The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-05-17


The new car barns will be ready for
use within a month. When completed
they will be used by the whole system
and all cars will be housed there. There
are. In addition to the barns, large shops
where all repair work will be done. The
barns when finished will probably be the
most completely equipped in the south.
on the outside and that the man or men
who opened the safe passed the boxes out
one at time.
After Getting the Money.
After getting all the money and going
through a number of private papers of
Captain Johnson the burglars are suppos-
ed to have climbed through the window
and left. They pushed the door of the
safe up in order that 1t might not at
tract any attention and would possibly
give them more time to escape. Why the
burglars opened two windows is mys-
terry. The window just above the safe
Is opened frequently, but the one next
to that has not been opened for year.
They opened both of these, but did not dis
IRENE western end of the room. The safe
stands under the eastern window which
opens on Morris avenue.
Besides the windows being open the cur
tains which hang from the middle of the
window to the bottom were pulled aside.
| These curtains run on a rod and in the
day time are frequently opened so as to
admit light Friday night it is known
that they were pulled across the window.
The matter was generally known among
railroad men yesterday morning. The
fact that all the railroads which run into
Birmingham were interested in the loss
made 1t spread among railroad men very
| rapidly, and by noon 1t was being dis
eussed by many. people. The news has
not, however, become entirely public
property and will come as a great sur
prise to the general public.
Yesterday afternoon Captain johnson
and some railroad men took out the lock
| of the safe and examined 1t carefully.
They found nothing wrong with it. The
locks had been thrown by the regular
combinations. When seen at his office
yesterday about o'clock, Captain john
son said:
Captain Johnson's Statement.
~ am at loss to know how the burg
lars entered. 1 do not believe they could
get through either of these windows, as
they have locks which cannot be opened
from the outside. A burglar must have
come through the outside office while Mr..
Cook was mapping. Mr.. Cook states that
after all the trains went out he laid his
head on the desk and nodded. We have
no suspicious about who committed
the deed. It was evidently done by some
one familiar with the actions of the night
man, and professional. Ordinary men
cannot open a combination safe as this
one was opened.
Mr. Cook discovered the burglary and
notified me. He is very much disturbed,
and so am I. The entire matter has been
turned over to Mr.. Starks, chairman of
the board of control. and l do not know
what he had done about tracing the burg
lars. This is the most extraordinary
thing that has ever happened to me in
my long experience of selling tickets for
railroads"
Cooks Account.
Cook made a statement to Captain
johnson which was substantially that
he went into the inner office about 2
o'clock and examined everything, which
he found in condition. He saw that the
windows were closed and pulled the cur
tains across them. He then went into
the outer office and TOOK a nap. He
walked up several times, but not hearing
anything to arouse his suspicious would
go back to sleep. Finally about 5 o'clock,
which is the time when business begins,
he got up and went into the inner Of
flee, where he found the curtains pulled
aside and two of the three windows open.
He at once felt for the door of the safe
and was able to pull 1t open without
trouble.
Cook has been employed In the ticket
office for several months, having come
here from Kentucky He is considered alb
solutely honest by the railroad Of
ficials and no thoughts are entertained
connecting him in any way with the mat
ter
He Is not held responsible. but he Is
not supposed to sleep while on duty, al
though 1t is stated that this is frequently
done after the business has become dull
and there is nothing TO co until the |
morning trains commence to leave. Cook |
Is connected with many of the best fam
lies of Kentucky, and is regarded by |
several persons who have known him
for years as the soul of honor. The bur-
glary has therefore worried him very
much.
Yesterday morning early Captain john
son notified all the banks In Birmingham |
and neighboring cities not to cash any |
check bearing his endorsement, and If one |
was presented to make every effort to
catch the man presenting it. 1t is not
thought however, that the thief will at
temnt to cash the checks as the actual |