Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-12-01
CRAFTSMAN MAY
BE NOTED CROOK
DRAFTS FOUND IN EFFECTS
FOR LARGE SUMS
SURPRISED AT WORK HE GIVES
POLICE BATTLE
Papers Show Man Has Travelled All
over the World and Is
Follower of Race
Meets
ASSOCIATED Pressl

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 30.-A
burglar arrested here early today
while robbing a Market street saloon,
after u desperate battle with three po-
licemen, Is believed by the local police
to be one of the biggest cracksmen in
the country.
He Is booked at the central station
as James B. Rogers, but he had among
his effects cards, checks and drafts
bearing the name of John Bennett
Rogers of Seattle, Berlin, London and
Paris.
Among the checks were drafts pay
able to self and drawn on the Puget
Sound National bank for as much as
$4,000. There was also a letter from
the Puget Sound National bank Of
Seattle noting the fact that 5000 francs
had been cabled to John b. Rogers at
Paris. The same bank had also given
John B. Rogers letters of introduction
to the First National bank of New
York There was also letter from
Berlin signed by Dora Rogers and a
life insurance policy for $4,000 drawn
in favor of Rogers wife, Dora.
Member of Touts' Club
Among the other cards in the suit
case of the prisoner a membership card
in the Editorial club of this city.
The police claim that this club was
an organization of race track gamblers
who operated here during the last rae
ing season.
One of the drafts on the Puget Sound
National bank of Seattle was made
payable to the J. B. Rogers Wholesale
Wine and Spirit company of 1923 First
avenue, SeattlR
In addition to the legal and Seattle
cards, and drafts, there were drafts on
London and Liverpool banks and cor
respondents with various transatlantic
steamship companies.
All of the accused mans personal eff
fects are marked 81. b. r." and they
are of the style that a prosperous man
of good taste would wear.
Found Cracking Safe
Rogers was trying to crack the safe
of a saloon where considerable money
is kept on deposit. The patrolman on
the beat discovered him at work and
summoned two other officers before at
tempting to capture him. The three
grappled with the burglar before he had
time to draw his revolver, but it was
only after a fierce battle that he was
s1bdued.
His outfit is one of the most complete
that has ever fallen into the hands Of
the local police.
To Captain of Detectives Anderson
the burglar stoutly maintained that he
was John b. Rogers, and that the
checks and drafts in his suit case have
always been his property. He was par
ticularly anxious that none of the
drafts be lost, and warned the de-
tectives not TO mislay any of the
property while they were examining
the contents of his suit case.
Identified by Hotel Man
]. ]. Crawford of the Won Dorm hotel.
at which he passed two years, leav-
ing there last year with the close of
the local racing season. While at, the
hotel Rogers dressed fashionably and
spent money freely. According to
Crawford, the man changed his clothes
four times daily.
To Crawford he explained that he
was a remittance man and that he re-
ceived large sums of money from
wealthy relatives i'm England.
The prisoner does not deny that he
is J. b. Rogers, and in defense of his
action asserted that he committed the
deed to secure money to join his wire,
who has just returned to the United
States after extensive travels in Europe
and Egypt.
In spite of the fine kit of burglar
tools found in his possession, Rogers
declares that 1t was his first attempt
to crack a safe. In explanation OF ms
possession Of the tools Rogers declared
he had been rooming with burglar,
who disappeared after planning to as
sist him to crack the safe.
Say He Is Deraneed
Rogers friends in Seattle assert he
is mentally unbalanced
J. ]. Crawford, the hotel manager
who knew him here, has interested
himself in his behalf and will leave
for Seattle tomorrow to endeavor TO
procure assistance for him. A feature
Of fhe case that puzzles the police is
the feet that Rogers in his converse
ton frequently lapses from the use OF
good English to the jargon of the pro
fessional crook.
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