The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-03-09
A CLEVER ROBBERY
$4,000 Stolen From an
Aged Broker.
LOSS UNDISCOVERED 4 DAYS
Thieves Jostle 86-Year-0ld Man,
Steal Envelope of Stocks and
Substitute One Containing
Old Newspapers.
LOSS UNDISCOVERED 4 DAYS

New York. March by carefully
played ruse on the part Of two men
who, the police believe. were entirely
familiar with his daily and business
habits, Aaron Bancroft, an eighty-six-
year-old member Of the brokerage
house Of George Bancroft q CO., was
last Thursday joslled and robbed IN
the Produce Exchange building OF a
portfolio of securities worth about
5000.
For twenty-five years it has been
Mr.. Bancroft's habit every Thursday
afternoon TO deposit the firms valu-
ables in box rented by them from
the Deposit and Storage company. The
distance from his offices TO the vaults
is not more than 200 feet, and any
one making the trip is in constant
sight OF the Office windows.
Last Thursday Mr. Bancroft PLACED
his securities in large envelope, tied
with tape. and with the firms name
printed upon IL. A flight Of steps leads
from the street level entrance TO the
vaults. As Mr. Bancroft reached the
bottom OF the steps he noticed a young
man. whom he only remembers as
rather understood leaning against
the corridor wall.
Stranger Knocks Him Down.
Just as Mr.. Bancroft was about TO
turn the corner, at the end Of the cor
rider, tall man came running in the
opposite direction and came into col
lision with the aged broker. The shock
threw Mr. Bancroft of his feet, and
in falling he dropped the envelope.
That was the cue for the under
sized" young man. He stepped up to
Mr.. Bancroft, assisted him to his feet.
and was so sollcitOus as to tuck the
envelope under the brokers' arm. Al
least Mr. Bancroft thought it was the
envelope that fell. He went on to de-
post it in his box as usual.
Monday when his son, George Ban
croft. unlocked the box he found that
the only envelope there contained
three old newspapers. \ clever substi-
tuition had been effected.
Both the firm Of George Bancroft &
Co.. OF which the son is the head. aud
the private detectives working on the
case were convinced that the substi-
tuition was worked by men who had
made a close study OF the Bancrofts.
The robbers evidently knew the day
and hour it was the firms custom TO
deposit its securities, and that Mr..
Bancroft habitually carried them in
an envelope OF a certain appearance.
for they provided themselves in ad-
vance with a close duplicate.
Securities Are Valuable.
The securities we're railroad and in
dustrial stocks which easily could be /
hypOthecated almost anywhere in tue I
United States The certificates in I
cluded 100 shares OF Lehigh Valley, /
800 shares of Shelters. 30 shares Of I
New York Central, 200 shares OF 4
Brooklyn Rapid Transit, 500 Distillers'
Securities, 60 shares OF Steel common,
10 shares Of Atchison. 80 shares Of
American Beet Sugar, 40 shares OF
Amalgamated Copper and 100 shares
Of Missouri Pacific.
William NJ. Sullivan. attorney for
the Bancrofts. said the numbers Of all
the missing certificates were in the
firms possession. Part OF the securi-
ties had been transferred to the name
Of the Bancrofts. and less apprehc'
sion was felt about the robbers le
izing on them than on the other,
which had not been transferred.