Gilpin observer., 1908-07-16


agent was busily engaged in the way
bill department of the station at four
o'clock in the morning. The agent
was out Of ear-shot 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
Inns and Martin. carrying a valise with
the 10000. took train for Corning, N.
Y; 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 of 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 inno-
cent accomplice, he was a profession
al burglar with a checkered career.
Proctor, when he began the serious
part of his life, was frst-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, and in a few
years he had Joined group Of east
ern burglars, acting for them as q
| filter" 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
| became acquainted with Charles Bul.
lard, fellow convict, who was serv.
| ing a 20-year term for breaking into
| 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 deftly hid in
the top of the organ. One eventful
night Proctor. Bullard and seven other
long-term convicts escaped. Proctor
and Bullard 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. Aftetr that Proctor got work
in the Toronto safe works, and after
awhile was promoted to travelling
salesmanship. When he sold safe
he arranged the combination. and Bull
lard would follow him little later
and rob the safe. The suspicion Of
the safe company eventually caused
his dismissal.
On another occasion Proctor at.
tempted to break jail but did not meet
with his usual success. He pried the
bars Off the cell door, but when he
reached the corridor the sheriff
stopped him at the point Of the pis-
tol As result Of this he was sen.
fenced to eight years solitary con.
flnement, part OF this for his original
offense and two years for attempting
to break Jail. A week after this
pieces Of paper were found on the
floor Of his cell bearing the impres.
sions OF the key Of his cell door. the
corridor door. and the door leading to
the street. It was after he had served
this sentence that he went to Sus-
quehanna and lived as an honest man
until the opportunity came for him 70
take part in the great safe robbery.
The King Of Burglars" as Proctor
was called, was given a long sentence
for the Susquehanna express rob.
berry at hard labor in the Eastern pen.
itentiary at Philadelphia. His accom-.
plices, as far a. known, were never
captured.