, however, that Prussic and Jones
have been implicated in several recent
burglaries.
The recent robbery of D. c. Roberts
jewelry store at 351 South Hill street.
when fifty watches were stolen, is placed
to their credit.