Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-06
ROBBER STEALS
$1,000 IN CASH
FROM RAILWAY
STRONG BOX OF LOS ANGELES
PACIFIC LOOTED
DARING THEFT DISCOVERED MON
DAY; SILVER UNTOUCHED
Combination Unbroken and Yale Lock
Not Damaged-Unknown Em-
ploye Suspected by
Detectives

A ROBBERY WITH ledIuTeS dlIilOSt
u identical with the recent theft
"A of $4,000 from the Los Angeles
postoffice, was reported to the police
yesterday morning by officials of the
Los Angelese-Pacific Railway company
who stated that strong box on the
second floor of the building, 431 South
Hill street. had been opened Sunday
night and $500 in gold and currency
stolen.
The case presents many puzzling
features. After a thorough invesu-
tion, the detectives assigned to the
mystery are inclined to the opinion
that in was an inside job. or else
committed by a person familiar with
the doings in the cashiers office.
The only clew upon which the de-
tectives could work was a few finger
marks on the woodwork of the door
leading into the room where the cash
box is kept. The money is not placed
i'm safe, but a regular strong box,
which has a combination the same as
a safe, and the money was taken
without the combination being bro
ken. There were no signs of breaking
and the entrance to the room in which
the money was kept was gained by
the use of key, which fitted the Yale
lock.
Discovered by Cashier
When Cashier George H. Clark
opened the strong box yesterday morn
Ing 1t was discovered that the con-
tents of the safe had been tampered
with
The Fourth Of July traffic had been
unusually heavy, and when Cashier
Clark closed the office Tuesday night
Il is said he placed in the strong box
$3700 in gold and currency and several
in silver All that was left Tuesday
morning was the silver.
Whether the thief did not care to
take chances with carrying the silver
about, or whether he was frightened
away before he could complete his
work, is a matter the detectives are
asked to solve.
Much secrecy was manifested by the
officials of the railway company in
speaking of the robbery. They refused
to state just how much money had
been stolen. and other than to state
that a robbery had been committed
they were silent. The facts. however,
were reported to the Los Angeles de-
tectives.
Door Opened by Key
It is known that the Yale lock on
the door entering into the room where
the strong box was kept was
opened by a key and not by
force; also that the combina-
tion on the strong box was
worked without force and by some
one familiar with the combination, or
else by a person who succeeded in
working it by chance. Yesterday morn
ing when the robbery was discovered
the strong box was found closed as
usual and the combination was intact
but left in such way that the lid
of the box could be easily lifted.
1t is said that but three persons
were supposed to know the combina-
tion. These are the cashier, assistant
cashier and the auditor, and that four
persons were supposed to have keys
to the room-the three mentioned and
the janitor.
Several of the employees are under
surveillance. The only possibility of
the theft being committed by an out
side party according to the police
theory, is that someone might have
watched the cashier when he placed
the money away, and then succeeded in
having a key made to fit the door and,
by chance, solved the combination.
Officers Are Reticent
George l.. Bugbee, auditor and Sec
retary of the Los Angeles Pacific Rail
way company, would not discuss the
case in detail last night, and refused
to talk further when asked who had
keys in their possession that would
afford them entrance to the room
where the money was kept.
Mr.. Bughee said: "There was a rob-
berry, but we do not know how much
money is missing. I don't think it is
$1,000. l am inclined to believe that 1t
is less. but we will not know for a
certainty until tomorrow morning
have no suspicious or clews that
care to discuss"
r. p. Sherman, general manager OF
the company, could not be located last
night, and 1t was stated that he was
not in Los Angeles.
George III. Clark, the cashier, could
not be located and the clerks at the
Hill street station declared that they
were under orders not to discuss the
case.
The detectives are sure that it will
take but little time to clear up the
mystery. as every employe is being
closely watched and as the denom-
nations of the stolen money are
known, 1t is believed that any attempt
to pass it win result in an immediate
arrest.