The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-12-13
TRUE DETECTIVE STORIES

L. and 100000 taken A large part of this sum
in coin and currency. The rest in registered
bonds and coupon bonds The robbers escaped without
leaving a clew of their identity.
Coupon bonds a any bank readily
one government note be exchanged another.
Registered bonds Ordinary thieves
do not take bonds the numbers the
owners of which matters of record. Forgers
the exception With secret chemicals for remov-
ing printing and writing inks without leaving stain
that even magnfying glass will show. they
make use of registered bonds. The a large
nuber Of blank drafts and checks had been stolen
also indicated that of the robbers expert
forger
From these bare facts it soon, developed that the
robbers Joe Elliott Chapman. Charlie Becker
and Russian. Becker the forger-one Of the
best that the produced Careful search re-
vealed their movements for several days
robbery It found that answering their
descriptions on the day it
was rihed But when all these facts became known
the earth seemed have swallowed the
More than passed and nothing was heard
OF them. On September Il serv-
ice called me to his office Beside him sat with
long white beard. The chief introduced him to
Clement Herring, father of Charlie Becker's wife.
This man saloon Stanton street" said
the chief He expects his daughter and Mrs. Chap
10 call him tomorrow morning. Be watch
outside and if they come he will signal you. says
they going leave Europe afternoon
and that their baggage viii be small
containing registered stolen from the
Third National Herring thinks they get the
trunk either Lexington avenue Twenty-seeond
street Eighth Forty-eighth street
Here's what want to do Once you get sight
of these women, follow them wherever they go.
they the red trunk follow them the ship
their stateroom and the names
under which they depart-they going
their own names. When get these facts put them
this letter that / to o police
Of Southampton and give il to the purser the ship
TO an at he
the other side. He will be notified that you
coming viii know what Don't the
don't seize the trunk"
At o'clock the morning up the watch
in front Of Herrings saloon. al
hour before anything happened. Then stylish
rage drove Two aghted. in the
moment that elapsed before they three
steps that led Herrings basement saloon 1 took
careful note of their appearance.
Each apparently 50 years old and strk-
ingiy handsome. Both gowned in the height of
fashion. The blonde woman, who afterward learned
Becker, was trfho sshorter than her COM
panion. Mrs. Chapman who statuesque brunette
Of perhaps i've feet eight nine
"reathed in smiles and apparently radsntiy happy.
They were going Europe their husbands
and evidently the prospect pleased them.
Two or three times while they inside I walked
past the place glimpses of them through
the window. The 10 be slipping at
glasses Of Rhine vine. while they talked gray
whiskered who other side of the table.
Mrs. Becker did the talking. The ightheart-
edness that marked her the street had de-
parted She spoke earnestly and seriously. The
listened, almost sadly
While I waiting sent a newsboy to call a
hack driver who had often driven business trips
and when. about II O'Clock, left the saloon
I to follow ha not taken
into account the possibility that the driver might
with the accustomed didn't. He came
with what fashionable turnout of the
time-a Clarence coach by horses. This
fact is of Importance only the semcircuIar
front Of the coach glass ] dressed like
a stevedore-souch hat, shirt rough trousers
waistcoat. I had contemplated the pos
sibilty that my work that day might take me along
the docks. and had dressed accordingly.
However. there was nothing but jump into
the tell the driver to follow the women
wherever they went They in through
finally turned into Lexington avenue
I remember with what amazement l stared a
by others who drove fashionable carriages my
own. Behind the semicircle of glass l like the
modern demonstrators" a show window-apparently
a stevedore seeing the sights day.
Near the corner Of Twenty-second street--at the
number which the aged said they might get
the red trunk-the carriage containing the women
halted AS they aIighted up steps to the
house that they again happy, froic-
women who were overjoyed the prospect O
seeing their husbands All of the earnestness and
the seriousness with which o Mrs Beck
sad eyed father been swept away in swirl
Of smiles.
Ten minutes after the closed upon them a serv-
ant came out with some hand baggage He placed
the carriage the drivers feet and went back
after some watched carefully red
trunk, but it did not come In few
women appeared, still smiling. They entered their
carriage driven up Lexington avenue to
Twenty-eghth street, then up Broadway
! followed along in my Clarence coach, keeping
half block behind They went straight up
Broadway to Eighth there to the
Forty-eighth street house that Herring had told me
they entered the prem
trunk brought few minutes
later the followed
Telling my driver be Them 1
my pursuit They drove straight cort-
landt street and secluded in their carriage went