The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-08
ANCIENT BANK BURGLARYLOOT
MANHATTAN SAYINGS BANK BOND
LANDS WILCOXON IN JAIL.
Secret Service Man Spent Night With
Hin at the Waldorf - sub|Treasury
spotted Dcfunct $4,000 Govern
ment A-Broker Arrested rs Formally.

$4,000 registered United States bond,
part OF the sa,747,7o0 in securities stolen
from the Manhattan Savings Institution
more than twenty-six years ago. was de-
| tected by Deputy Assistant Treasurer u. W.
Marlor at the Sub-Treas,ry on Monday.
Mr.. Marion lost no time In notifying the
Secret Service men. and as result DR..
Lewis o. Wllooxon, promoter (of Chicago
and the Waldorf Astoria). James A. Smith,
a curb broker. and Joseph A. Taylor, pro-
moter. were arraigned before Commissioner
Shields Yesterday afternoon on charge
of oonspring TO dispose Of o forged obliga-
ton. The same complaint duplicates Sam
uel Warren Miller. whose residence Is I'M
known. Taylor and Smith were released
under small bal. their innocence being
apparent. Wilcoxon went to the Tombs
In default OF SIC. 900 bail for examination.
The bank obtained an act Of Congress
under which its stolen United States regis
tered bonds were cancelled and replaced,
so that the originals now are vaiueess ana
| could be made TO appear marketable only
by forgery. The bond found yesterday
was one Of thirty $40 900 Is issued on July 1.
1877. to tho bank and numbered 1871 TO
1000. This one bore and still bears the
lbbb. Inc VI wv f@%S
had been altered from Manhattan Savings
Institution" to Samuel Warren Miller
DR.. Wicoxon says he met Miller In Alaska
eight years ago at Valdes and year or two
afterward on tho Klondike trail. The
doctor struck it rich In Alaska, he says
and owns valuable copper properties near
Valdez A few days ago, no says, Miller
called at the Waldorf-Astoria, where VIII
coxon has lived for two or three years,
and offered TO buy an interest In the copper
| properties and pay in Government bonds
Arrangements were made, Wlcoxon says.
for transfer of $2oo. 900 OF the bonds for
an interestin the mines.
The bond which was to secure the deal
was turned over at the Waldorf on Monday
morning says Wilcoxon, and he and Miller
took IL to the National Shoe and Leather
| Bank. Wilcoxon, who has had an account
In the bank introduced Miller TO the presi-
dent ". S. Meyer, and the latter. at Viii
coxon's request, Witnessed Millers sigma
ture 10 the blank assignment on the back
OF the bond The security was now
negotiable instrument. but no attempt
was made to borrow on It at that bank.
Wilcoxon returned TO the Waldorf.
There he says. he actually met friend.
Joseph A. Taylor. who lives in White Plains,
but Il around the hotel a great deal. He
says he wanted to give Taylor a chance
10 make a little money and offered him
5000 to borrow SO 500 on the bond Taylor
doesn't deal Ia bonds himself, but be has a
! friend John A. Smith. who lives at the
Broadway Central and is q curb broker.
| and he made deal with Smith TO secure
the loan for half the fee.
Smith took the bond the same day TO the
American Exchange National Bank, where
they said II was good but refused TO loan on
/ Il because Smith wasn't depostor. A clerk
| at the Sub-Treasury Was then interviewed,
/ and said the bond was good thereby, II
is said. exceeding his authority. Smith
went TO several other banks, receiving tho
same reply as at the American Exchange.
but finally struck oil at the Etna National,
at Greenwich and Warren streets, where
both he and Taylor knew some Of the
officials
Before making the loan the bank sent
messenger with the bond to the Sub-Treas-
ury and there it took but glance at the
| Government caveat sheet to identify it be-
yond question as worthless, and forgery,
also.
Chief Flynn Of the Secret Service OPP
eratiyes was summoned, took Operatives
Henry and Klenke with him. arrested Smith
at the bank and then hurried to the Waldorf,
where they found Taylor WilooXon had
gone TO a theatre, but he. too, was nabbed
at the Waldorf on his return. Secret service
men guarded WiCoxon and Taylor at the
Waldorf and Smith at the Broadway Cen
trial ali Monday night. while the search
for Miller continued.
Chief Flynn and his assistant. being
unable to find Miller or any trace Of him or
any one who knew him, had the prisoners
arraigned late yesterday afternoon. lay
lor and Smith, evidently being considered
innocent agents. were paroled in the Gust dy
of their attorneys. Joel NJ. Marx and Hugh
Gordon Miller. with bail fixed at 1000
each. Wiloo1on retained Marx 4 Miller
His bail was fixed at $4,000. After tele-
phoning about town until $50. he was obliged
TO accompany Marshal Henkel to the
Tombs. The examination is set for Tues
day next at o'clock.
Wilcoxon has a wife and child in Chicago.
and the child, it Is said, was the winner
in a baby show recently at the Waldorf.
Wllcoxon says he owns valuable copper
mines in Dutch Guiana as well IA in Alaska,
| out u not HuoH Vi IbduN money dJloI
lives in White Plains. Taylor and Smith
made statement in which they declared
their connection with the case to be entirely
innocent.
Chief Flynn Gays the substitution OF
Millers name for the Manhattan Savings
Institution as payee on the bond is clever
piece Of work.
4 would not be surprised said he IL
the forgery was done twenty years ago.
The ink is faded in about the same pro-
portion as the ink Of the Treasury officials
signatures. The blue silk fibre Of the paper
has been spoiled but slightly by the erasure
and the new entry. Who it was who passed
as Miller at the Shoe and Leather bank
we have not been able to learn"
The Manhattan Savings Institution was
robbed on the morning Of Sunday. Oct. a.
1878. Its net loss was only $4,000. accord
ing TO Inspector Byrnes's book Years ago
Jack Cannon. notorious sneak thief and
burglar. tried to sell one Of the stolen bonds
in Philadelphia and got fifteen years for
it, He died in prison.
DR.. wilooxon has figured In several court
proceedings here and in Chicago, some OF
| ,bar, conuacted with the AFFAIRS OF Ca nj