The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-10-29
A BOLD ROBBERY
two Men Hold Up Bank Runner
in inPhiIadeIphia aSub-TreaSury.
SNATCHED NEARLY $4,000
Both Were Captured After a Wlle
Chase and Committed to Prison
All the Money Was Recovered Aftei
Being Thrown into Street.

6einq Thrown into Street.
Philadelphia. Oct. 2G.-Two men
made a bold attempt to rob Patrick
Coonan. runner for the Franklin
National bank, Of nearly $4,000 in the
lobby OF the United States sub-treas'
ury In the custom house on Chestnut
street
One OF the men was captured imme-
dlately and the other caught after he
had been chased q hundred yards up
Chestnut street. The money was re-
covered after il had been thrown into
the street
The men gave their names as c. d.
Bates. OF New York city, aud Charlei
Watkins. also of New York Both
were given a hearing and committed
Coonan drew $500 from the sub
treasury In 500 bills two bundles.
lie left the payinT telIer's window
with his thatchp' containing about
$4,000 and wap % a settee IN tbs
lobby 10 put indie Of 500 bills
in II.
As he placed ono Of the bundles in
the grip Bales it Is alleged, snatched
the other. Watkins who was several
feet In the rear of Bates. threw a news
paper over the head of Albert II.
Large. the only watchman in the
lobby.
Bates dashed out of the door leading
into the custom house. Through a
score OF men he fed into Chestnut
street. lie had almost gotten out OF
the building before anyone Of The GUS
toms employees realized that something
was wrong. Then they heard Coonan
and other men I'm the sub-treasury
shouting stop thiefl" and saw the
the bank runner hurl his satchel, con-
tanning the money. which the thief had
failed to get through the cashiers
window.
BY the time Bates reached the Chest
nut street entrance OF the custom
house half a dozen men were after
him. John J. Morgan. clerk in the
custom house. who worked behind the
counter, Jumped clear over 1t and was
I'm the lead after the fleeing man.
The man leaped down the custom
house steps towards Fifth street As
he run he hastily wrapped the bundle
Of money snatched from Coonan in a
newspaper which he had been carry
ing
Hundreds Of men we're on Chestnut
stree when the man dashed down the
steps. For a moment they were mere
" startled to see a man running out
OF the big federal building, but when
thoy saw the watchmsn and others
dash after him they realized something
serious was the matter and Joined In
the chase.
BY the time Bates reached the north
side OF Chestnut street, in front OF the
Farmers and Mechanics National
bank. he realized that his capture was
sure He made an attempt TO throw
the stolen money into a hole In
the sidewalk, made in connection
with the construction of large Office
building at this point. The bundle hit
one Of the josts and bounded into the
street. Bates tried to dodge Morgan,
who was at his heels. by running into
the street and behind a trolley car
Morgan was Just close enough, how
ever. and struck the robber a stunning
blow on the back Of the head, knock
ing him into the arms OF Thomas Cor
coran. The stolen money was picked
up by Morgan, and Bates was taken
back TO the Office Of Joseph Bosler,
Assistant United States treasurer
where a call was sent In for the patrol
wagon and Bates and Watkins were
sent to the station house.