The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-10-23

= III
Alias big En- Rice. alias j. ?. Brown
bank sneak. with an international repu
tation.
Two Of the most noted bank sneaks in
the United States. and both with inrerna-
tional regulations covering the last twen-
ty years as crooks. confidence men and
a~ll-around thieves, were arrested yester-
day at l O'Clock, just as they were prepar-
ing. from all indications. to perpetrate a
raid upon the National Bank OF Commerce.
Tie two criminals. who have acknovl-
edged their identity after repeated
"sweats" and after Identification by many
OF the detectives from other cities now in
st. Louis. are Edward Rice, better known
as Big Ed. alias James p. Brown, and
George Shine. alias George Slosson, alias
George Schauen.
Both are being held at the Four Courts
charged with yagrancy. and will be held
Until reports are received from nan of
the cities Of the United States, the police
departments having been notified of the
catch. and from advices andl descriptions
which have been received it is believed
that the pair are wanted in more than
one place for serious crimes.
The two were seen TO enter the National
Bank OF Commerce at LIS yesterday
morning. The rotunda of the bank was
filed with customers. and there was the
usual rush which precedes the closing
hour. which on Saturday is fixed at u
o'clock.
FOLLOWED BY DETECTIVES.
- The-oIGer man of the two-toek a'seat
lust at the entrance 10 the countins-room.
while the younger took his place in line
and edged toward the window of the nay
ing teller. Ee had nearly reached the
when two detectives of the Fur
long Agency. Joseph Manning and Daniel
R;,ey. entered the bank. Riley at once
identified the man in the line as George
Shire ard at the same instant Manning
recognized the old man at the door as
Rice.
Shine. approaching the window. glanced
and saw Manning starting for
Rice. and Riley coming in his direction.
Instantly he darted from the line and
for the door with Riley after him.
The negro porter of the bank. Henry
Thornton saw Shine dash past him. and
Immediately followed him. chasing him
B~TO1lhds. anu liltil II pi biodo-
to the corner of Locust.
In passing the policeman on duty at
and Olive streets Thornton cried
that the man ahead was a bank robber.
and before Shine was captured the posse
had become a crowd of 200 persons. ,
hin made no resistance. when arrested,
ard accompanied the officer back to the
bank. where he faced Rice, and at first
both denied knowledge of each other. Be
fore leaving the bank the identity Of
each was settled by the detectives.
On the road to The -Four Courts in the
wagon. Rice was seen TO take
something from his pocket and put it in
MS mouth. Detective Riley jumped for |
him and seized him by the throat and
,orced hin TO spit out the object. 1t was
to be a meal ticket at the Southern
Hotel. and by this clew it was found that
he two had registered at the Southern
N Friday morning. Shine registered as
frank Law, from Columbus. o.. and was
assigned to room 10. Smith appears on
he book as j. p. Brown OF Louisville,
and was assigned to room i73.
ROOMS ARE SEARCHED.
After the arrest these rooms were
searched, and in the sultcases and bag
age of each were found 4 bunch of
ahecks on the National Ban OF COM
nercc. the Third National Esnk and the
ierrnan-AmeTican Bank, none of :hem
lied out. together with articles usually
ound upon confidence men and bank rob-
rers.
AT the Four Courts the men were con-
by detectives from different cities
nd were put through the sweating proc
IS by Assistant Chief of Detectives
Kelly. At first both men claimed that
hey were bankers and men OF finance,
ut broke down under the repeated
and finally acknowledged their
While neither admitted that the pair
ad gone into the National Ban of Com
lerce with the intention of performing
ny criminal act, the police and detective
ficials believe that their actions pointed
the consumation of a well-planned
tempt to rob the bank
The system Of ami sneaks includes the
osting OF one OF the best-dressed and
lost pleasing appearing of the gang IN
le line Of customers. just at the busiest
our. He works his way TO he window
nd engages in discussion or alteration
ith the teller.
While the attention of the bank officials
nd the customers is directed toward the |
-ouhle the ether OF the pair gets behind
lie cage and grabs as much OF the loose
ard silver as he can conveniently
Both men have regulations as be-
g dangerous men al This game. and the
sIief among beth the hank officials and
c police officials is ihat some such pan {
as about to be consunsted when the
.~tecIives arrived.
men were exceptionally well :
and OF pleasing appearance. Rise {
,ars the air and ca-riaEe of a well-to-do
mixer or stock broker. Shine has moe :
e appearance Of 4 travelling salesman o. !
man. i
RICErS CRIMINAL CAREER. !
cri-,ina! career. as gleane5 from !:
e records of tbs P.nkertcn agency. who
e connected with tie matter by way OF c
ing agents OF the American Bankers {
.;sociation. covers the last t~hirty-nve Z