Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-15
DARING. ROBBERY COMMITTED
MAIL CLERK RELIEVED OF
PoCKETBooK AND CASH.
Clever Ruse of Suspect to Throw Oh
Suspicion-one Man
in Custody.

A daring piece Of pocket picking. which.
the police say. was the work OF pair OF
most accomplished crooks, was perpe-
treted shortly after 1 o'clock yesterday
afternoon on an 18th street car at the
intersection Of G street at the time that
particular shopping district Of the city
was crowded with people. Two men
crowded a railway mail clerk on the rear
end of the street car, Ostensibly to per-
nit several ladies to pass out 1T is al
legged. and in doing so stole a pocketbook
containing $34. One of the suspected pair
first precinct station pending his arraign-
ment in the Police Court. He gives the
name of Charles Roberts. his age as
forty-five years and his residence as Bal
timore. Nd.
Elmer H. Roberts. the railway mail
clerk. had just left the post office. after
finashing his days work. and boarded a
car at 10th and G streets on his way
to his home in Mount Pleasant, 1929 Park
road. Instead of entering the car. which
WAS crowded, he took a position on the
rear platform, on which. also. were four
several ladies indicated their desire to
board the car. and in order to give them
clear passage from the steps to the
car door the men on the rear platform
crowded together toward the opposite rail.
AS the car was about to round the curve
Roberts. who happened to be standing
between two men who were apparently
strangers, felt a tug at his hip pocket.
where he kept his poke tboOk, and felt
it slide from the pocket.
He Immediately turned and began Crap
ping with the man who stood closest to
him on the side where the pocketbook
was kept, and demanded its return. The
stranger forced his way to the edge OF
the platform and jumped to the street
Roberts holding on to him. The suspected
man struck right and left in an effort to
free himself While the two were strug-
Cling, the second man. whom the mail
clerk recalled later as the one who had
jostled him while the ladies were entering
the car, ran to the pair and endeavOred to
free the other He made several attempts.
but upon seeing Crossing Policeman
Patched approach he left and made his
way north on G street In the excitement
of the moment no one except the mail
clerk and citizen noticed the second man
in his efforts to free the suspect.
After hearing the story of the robbery
Patched placed the suspect under arrest
and took him to the first precinct station
house. While on the way to the station
Roberts offered not to prosecute the man
If the pOcketbOOk was returned, or If he
i,
however. steadfastly maintained that he
knew nothing Of the alleged theft, and in
sisted upon his innocence.
Ruse Fails Of Success.
About this time a young boy came run
ming up to Patchell. Roberts and the pris-
oner and told them that the pocketbook
had been found on the floor of the car by
the conductor, with all the money in it,
The boy was closely questioned. and
after reiterating his story confessed that
a man answering the description of the
enc who made his escape had stopped
him several blocks up nth street and had
given him money with instructions to
overtake the policeman and his prisoner
and tell them the story. Patched i'm
mediately returned to the scot where the
boy told of meeting the second man, but
failed to find him.
After reaching the station house the
suspect was searched, but no oocketbook
was found in his possession. The prisoner
then offered to return the missing prop
erty- to Roberts if he would Withdraw
the charges against him. This the railway
mail clerk refused to do
The police say that the passing Of the
cocketbook from one man to the other
without discovery or attracting any at
clever work. The ruse. however. of the
finding Of the cocketbook on the floor Of
the car failed to work.
The prisoner was taken to police head
quarters this morning. where he was
closely questioned regarding his stay in
the city. He was then photographed and
mes sured by the Bertillon system 1t is
the purpose of the police to forward pho
tographs Of the man to the larger cities
of the country in an effort to discover
his criminal record If he has any.
1t was stated by the authorities that
he will be arraigned Tuesday morning
in the Police Court. In view of the APP
parent effort of the second man to free
the prisoner. and the great probability
that he at the same time received the
pocketbook from the first man. the city
Is being searched today by central Office
detectives in the hope of locating him.
With the robbery of Andrew Herold
200 East Capitol street last Saturday of
$691. after leaving the Metropolitan Bank
and entering a saloon at COS 18th street
by three men. and the attempted larceny
of a valuable pin in one of the local
theaters by another. the police are in
clined to believe that the city has been
the field of operation for two or three
experienced sneak thieves and pick
pockets one of whom. they say. is the
man arrested yesterday.