The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1908-07-23

The substitution took place while the
I'agent was busily engaged In the way-
Dill department of the station at four
o'clock in the morning The agent
was out of earshot at the time Martin
opened the safe with the key that
Proctor had made and took the bag
containing the money. The substitute
was put in its place and the safe
locked, and in ten minutes time Col.
ms and Martin, carrying valise with
the $4,000. took train for Corning, N.
T.; from thence they went to Sche.
nectady, and then to Suspension
bridge, where Proctor was waiting for
them. The object of this circuitous
Journey was to throw anyone off the
trail in case they were followed. At
Suspension bridge the three conspira
tors met and divided their loot. Proc.
tor received $4,000 as his share
OF the booty, and calmly returned to
Susquehanna, and, putting on his over
alls and working clothes, resumed his
employment in the boiler shops.
Robert Pinkerton was much chagrined
to think that Proctor had been able
to hoodwink him in the early part of
the affair. Instead of being an limo.
cent accomplice, he was a profession
al burglar with a checkered career.
Proctor, when he began the serious
part OF his life, was flrst-class me-
chanic and at an early age became the
foreman of the Portland boiler works.
The passion for gambling caused him
to lose his position, in few
years he had Joined a group of east
ern burglars, acting for them as
litter" In opening safes. In the Cen.
tennial year, after he was convicted
OF safe robbery in Lowell, he was
sent to the Massachusetts state prison
at Charleston for four years. He be. |
came organist of the prison and had
unusual privileges As a result he |
became acquainted with Charles Bull, |
lard, a fellow convict, who was serv. /
ing a 20-year term for breaking into I
the Boylston bank, Boston. and together
they conceived a plan of escape. Proc
tor made impressions of the cell door
keys and made keys out OF old knives.
From time to time he gathered
enough clothes to be used by himself
and Bullard when their plans of es
cape had fully ripened, The clothes
In the meantime were deity hid In
the top of the organ. One eventful
night Proctor, Bullard and seven other
long-term convicts escaped. Proctor
and Billiard went to Canada by way
Of New York. In Toronto they robbed
the ticket Office of the Grand Trunk
Railway company at Brockville OF
$4,000. A few days later they robbed
another ticket Office near Quebec OF
$4,000. After that Proctor got work
IN the Toronto safe works. and after
awhile was promoted to a travelling
'alesmanship. When he sold safe
lie arranged the combination. and Bull
ard would follow him little later
md rob the safe. The suspicion of
he safe company eventually caused
lis dismissal.
On another occasion Proctor at.
empted to break Jail but did not meet
With his usual success. He pried the
ars off the cell door, but when he
cached the corridor the sheriff
topped him at the point of the pis-
oil. AS a result of this he was sen
enced to eight years solitary con.
part of this for his original
fense and two years for attempting
D break jail. A week after this
ieces Of paper were found on the
DOR of his cell bearing the impress.
ions of the key of his cell door, the
orrido. door, and the door leading to
ne street 1t was after he had served ,
ais sentence that he went to Sus.
johanna and lived as an honest man
ntil the opportunity came for him TO ,
Ike part in the great safe robbery. q.
The King Of Burglars" as Proctor
as called, was given a long sentence
n the Susquehanna express rob
cry at hard labor in the Eastern pen. v
entiary at Philadelphia. His accom-. e
ices, as far as known, were never e
lptured. I,
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Soldiers Live on Nuts.
The Somali soldier keeps himself In