New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-07-03
TWO PASSENGERS ROBBED
ON STEAMSHIP AMER|KA
Much Mystery Made of Thefts of
JeWeIry and Money Aggre-
eating $1,000.
CUSTOMS MEN THWARTED
But for Reticence of Officials and
Victims Jewelry Might Have
Been Found-Gamblers
Were on Board.

The Hamburg-American liner Amer
ika arrived here yesterday from Ham
burg with a clever thief on board Two
passengers were robbed of about $1,000
worth of jewelry and cash, and a strong
effort was made by the ships officers
and representatives of the line to keep
the matter quiet.
There was an attempt by the steam
ship people to make a mystery of the
identity of the persons whose Jewels and
money We're taken. although a wireless
request for detectives to meet the ship
was sent out from the Amerika by
Julius P Meyer, the assistant general
manager of the line. who was a pas
senger
Four men, thought to be professional
gamblers. were observed in the smoking
room on the first day out of port, and
the ships officers at once intimated that
they were the persons responsible for the
thefts. The police and detectives of Ho-
boken and Jersey City who were on the
case yesterday do not believe the jewels
were taken by these men. as it is not
the habit of professional gamblers to do
that sort of thing.
When the men We're suspected of pre-
pairing for a series of crooked games of
bridge and poker a notice of warning
was posted in various parts OF the
steamer. and they did not play. Assum-
ing that the gamblers had then resOrted
to thieving. the ships officers were in
clined to charge them with the thefts-
Mrs. George Stratford. of No. 503 Gar
field avenue. Jersey City. was one of the
victims of the Amerika's thief She was
sitting on deck reading several days ago
and suddenly left her steamer chair
There were few passengers on deck at
the time. Mrs, Stratford had a chatelaine
bag in her lap containing about $500
worth of jewels and $50 in cash.
Intending to return to the chair in A
few minutes, she flung her magazine and
handbag on the seat and went into her
stateroom- When she came back to her
chair the bag was missing a search
was made about the deck. but without
result. No one had seen the bag. and
there was no one near it when Mrs
Stratford left the deck
When the loss was reported to Captain
Knuth and Mr.. Schultz the purser. it
became known that a male passenger
also had been robbed of earrings and
other jewelry belonging to his wife The
Jewels. which were valued at 81 600.
were taken from a package in his vest
pocket.
Refused to Search Ship.
According to several passengers who
arrived yesterday on the Amerika. Mrs
Stratford became greatly excited over
her loss, and on learning that there had
been another theft of a large amount
she wanted passengers and staterooms
searched. When told that this could not
be done she made a formal complaint to
the captain and asked his assistance in
recovering her jewelry
II was said that Mrs. Stratford sent a
wireless message to her brother in Jer-
sey City telling of the loss and asking
that detectives he sent down the bay TO
meet the Amerika. Two detectives from
HOIlCt IiSdtidudi tti III Jersey tllS ulu
go down to Quarantine and there board
ed the Amerika but their investigation
brought no results With them was d
detective named Prescott. who il was
said had been engaged by Mrs STRAIT
ford's brother.
When the Amerika locked much mys-
terry was thrown about the affair by
every one concerned. John Raczkiewicz.
the deputy surveyor of customs in
charge of the pier. learned of the rob-
berry and offered to be of service in
helping to recover the jewelry, but he
could get no facts concerning the rob
berv from Mrs Stratford or her friends.
When Mrs. Stratford was called up on
the telephone at her home yesterday she
said she preferred to have her son an
sver questions. man who declared he
was her son said his mother did not send
a wireless message 10 her brother asking
for the service of detectives He said
the call for police help was sent from the
steamer by Julius P. Meyer, general
manager of the neutrality-suspicious.
Line. who was a passenger on the
steamer.
Asked for an approximate estimate of
the value of the jewelry contained In the
Continued on second page.