, 1900-12-29
ORGANIZED GANG ROBBING PAS
SENGERS RIGHT AND
LEFT.
Chicago Experts Suspected-Two More
Robberies Reported and Many
Not Reported-RaiIroads EN-
pIoyine Special Detectives.

Denver, Colo. Dec. 29.-Robberies
on passenger trains running between
Pueblo and Denver have become SO
frequent that the railroads have I'M
ployed a special set of detectives to
guard their patrons from the organic
ed gang that is operating. Whenever
it is possible news of the robberies is
suppressed because the less said the
better the chance Of experimenting
some of the thieves. Last night f.
Crabtree, a telegraph operator, who
has been in the employ of the Denver
& Rio Grande at Granluc, near Lead
vile, was touched for $l5 while a pas
senger on train No. 4 of that road.
which arrived in Denver at $50 last
night. Mr.. Crabtree believes that two
Canon City citizens who were fellow
passengers, We're also robbed. He has
been unable to locate them at any of
the hotels this morning, and thinks
they were robbed and have not report
ed their losses.
Chicago Men Suspected.
Nearly "A month 6 an organized
gang of pickpockets was operating on
Chicago suburban trains and were
driven out by the vigilance of railroad
detectives, who succeeded in arresting
several members of the gang. Joe
Leary, alias "%Squinteye" Peters, Char
ley Seeler and a well known Chicago
crook by the name of Charles disap-
peared entirely, and the railroad de
teCtives are confident at least two OF
the men operating in Colorado are the
same parties. The description given
by G. E. Danes, who was robbed of $55
a week ago and by Crabtree tailies
with that of Seeler very well. while the
other of the two Crabtree met last
night may be Leary.
Mr.. Crabtree has been telegraph
operator at Granite, a small station
or the main line. above Bucna Vista,
and was coming to Denver on a brief
business trip. He has worked at var
ious stations on the second division
and had a speaking acquaintance with
many business men and others at Sa-
Ida. Canon City and points between
that place and Leadville. At Canon
City four men boarded the train and
occupied seats in the smoking room,
where Mr.. Crabtree was sitting. Two
of these men We're business men OF
Canon City. one a lawyer and the 9TH
er a merchant, whom the operator
knew slightly. though he did not know
ed familiarly in a social way with the
two Canon City men and one of them
said in conversation that he was a law
yer also. The five men entered into
conversation and found the two
strangers very convivial companions.
Discovery Of His Loss.
The party remained in the smoking
room for the remainder of the trip TO
Denver, except when one or the other
of the strangers stepped out and pass
ed through the train a few times. At
the Denver Union depot the two
strangers hurried to start up own
while the Canon City men were more
at leisure in their movements. Mr..
Crabtree did not discover that he had
been robbed until he had occasion to
use his money. He went to the Union
depot at once and reported his loss to
the policemen on duty. He described
the two men as closely as possible and
remained at the station strong in belief
that the strangers would be leaving
the city IN some outgoing train and
tina he would catch sight of them and
have them arrested. One of the men
a tall, rather slender. about % years
Of age. smooth shaver and wore a
fedora hat. The other. who claimed
to be a lawyer, is short and stout,
wears a dropping mustache and has a
peculiar expression about the eyes.