New-York tribune., 1911-03-26
TWo.Thirds of Those Taken from
A.. Bancroft Restored.
TURNED OVER TO ATTORNEY
According to His Story He Got
Them in This City-$22,0 900
Worth Still Missing.

About two-thirds Of the bonds and So
curities stolen from Aaron Bancroft,
member Of the firm Of George Bancroft
f. Co.. at No. 16 Beaver street, when nc
was carrying them to the safe deposit
vaults Of the Produce Exchange on
March o were recovered night before
last by william ~ sullivan, of No. 30
Nassau street. the lawyer who had been
looking for them night and day since tho
loss became known. Yesterday he
turned over all the facts in the case tn
District Attorney whitman Tomorrow
ho oxpects that the other third of the
booty will be returned to its rightfui
owner.
Mr.. Sullivan said last night that he
did not see how he could convict the
men from whom he regained the bonds
of stealing them. because Mr.. Bancroft
would not be able To identify them as the
men who had jostled him on the day OF
tho theft: but he could. Of course. send
them I'D for receiving stolen goods. tic
stated IL as his belief that these men
we're still IN the city. and that they had
thc rest OF the securities in their pos
session
The thieves. he said, had tried to get
rid of the stolen property in Boston on
tho day after the robbery, or two days
before tho loss became known. IheS
had been offered hc thought. Si1,pD FOR
the lot. but refused to take Jess thah
SINUOO. The total value OF the bonds
r.ss only q little more than 100000. ac-
cording 10 the lawyer. Everything was
recovered on Friday night except '""
shares of American Smeltcr Company
stock. worth about S22,ND.
Losing this one opportunity to dispose
Of their booty. the thieves found IL I'M
possihje to do so thereafter without hah-
ger of discovery Before another chan'c
presented itself to them every bank ana
,rust companv i'm the United states had
he on notified of the loss. AZ Weil as every
member Of the stock Exchange ana
every police department
4 reward Of $4,000 was offered for the
return Of the property. that being ap-
nroximatelv the amount which 1t WOULD
have cost 10 duplicate the securities In
cases OF duplication bond OF indefnhl'E
is required. which would have amounted
i'm this instance to about S2In,p", ana
tho cost of such a bond would have
about ecualed the reward offered. ihe
process. however, would have required
p wear and consequently entailed the loss
Of a large sum Of money.
Mr.. Sullivan refused Yesterday to re
Iate tho details of the recovery OF the
bonds. but he intimsted that they we're
sufficiently exciting, even for man ot
his wry build.
II obtained them myself on FRIDAY
niph, - no said. Gin this city snd alone.
I acted quickly and for the best inter
ests of my client. had 10 act quickly.
It was said elsewhere. however, that
when the thieves found things becoming
foo hot for them they got into communi-
cation with the lawyer and offered 10
return the goods for the reward men
toned Mr.. sullivan went alone TO fhe
spot indicated by them. according 10 the
story. but when he found certain OF the
securities missing refused 10 hand over
the money. Thereupon. 1t Ia said ne
found himself face to face with the muz-
zle of a revolver and changed his n1iho.
He was allowed To depart. ii was said.
without the S60D and with only $1,000
worth of the securities. II was stated
that Mr.. Sullivan had been in coinmuh-
cation with the thieves for some time.
and this statement was borne out last
night by the fact that the lawyer as
serted rather mysteriously that no was
sure Mr. Bancroft's story of the robbery
was true i'm every respect.