The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-09-18
Daring Young Man Steals
Sack Containing $4,000
in Coin From the First Ma
tional Bank of This City
ASSISTANT CASHIER
NOTES QUEER ACTION
Follows Man to Brooklyn
Hotel and Receivers the
Money, but Thief Makes
Good His Escape From Him

The sharp eyes of Assistant Cashier
Charles X Mcintosh OF the First Ma
! tional Earl. saved that institution $780,
600 in twenty dollar pieces yesterday
noon. A stout young man, who had
| been following Bank Messenger John
| Brennan, VINO had charge Ct the coin,
1 from the United States sub treasury,
was the daring thief who came near
being made rich at the banks expense
! McIntosh overhauled him and recov-
cred the coin. The bold robber es-
| capped.
! Cashier James X. Lynch was in his
office next TO that of the assistant cash
| Ter when the attempted robbery occur
/ red. SO quick were the movements of
the thief and The actions CT Mcintosh
that the cashier. who was very busy
at the time. had hardly time to realize
what had happened until someone call
ed out. There lie goes" In an instant
Lynch knew that something had gone
wrong.
1t was shortly after the noon hour
when the attempt al robbery was
made. The main floor OF the bank was
crowded with people and the telIers and
| clerks were all very much occupied
Messenger Brennan arrived at the cor
ner OF Bush and Sansome streets on an
express W&et-n in which he had placed
two sacks of sold. each containing s2O,-
900. These he carried into the bank
with the assistance of the expressman,
entering the door to the institution at
the corner sIle-tiored. He passed
through the crowded banking-room
through the employees door at the
northwest corner of the room, on into
the messengers. room.
BANKEES PUZZLED.
The messengers room is to the right
of the collection desk at the further end
of the main banking 1t is a
space about ten feet square. separated
from the outer Offices by woven wire
grating. set on top of the dividing par
titions. There is a door to the mes
sengers' room that is always kept
closed and locked and how the rcbber
managed to get in and out of the place
is puzzling the bankers. Messenger
Brennan best explains how it hap
pened.
After leaving the sub treasury" he
said, Il came by the most direct route
to the bank. | did not notice that any
one was following the wagon, but 1
think that the fellow, must have seen
me come out of the sub trea sury and
have hurried along back of the wagon.
We drove slowly.
AT the bank entrance 1 took charge
Of the bags and carried them into my
room and placed them on the counter
some distance from the door
II had some small cash and stepped
out of the room for a few seconds to
hand it to the paying teller. The door
of the room did not close behind me.
The thief must have followed close at
my heels, for my back was turned a
sacks. which weighs about seventy
pounds, and coolly walked out That is
all know about it."
Assistant Cashier Mcintosh continued
the story, adding the interesting fea-
lures of the daring work of the des-
perate man. Mcintosh said that had
the man been dressed as an express
man it is doubtful whether he would
have thought anything on seeing a
person leave the bank with a sack of
coin on his shoulder.
MCINTOSH SEES THIEF.
Express men and bank messengers
are continually coming and going from
the bank with sacks of CON-" said Mr..
Mcintosh, and it was the unusual
sight of seeing man in an ordinary
business suit leaving the premises from
the direction of the collection desk with
so large sum of money"
Mr.. Mcintosh slipped from behind
his counter and hurried toward the
front door. He thought it was possible
that a Wells-Fargo Express wagon was
in front of the building and that the
man would throw the sack into it.
Much to his establishment the robber
turned the corner at Bush street and
walked rapidly toward Montgomery.
He turned aside at the Brooklyn Hotel
and entered, with Mcintosh after him.
by this time fully satisfied that the
man had robbed the bank
Through the hotel lobby the man
passed. and finding that he was fol-
lowed he entered the dining-roon and
walked toward the kitchen. Mcintosh
overlook him, and laying his hands on
his shoulders said, What are you do
ing with that money!
In an instant dozen boarders crowd
ed about Mcintosh and the robber. but
the latter kept repeating. It's mine.
What right have you to tn DIN? It's
mine, tell YOU
This confused the crow and al
though Mcintosh pleaded wi a them to
seize the fellow he slipped through the
excited bystanders and got away. leav-
ing Mcintosh holding on to the sack
Of coin desperately. The assistant
cashier hurried back to the bank, and