The sun., 1909-11-05
PURSER'S CASH BOX LOOTED
$4,000 STOLEN FROM SAFE ON
THE PRIME JOACHIM.

while Purser Meefel was studying tine
Election Methods some Ono Got at the
Inner strong Box-Evidently nm In
side JOb-Rsom steward Is Missing.
During the excitement that attends
the disembarkment OF passengers steam
ship purser cannot be- every place, but
there's one purser. August Hoefel OF the
steamer Prinz Joachim OF the Atlas SER
vice OF the Hamburg American Line, who
now regrets that he left his room for about
six hours on election day. During the
purser's absence somebody entered his
room and took about 5000 in American
currency from the ships safe.
The Prinz Joachim. in from Jamaica
and South American ports of call. was
warped into Pier 1. North River. during
the late forenoon Tuesday. The 5000.
or so (somebody at the Hamburg Ameri-
can Offices said last evening that it was
%. se5. to be exact) was in American money
that had been received from passengers
in exchange for English and South Ameri-
can money during the last trip. The cur
rency was placed In a box at Jamaica
and looked in the purser's safe.
When things had quieted down a bit
nlbcf PaeconkoTS dhu tEutt NJ haA
been put ashore at Pier I Purser Hoefel
decided to come ashore and see how cleo
ton day looked. Shortly after o'clock
in the evening he returned to the ship
for dinner and to get some ready cash to
60 to q theatre.
The door OF his room. which is on the
main deck forward. was locked. as IL
should be. when he returned. As he
grabbed the knob Of the ships big safe.
however, to work the combination he
was surprised to find that although the
safe was closed the door OF II was un-
locked. Purser Hoefel momentarily was
rec ssured when he found that the inner
door of the safe leading to the strong
box was locked, but his heart fell again
when he unlocked this inner door and
found that the strong box had been
rihed OF more than 5000. cash. all 1t
contained.
The purser told Capt. Won Leitner Of
the robbery Immediately. By this time
the vessel was ready to proceed to the
Hamburg American pier at the foot of
West Twenty sixth street, where she is
to remain until her sailing time tomorrow
Capt. Won Leitner and Capt. Yake:
superintendent OF the West Twenty
sixth street pier. notified the West
Twentieth street station. and beginning
early yesterday morning the ship and
her crew received lot OF attention from
Detectives Lesson, Daikman and Moody
OF Headquarters. who are booking for
the thief.
Just few minutes after the purser
discovered that the money had been
stolen some OF the ships Investigators
| ran across in q room just adjoining the
purser's Office a coat and hat belonging
to one OF the stewards assistants. In
a side pocket Of the coat was found a
bunch Of keys. among which were keys
to the door OF the purser's room and
keys to the inner door OF the safe.
Officials Of the line said last night that
Il soon was learned. furthermore, that
the piirser's room steward. Max Runge.
was missing from the ship and has not
Rmge has made two trips on the Prinz
Joachim. Ho is from Hamburg and
has been in the employ OF the line for some
time. Only recently he was transferred
from one OF the lines transatlantic
boats 10 the Prinz Joachim. Men from
the Hamburg-American Offices and the
police tried to fndlRunge all day yester-
day. but 30 far they have met with no
success. Runge assisted Purser Hoefel
to place the money in the safe:
Whoever got away with the money
had an easy time OF it. No explosives
or jimmies were necessary, evidently.
no marks Of any kind on either the door
| to the purser's room or ON the outer
OF inner doors OF the safe.
The thief doubtless not only had keys
to all doors between the deck and the
money but also knew the combination
OF the safe. Capt. Won Leitner and Capt.
Yake spent some time in consultation
with General Superintendent Emil Boaz
at the lines Broadway Offices yesterday
afternoon, but so far as could be learned
no progress toward making an arrest
had been made up to the time OF closing