Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-02

gang met and divided the cash, and to
the uninitiated members II was ex-
planned that they would have to walt
for an offer from the bank for the
securities before any further division
could be made. This the bank refused
to make, and bill was introduced into
congress providing for its relief by issu-
ing duplicate government bonds. Not
withstandine the fact that the robbers
organized corruption fund and
claimed to be able to defeat the bill. II
was passed FIVE days afterward and
signed by the president on February 20.
The New York legislature followed
the lead OF the national government
and passed n law which relieved the
bank OF the state, county and city
bonds and annulled the value OF the
originals.
Tracing the Robbers
The only clew the police had to go
upon was the tools left In the vault
after the Job was completed. Each man
of the force had his theory of how the
work was done and by whom. Early
i'm the affair Capt. Byrnes came to the
conclusion that Jimmy Hope was inn
plicated In the case. and an exhaustive
search was made for him, but without
results
All this time Capt. Byrnes had kept
his eye on Shevelin, the night watch
man of the bank, and it was soon found
that he appeared to have plenty of
money and was spending II quite freely.
Investigation revealed the fact that be-
fore the robbery he had been pressed
for money, and could hardly eke out an
existence on the salary he was receiv-
ing. Detectives were placed on his
track and his every movement was
watched. Soon results became APP
parent.
He was discovered one day talking
with Billy Kelly, a well known Grim
iral. Kelly was then watched, and 1t
came to light that he had been seen
standing on the corner opposite the
bank the morning of the break, when
he should have been at work, and that
from the date of the robbery he had
given UP his job and apparently
changed his whole course of life, having
plenty of money and blossoming out
into a full-bown sport.
Having discovered, as he thought, a
connection between the two men, Capt.
Byrnes approached Shevelin and ac-
cused him of the robbery. This She
velin stoutly denied, but he was taken
to the police ST. ton and subjected to
the third degree without avail. Finally
the captain decided to surprise the
SeCTtI OuJ VI HlIII, anu 50 bdlus DOIl
you know, Shevelin, that your pals
have played you for sucker? Now,
you, possibly didn't get over $4,000 out
of that break, and they cleaned up
hundreds of thoSuands."
Shevelin was so taken by surprise
that he blurted out: $50 help me God,
captain, didn't get but $4O0." Then,
realizing what he had said, he broke
down and confessed the whole plot.
From that followed the arrest of
Johnny Hope and Johnny Dobbs for
completely. Kelly was also taken into
custody, but nothing that the captain
could do would get him to talk, but
on the strength of Shevelin's testimony
he was convicted and sentenced to ten
years in states prison This so fright
tened the others implicated that they
scattered to different parts of the coun-
try, and 1t was not until an attempt
was made to negotiate some of the
stolen securities that more of the gang
was caught. Coakley and Emerson
were arrested in Philadelphia.
Could Not Convict Hope
All of the members of the gang re-
ceived long terms in prison, with the
exception of the instigator of the plot,
"Old Man. Jimmy Hope. Nothing
could be proved definitely against him,
anu ne was allowed his liberty.
The story OF his life is almost as SEN
sational as this, the greatest of his
achievements. He first came into prom
| inence in police annals at the time of
the robbery of the paymaster's safe in
the Philadelphia navy yard. For this
crime he was sent to prison, but, with
the good fortune that afterward fol-
lowed him he escaped.
Next he was arrested for the robbery
of bank in the interior of New York
state and sent to prison, but again did
he escape. The scene of his operations
was then changed to Wilmington, Del,
where he, with some companions, rented
house next to the First National bank
and attempted to take prisoner the
| cashier and his whole family. One SER
want escaped and gave the alarm, and
Hope, with his companions, was ar
| rested. They were sentenced to forty
lashes each and ten years in prison.
All jails were apparently alike to this
man, for he soon made his escape, and
was next heard of in Deep River, Ct,
where he was arrested for attempting
to rob the bank at that point. He was
sent to prison, but was taken to Dexter,
Me-, TO see if he could throw any light
on the murder of Cashier Barron of