Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-05
BOLD THEFT ON TRAIN
Robber Secures Nearly $500 in
Broad Day.
FROM CAR IN ALEXANDRIA
Took Money Box and Escaped With
r. out Being Observed.
TRACED BY POLICE TO THIS CITY
Washington, Alexandria and Mount
Vernon Company Offers $50 Re-
ward-Clue to Identity.
BY POLICE TO THIS CITY

The police Of this city and Alexandria
are hunting for the 8droit individual who
succeeded this morning in stealing tin
box containing a sum variOusly estimated
at from $417 to $499 belonging to the Wash
ington, Alexandria and Mt. Vernon Railway
Company from the o'clock train, while 1t
was standing at the Royal street station
in Alexandria, or before it had left that
city.
The thief was bold in the extreme. While
trainmen and passengers were either on or
about the coaches man stepped aboard
and, without attracting attention, secured
the regulation box, which is of a pattern
recognized generally as belonging to rail-
road employees, and walked away.
His departure with the property occa-
stoned no more suspicion, SO far as is
known, by any who might have seen him
than did his taking possession Of the box
He was well out of immediate reach when
the robbery was discovered.
No Eyewitness to Act.
The money, which represented yester-
days receipts Of the Royal street station
of the electric railway, had been counted
and placed in an envelope by the ticket
agent at the Alexandra Office and had
been turned over to Conductor A. A. Davis,
as was the custom, to be brought to this
city and delivered to the cashier at the
main Office Of the company, at 18th street
and Pennsylvania avenue.
Conductor Davis had placed the envelope
in the big tin box used by him for the
keeping of his cash reports and other pa
pers This was put in the smoking car
under one of the rear seats. When it was
taken is not known exactly. but it is
thought 1t was distracted while the train
was standing at the corner of Royal and
Prince streets in Alexandria awaiting its
leaving time. 1t Is understood that it was
not missed until the train had left Alex
andria for this city, and Capt. Davis at
once reported his loss to the main office
and the police department here and in Alex
andria were Immediately notified. The po-
lice in both cities went to work promptly
on the case. and it was soon ascertained
that d white man was seen 70 leave Alex
andria on the $50 am. ferry boat carrying
tin box resembling the stolen from
the car. He was traced in this city from
the ferry wharf to the vicinity Of 7th street
and Pennsylvania avenue, where all clue to
his further course was lost. The police,
however, expect from the information at
hand, to be able to follow him up.
Chief Goods and Officer Jefferson Beach
of the Alexandra police department were
In the city this morning in conference with
the officials of the Washington, Alexandria
and Mount Vernon railway.
Many Passengers Aboard.
The train while standing at Royal street
in Alexandra was in charge of Trolley
man Thornton, and there were a large
number of passengers on 1t. How any one
could have picked up box as large as
those used by the trolley line conductors
and made off with it without being seen
by some one is a mystery, but that is what
n In,
One statement is to the effect that the
amount stolen was $417.33, while another
places the sum at $499.13. The railroad
company this afternoon announced that q
reward of $50 would be paid for the cap
ture of the culprit. 1t is stated that the
officers OF the company suspect that a
former employe of the road was the man
who committed the robbery.