Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-25
MAYHAVE BEENR0bbED
Bank Messenger Minus Pack
age Containing $3,635.75.
BELIEVES CROOKS STOLE 1T
Roscoe c. Bangs Experience in a
Crowded Car.
DETECTIVES INVESTIGATING
Opinion Expressed That Bangs Acct
dentaly Dropped the Package.
Other Robberies Noted.

Money, checks and Treasury Department
receipts aggregating s3,635.75 disappeared
yesterday afternoon while they were in
charge of Roscoe Conklng Bangs bank
messenger The circumstances surround
ing the disappearance of the money and
securities would indicate that the mes
senger was the victim of professional
crooks or that he accidentally lost his wal
let on a street car. In the latter case it
evidently fell into the hands Of q dishonest
person. The detectives are inclined to be-
lieve the wallet was dropped and that it
was picked up by a street car passenger.
BY stopping payment of checks and mutt
lated money receipts the bank officials ex-
pect their loss to be reduced to s1,O52.75.
The bank messenger, who is eighteen
years OF age, lives at 176S Willard street
northwest and has been employed as run
ner or messenger of the Home Savings
Bank less than one month. He was re-
garded as careful and faithful employe
was due to the loss of his bicycle, which
made 1t necessary for him to ride on a
street car. 1t was while he was in the
crowded car that his wallet was lifted
or accidentally dropped. Bangs had been
about the city part of the day attending to
the business of his employers, making col
lections and transacting business at several
banks. and about o'clock he reached the
Natlonal metropolitan Bank on 10Th street.
Bicycle Disappears.
When his business in the National Metro
politan Bank was finished and he started
to go over to the Treasury Department., he
discovered that the bicycle he had been
riding was not where he had left it. Search
was made for the missing wheel and when
he failed to find 1t the young man reached
the conclusion that he had been robbed.
IT 49,, %~1ly In tod to hn
Treasury Department and got receipts for
it. Leaving there he walked to 18th street
and New York avenue and boarded a street
car to ride to the bank. number of other
passengers were in the car, Bangs being on
a seat with several other men.
after getting aboard the car" he told
the police, Il looked In my pocket to make
sure the wallet was still there Seeing it was
all right I buttoned my coat across my
chest and continued on my journey until the
car reached Massachusetts avenue and It'll
street,
The young man explained that when he
started to leave the car there were two
women. carrying baskets, who wanted to
board the vehicle. A large, well-dressed man
stopped in front of him. he said, and when
he leaned over and touched the man on his
| arm and asked him to let him pass he was
reminded that the women wanted to get
aboard the car, and that he should wait for
them.
Discovers His Loss.
At that time there was a man in front Of
him and one behind him. but he did not sus-
pect that they were there for the purpose
of robbing Inn, and It was not until he had
anghted and walked the length Of the car
| that he discovered his loss. He became ex-
cited and looked anxiously about. Turning
he saw man who had been a passenger on
the car and who was entering store at the
corner Of Massachusetts avenue and K
street. He thought that man might have
taken or picked up his wallet, and he rushed
into the store to question him.
Were you on the car with me?" Bangs
asked the man who was about to purchase
| a pair of shoes.
WELL" responded the man, II really can't
| say. l came down on New York avenue
car. and presume you might have been on
the same car If you have just left one.
Bangs explained his trouble and the man
he had accosted walked to the door with
him. He sympathized with the messenger
and said he would do anything he could to
assist him. The messenger suggested that
he permit him to search his pockets for the
missing wallet and the man readily COM
piled with his request The search was made
but the wallet was not found.
The Police Notified.
Bangs acted upon the suggestion that
| he report the loss to the police, going to
| police headquarters before he went over
| to the bank. He informed Inspector Board
| man of the loss. and the latter listened
attentively to his story of his travels
about the city and of his movements
prior to the time he discovered he had
parted with the wallet The inspector
| turned the young man over to Detectives
| Barbee and Horne, and he repeated his
| story to them.
Bangs went over his story carefully,
| telling the detectives of the appearance
Of the .nen who were in the car with
| him. He was able to describe several Of
them but did not know any Of them.
Bangs then returned to the bank and told
| his employers Of his experience.
The detectives spent several hours in
vestigating the case yesterday. They as
certained that the man who was followed
to the store by Bangs left there after he
had submitted to a search, and did not
return to make the purchase. 1t was
stated to the detectives that he afterward
| bearded a car going east
1T looks very much as If the young
man dropped the wallet" said Detective
Horne to a Star reporter this morning.
land as If it were picked up by another
passenger"
The detective explained that it would
have been a difficult matter for the mes
senger to have been followed from place