The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-13
STOLE $120,455 IN STOCKS,
BUT COL. COMSTOCK'S THIEF WILL
GIVE EN- UP EASY.
sneaked Them From Beneath tho Bos.
tonian's Pillow on FAN River boat
Now Wires That He Prefers q Few


Hundred In CashC omst ock's willing.
BosToN, June l2--When Col. Henry w.
Comstock OF Boston, mining expert,
reached Fall River on the steamboat Puritan
this morning he discovered that he had been
robbed Of $l2O,455 worth OF negotiable So
curities. This afternoon he learned that
he could recover the lost papers on pay
ment Of few hundred dollars to the thief.
The property stolen had been turned
over to Col. Comstock in payment for a
gold mine which he had been to New York
to dispose Of. For six months he had been
negotiating with Colorado men for
the sale of the mine and last Friday he
was in New York for the purpose of con-
summating the transaction. He stopped
at the Broadway Central Hotel, occupy
ing the suite which has always been re-
served for him on his frequent visits there.
He met the persons to whom he intended
to sell the mine at the hotel on Friday after
noon and there talked with them in the
lobby. During the conversation he no
ticed man hanging about in the lobby OF
the hotel 1t is supposed that he over
heard enough OF the conversation to under
stand what 1t was about and that he was
led to believe that the sale was to be made
in currency.
On Saturday the persons to whom the
mine was sold met the Colonel in his suite
and the transa ction was completed, the
securities which he received in payment
being at once deposited In the hotel safe.
while he made trip to Poughkeepsje to
visit his daughter. a student at Vassar.
He remembers distinctly seeing the man
who was in the lobby OF the hotel on the
afternoon previous pass down the car
aisle and eye him keenly. Col. Comstock
describes him as about IS years old, feet
10 inches in height, with heavy black
mustache.
On Sunday night Col. Comstock took
the Fall River boat Puritan. Going to his
outside stateroom. he tucked the securities
underneath the pillow. He did not SEQ the
man whom ne had recognized the day be-
fore aboard the boat. but is inclined to be-
leve that it was confederate who Swallowed
him aboard the steamer and did the job.
He does not believe any Of the steamboat
people are implicated
On reaching Fall River this morning
he discovered that some one had entered
the room during the night, presumably
through the window. and had taken the
securities and also his pooketbook. which
was in his clothes Col. Comstock tele-
eraphed to New York to the parties with
whom the sale had been made, and they.
having the numbers Of the securities,
stopped their negotiation. The papers
were all certificates Of stock in various
railroads with the exception OF two which
were for Steel preferred. ~'.i.
This afternoon Col. Comstock received
despatch from New York saying that the
mine purchasers had received message
from the thief. in which he offered to re-
linquish the securities for few hundred
dollars, evidently being satisfied that he
cannot dispose OF them. Col. Comstock
has wired to New York 10 make the deal
with the man. He is in too poor health,
he says. to prosecute the man. and he con-
siders this an easier way out of the diff
ficulty than to give bond to the various
companies who have issued the stock and
by this medium obtain the issuance Of
duplicate shares. Once he gets his property
back he will drop the case, he says, and
there will be no prosecution unless the
police see fit to conduct such alone.
The polica OF Boston telegraphei the
news of Col. Comstock's oss to Acting
Inspector OBrien as soon as the theft was
reported. O'Brien notified every broker
age Office in this city, giving description
OF the securities.
The local Office Of the Fall River Line had
received no official notice up to last night.
The Puritan will be back on her return trip
this morning The Fall River people say
that II the account as given in the news
papers is correct they cannot he held
responsible, since the securities were not
deposited with the purser.
THEIR KILKENNY CASTLE.