The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-22
NIB. HALE LOSES $500.
City Treasurer Is Robbed by a Sneak
Thief.


Thief.
Two hundred and ninety-six dollars
and seventy cents is the amount of
money stolen from the cash drawer in
the city treasurer's office at the city
building Saturday noon. The police
department cautioned quiet and the
news was not given publicity until late
/ in the afternoon. It is presumed that
the robbery took place some time be-
/ tween 1910 and 1926.
The city treasurer's Office is on the
/ third floor of the city building. En-
| trance was effected, state the police,
through the transOm, the window be-
ing pried loose from the transom
fastening. The cash drawer was evil
] IDENTIFY opened with a powerful lever,
for it was forced downward sufficient
ly to spring the lock. The whole con-
tents which consisted of considerable
small change amounting to about 81
in pennies, dimes and nickels, quarters
and half dollars together with SZ10l
and the remainder in silver was taken.
Not a penny or piece of small change
was left Checks unindorsed were also
in the drawer, but they were left Undis-
turbed A pocketbook containing SIS
belonging to Miss Alberta Hale,
daughter of the city treasurer, was
lying in a tin box on desk but was
not touched.
A large part OF the SILVER III the
cash drawer was tied UP neatly in a
money bag and deposited in the rear
of the drawer where it would not be
imme diately perceived but the rObberI
evidently was not in too great a hurry
to overlook anything winch the drawer
might contain. Indeed the indications
appear to point to the fact that the
robber believed that he had plenty of
time and went at his Job without any
undue haste. If entrance was secured
the trouble to replace the ladder used
for no ladder was standing near the
door. Two ladders were in the hail;
one was across the hall and hanging
on a support, another, a step-laddeT,
was standing at the end of the hall
near to the council chamber. If a
ladder had been used either one of
these must have been utilized and re-
placed again, thus showing that action
was deliberate. The instrument which
was used in prying open the cash
drawer was not left behind as incrin-
mating evidence. The cash drawer
was showed partly to. All these things
evidently show that action was delib-
crate rather than hurried. 1t indi-
Gates that the thief was entirely famll-
lar with the place and entered through
the door.
City Treasurer Hale left his Office
shortly after noon and returned att
about 5 minutes of two and was the
first one to discover that a robbery
had taken place. As he turned to
wards his Office he noticed that the
door was wide open leading from the
hall into the Office. He Immediately
suspected something was wrong and
rushed around the counter to the cash
drawer and noticed that it was open.
He pulled cut the drawer and his SuS-
picions were confirmed by the empty
contents. He then turned to make
known his loss to City Clerk Squiresl
whose Offices are connected with those
of the city treasurer, and discovered
that the door leading thereto was open
though he had locked it from the IN
side when he had left. Mr.. SqulreS
had returned to the city building at
l2:35 but had noticed nothing IN
usual. His private Office IS separated
from that of the city treasurer by one
room and the fact that the door into
mat room from the city treasurer 4
office was omen was noticed by him. /
but he thought that Mr.. Hale was IN
his Office yet, and had heard no NOISE
in the interim which could arouse his
suspicion that all was not right lie
had left at about minutes 10 L
O'Clock. before Mr.. Hale. Consequent
" the whole transaction must nave
taken place in about 80 minutes
That the deed was done by some one
who had full cOgnizance of what Is /
going on in the city building and OF
fhe habits of the city officials is gen
orally the opinion of every one ABOUT
the CITY building. There is some one
as a rule constantly about the build +
ing. especially in the Railways; work /
men have been hanging paper in the
upper hallway and the 1anltor IS
usually working about at that time
also How it happened thaL no one
saw any part of the bold deed IS
The police were Immediately notified
and Detective Pavey was sent up TO
the city building. No clues were Sc
cured and no information of conse- I
ouence was elected. The city officials
have no suspicious fastened upon any
one and are at a loss to place the
guilt.
suspect no one for I haven't noticed
anv suspicious person lingering about
the building nor did I notice any one
about the Railways when I left for
dinner. don't usually have that
much money on hand but my daugh- /
ter was not in the Office in the morn /
ing and 1 felt that I could not leave
the Office to deposit the money at the
hank. made the last deposit on the
18Th and the money that was in the
drawer has just accumulated since
that time I had just received $50 IN
the morning from Rufus FRAZER, cog
ta1 collector. Ordinarily I only carry
about $50 in the cash drawer
haven't any insurance and the loss
comes to me in pretty hard shape.
No safe is in the city treasurer
Office and custOmarily he leaves TINS
cash in the vault in the city clerk s
ofina over night unless he DEPOSITS
at the bank which IS usually the case
in large amounts.
vrslys5 nv n Pitched Ball.