Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-31
.STORY0F STOLEN BOND
Abstracted from Safe Of Local
Firm in 1902.
FOUND IN NEW YORK
THE SECURITY VALUED BY OWN
Err AT ABOUT 81 200.
w. B. Hibbs, From Whom It Was
Stolen, Anxious to Discover
the Thief

The story of a stolen bond was being
tied with renewed interest today in
Washington financial circles. owing to
proceedings which have been begun in New
York by Mr.. W. B. Hibbs, a Washington
broker. from whose safe in this city. it is
alleged. the bond was stolen in the summer
of 1902. The stolen security is $1,000
gold bond of the Adams Express Company.
1t is stated that the alleged theft was only
discovered after the bond had been pur-
chased by Alexander Brown & Sons of Bal
timore, it having passed through the hands
of Brown Bros. & Co. and the National
Bank of the Metropolis of New York and
three coupons covering periods of six
months each having been paid and the
fourth coupon presented for payment. The
statement is made that the bond was miss
ed in the summer of 1902 and that all trace
of 1t was lost until 1t turned up recently in
New York upon the presentation for col
lection of the fourth coupon. Meantime all
the banks and trust companies all over the
country are said to have been notified Of
the loss and the Pinkerton detective agency
was put on the case.
Explanation by Baltimore Firm.
In explaining how the bond came into
the possession of the Baltimore firm of AL
exander Brown & Sons. 3. Howard Girls
void, a member of the firm, is reported to
have stated:
-Four or five months ago the bond in
question was bought over our counter in
the regular order of business, just the same
as We would buy United States govern
ment bond, and we, in turn, sold it to
Brown Bros. & Co. and 1 understand 1t
also passed through the National Bank of
the Metropolis of New York. We do not
know from whom the bond had been pur-
chased, as We keep no record Of tranSac-
tons of that character, save the date, the
number of the bond and the face value. AS
soon as we learned that there was q ques-
ton as to the transaction We began an in
vestigatiOn of our books and conferred with
the attorneys for Mr.. Hibbs. but Were I'M
able to trace anything relating to the iden-
tity of the person who sold us the bond
We have made every effort possible to trace
the bonds connection with our firm and
have not been successful. We have also
had talks with the representatives of the
Adams Express Company and they under
stand the situation thoroughly.
The Case in Court. ~
In the New York proceedings yesterday
Guthrie, Cravath G Henderson, counsel for
the Adams Express Company asked JUS
tice Fitzgerald, in Part 1 of the supreme
court, that the express company be allowed
to pay into court $780, the value of three
d
press company, which, it is claimed. was
stolen from the safe of William b. Hibbs,
banker and broker of Washington.
In opposing the application Herbert r.
Limberger, counsel for Mr.. Hibbs told the
court that the bond. which was numbered
1900, per cent gold bond of the express
company, was stolen from the safe of his
client early in the summer of 1902 AS
soon the loss was discovered the Adams
Express Company was notified and pay
ment on the coupons stopped The cOu-
pons were presented to tie Mercantile
Trust Company early this fall for pay
ment, and detectives were notified. who
traced the bond to the Office of Alexander
Brown & Sons, brokers and bankers of Bal
timore.
Mr.. Limberger. for Hibbs, asked the Bal
timore bankers how the bond came into
their possession, and they at first refused
to tell. Afterward they claimed that the
bond was bought by green clerk and paid
for in cash. and an examination of their
books showed, according to counsel, that
this was the only bond transaction in which
cash had been paid He said that after con-
siderable trouble he had begun suit in the
sixth municipal district court and yester-
day had succeeded in replevining the cou-
pons.
Counsel explained that the reason for
bringing suit in the municipal court was
for the purpose of cross-examlning the wit
nesses to discover. if possible. who took
the bond. He asked that action be deferred
until a decision had been got from the
lower court.
Justice Fitzgerald reserved decision.
Statement by Mr.. Hibbs.
When seen at his Office in the Glover
building today by Star reporter Mr. Will
lam B. Hibbs said his sole purpose in pur-
suing the matter was in the interest of
justice, and therefore to compel Alexander
Brown & Sols to tell from whom they pur-
chased the stolen bond.
1.-The security is worth from 81 900 to
$1,3O0.' said Mr.. Hibbs, "but we do not
care a snap for it's value. In fact, we
would be willing to give it TO the person
who would tell who it was that distracted
it from our safe. There is a thief some
where who stole the bond, and We want to
know who he is.
Brown & Co. stated at first that they did
not know the person from whom they pur-
chased the bond" said Mr. Hibbs. Then
they stated, / understand, that they did
know the party. but did not care to expose
him. and lastly they declared that they
positively did not know from whom they
bought it. l will say it is unusual. indeed,
for big and responsible firm like Brown
&. Co. to buy a bond of that amount and
character without knowing who they We're
dealing with
ut would be like cashing a $1,000 check
for total stranger without making him
establish his identity satisfactorily.
1T is our intention to pursue this mat
ter until we find the guilty party con -!ud-
ed Mr.. Hibbs. unless our proceedings are
stopped by some legal technically"
Mr.. Hibbs' lawyer. Mr.. Limberger. said:
If LOCO can be taken in one day. $685.
or 81 600 600 can be taken the rayt day -