The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-09
LAST THEFT OF AN OLD CROOK
TWO MYSTERIES EXPLAINED BY
"DOC" BLISS.
Before He Died He Told of tho Diamonds
That Held Him Fascinated in Baiti.
more and Why II was That q Bank
Got Back Some OF Its stolen Bonds.

1
| more and Why II Was That Bank
Got Back Some OF Its Stolen Bonds.
BALTIMORE, Oct. sod doc" Bliss,
the noted criminal, who died Of consumption
a few days ago In the Baltimore city Jail
| after he had bequeathed about $50 Of his
1 booty to Mrs. Maud B. Booth OF the Vol
l unteers Of America, made two remarkable
statements before his death.
Bliss, or Thomas w. Landrum, which was
his real name, was crested by the Balti-
more detectives last winter for stealing a
valise from a runner OF the Merchantss
National Bank which contained q number
OF bank bonds and other valuables, andl
for the crime he got two year Jail sem
| tence After he had been sent TO jail a
detective agency In New York city was
called up on the telephone by some mysteri-
Gus person, who said that the securities
stolen by Bliss could be found under the
steps of a house in Waverly, suburb OF
Baltimore.
The agency Immediately telephoned to
Douglas H. Thomas, president Of the Mer-
chants National Bank in Baltimore, and he
lost no time in going to the designated house
in Waverly, where he found the securities
lIlJdCl. OuSl HOW Wis IoppohSN
mystery to the Baltimore police until
after Bliss's death. The police were also
puzzled to know what Bliss was doing In
Baltimore before he robbed the bank rum
ner.
In explaining both Of these points Bliss
before he died told the following story
to confidential friend
BY mere chance, he began, Il dropped
my glasses and broke them while l was
down to the races at Bennings. Or course.
hunted up an optician as soon as reached
Baltimore that evening.
As | walked into a shop'-here Bliss
gave the name of a prominent jeweller-
Il had no evil intention, but upon coming
out formed one so quickly that could
scarcely realize that it was really fact'
Do you know, hung about this town Tor
nearly a year to get the one opportunity
longed for.
st had taken but few minutes for the
jeweller to repair the glasses and, as l
walked out OF the door Of his establish
ment, tried them on as any one will do,
just to see if they were all right. / sup
pose it was the new glass that made my
eyesight SO KEEN for in the show window
Of the store, near the door, saw the most
beautiful diamonds / ever gazed at in my
life.
There WAS whole tray Of them and
| guess they looked all the better to me
because the ponies had not run just as
expected them to do, and my good things
did not materialize. The longer l gazed
the more beautiful they became. and finally
-kbeesn.ss inspsvs-she prsmissss 1.
-The store was long one and noticed
TINT all OF the clerks were lounging about
the rear OF It. also noticed that the
tray was within easy reach II fellow could
raise the inside window.
"No opportunity presented itself then.
so gave up the job for that day. / went
back to Now York, but those diamonds
haunted me, and was soon back to Balti-
more. Day in and day out loitered about
the store waiting for some careless clerk
to leave that window up so that l could
sneak in, grab the tray and sprint away
If need be.
AT last the trick was about to be turned,
as thought The window was up.
Il crept into the store and had my hands
on that tray. Not a soul knew OF my
presence there and thought l saw some
easy money. With that same tender touch
that a mother bestows upon her babe
lifted the gems, only to drop them in dis
gust at the sound Of two women jabber-
ing as they entered the door Of the store.
"One Of the clerks ran forward and
actually caught me with the goods in my
hands. MY composure alone saved me.
I bent over and shook like feeble old
man and muttered to myself.
MY friend, the clerk. stared at me with
suspicion, but my acting and white head
stood me in good stead. 1 suppose he
thought was some crazy old fool and let
it 60 at that.
i dressed myself differently time and
had another opportunity like the one
have mentioned. However, / was still
waiting for a second one to present itself
when I was nabbed All well, / guess it's
the same old story. Every dog has his
day, and IL had kept waiting might have
had nine"
After relating this story Bliss was pre-
vailed upon to tell Of the theft OF bank bonds
and how they were returned to President
Thomas Of the bank.
post Office on the morning of the robbery,
with a pal, when the bank runner entered
the building. He knew the young man
was runner for bank from the shape Of
his satchel, and he Immediately conceived
the idea Of stealing the registered letters
which he and his pal saw him take from
the mail box.
aWhen the young man entered the money
order department Bliss followed him, and
instructed his pal to wait at the Mckinley
memorial monument. in the post Office
corridor. near the Calvert street entrance.
@My pal said Bliss. didn't have the
sand to lift the goods, so / trotted after the
youngster, and when he put the satchel
down and turned away l quietly slipped
up behind him and lifted it..
Il hurried to where my pal stood, and
he chased away with the satchel to meet
me at our room within half an hour. OF
course you know ] succeeded in reaching
nv pal and he got away with the goods
after leaving the satchel In doorway
on Holiday street.
sMy star play was to stand around in
the post office In conspicuous place and
ION in the search for the thief as soon az
the lad discovered that he had been
touched. II worked out as had fggered
f.: the laddie went plumb crazy Post
office officials and everybody soon ran
heller ekelter and I was with them, which
would be the strongest sort OF an abb II
Twas arrested.
After the oearch for the thief had ended
I met nv pal and we arranged our plans.
He was to get to New York and stay under
cover until reached him, II everything
nanp al mt hut N WAS arreSted he was to