Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-01-21

The Case OF Doctor Darlington, Who Was
Robbed of Satrh-t Con n.ng $50
600 I'm tash->"in- Other Instances
Where Large sum, Have Been secured
by This Process.
The art of substituting is perhaps
one of the clevcrrst tricks of the pro
fcsSion." said II veteran thirltakcr,
when approached concerning the loss
of Samuel Greenwood. president of the
Coatsville Pal National Bank. vino
was robbed OF Il Satchrl containing
bonds To the value ot SluUm. while
another grip was substituted in its
place.
Speaking Of similar eases that have
come 10 my notice. the detective con
tinued. as he leaned back in his chair
AMI took on II reminiscent air. iii u re-
markahle what clever devices the pro
feSSional swindlcr will resort to in
order To faStcn on his intended prey.
And yet. while the obs racting of ones
grip and the substituting of another
may seem II difficult matter III first
glance. nevertheless when YOU rrm"in-
ber that the thief may have watched
Mr.. Greenwood for months. the thing
becomes quite clear lie may have
iblloMtl llllli from Iifstt W l'tstff. WIN
out and week in. He became acquaint-
ed with the habits of his intended
victim. AM. when the Opportunc mo-
mcnt arrived in the restaurant all he
had to do was to place his empty grip
where the satchel containing the valua-
blcs had been before.
so much for that ease. Let me tell
you about another. much clcv"rer with
the exception that the swndlcrS We're
apprehendod afterward. About thirty
years ago II great sensation WAS Great
ed when Doctor Darlington. president
of the West Chester t'a.l bank. was
robbed of Il satchel containing $4,000
in casl lie was on his way home
from Philadelphia. Seated in the rail
road coach with his feet on IN old
grip on the floor the old gentleman
thought himself and his treasure abSo-
lutcly safe But he did not know what
was in store for him. In the seat in
front Of him sat Il woman in black.
BY the way. il is nearly always wom-
an black who is concerned in these
swndling affairs. tut To continue.
The lady. for she had all the ap-
pcaranccs of a gentlcwoman. was cvi-
IDENTIFY distressed from cough and
vainly attempted To raise the window
next to her She kept lifting away.
and still the window would not bulge.
This was too much for Doctor Darling
ton. Calamity he got up from his seat.
or rather released his foothold ON his
grip. while placing his knees on his
seat. The scheme was not mature rs
yet however. The woman bore down
on the window while apparently
matters stood for Il minute or
two. The moment for the work of
the confcdcrates had now arriv-
ed Seated across the aisle one of
the thieves swiftly pushed his own
satchel under Doctor Darlington'S seat.
abstractcd the full one. and the trick
was done. The man was attired in n
long cloak. which facilitated the opcr-
alton. and when the old man sat down
he felt secure in the fact that his feet
once more touched Il satchcl. Al the
next station the thief got on and the
woman was not suspected until long
aftcrward. for Doctor Darlington never
discovered his loss until liz reached
home. The men implicated were TO
bacco Jack and 'Slappy Williams since
convicted To long terms in the penitcn.
forgotten. was also scrt up.
You can easily see how the trick
was done and here the supcriniend-
ent showed. by the aid of some chairs
and other paraphcrmialia. how Doctor
Darlington WIS made the loser of
Satchcl with SI0.0nO
''Onc of the foremost detectives in
the service. who for obvious reasons
desires his name Withheld. told of an
other satchcl robbery that differed in
some respects from the one above
The spotted victim was despoilcd Of
his grip as the train reared II station
distance away from the point of de
pariurc. \ confederate was in wait
ing out side. and cunninslv the stoler
valiSc was passed tn him. while tn
unsuspccting traveller did not ,liscovc.
his loss until some time aftrrward.