The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-06
He LOST 100000
Aged Broker on His Way to
Deposit Vault
Is JOstled by Tall Stranger and
Drops Envelope.
SHORT MAN TO RESCUE
Helps Him Up and Restores the
Fallen Package.
When Opened Later 1t Contain
ed Only Old Papers.

New, York, March 6-Aaron Ban
croft, a broker, Sc years old, was
robbed last Thursday afternoon of Sc
curities approximately $1O0, 600 in the
vestibule of the Produce Exchange
safety deposit storage company, but he
did not discover his loss until today
For the last 25 years it has been Mr.
Bancroft's habit every Thursday after
noon to deposit the firms valuables in
box rented from the Deposit and
Storage company. The distance from
his office to the vaults is not more
than 200 feet and anyone making the
trip is in constant in sight of the Of
flee windows. Thursday Mr.. Bancroft
placed securities worth about 800, 900
in a large envelope, tied with red tape
and with the firms name printed III
the corner. Alone, he walked from his
office. Mr. Bancroft says he noticed a
young man whom he only remembers
as rather understood leaning against
the corridor wall.
Just as the broker was about to turn
the corner at the end of the corridor
tall man came running around the
corner in the opposite direction and
Mr.. Bancroft off his feet and in falling
he dropped the envelope.
The unders'Zed young man who had
been leaning against the corridor wall
stepped up to Mr.. Bancroft, assisted
him to his feet and was solicitous TO
tuck the fallen envelope under his arm.
At least Mr.. Bancroft thought 1T was
the envelope that fell.
He went on to deposit 1t in the
vault. This morning when his son,
George bancroft, unlocked the box
to check up the securities before
the opening of business for the week
he found the only envelopes there con-
tanned three old newspapers.
Robbers Were Posted.
The robbers undoubtedly knew on
what day it was the firms custom to
deposit it's securities and at what hour.
They knew that Mr.. Bancroft habitual-
ly carried them in an envelope OF GER
tain appearance, for they provided
themselves with so close an imitation
that it deceived the broker.
The securities were made up of rail-
road and industrial stocks which could
easily be hypothecated in any took
brokers' house in the United States
having connection with the stock ex-
change. The certificates included 100
shares of Lehigh Valley. $50 shares OF
Smelters, 800 shares of New York Cen
trail 200 shares of Brooklyn Transit,
steel common, ten shares of Atchison,
80 shares of American Beet Sugar, 40
shares Amalgamated and 100 shares of
Missouri Pacific.
So bold a robbery in daylight. in
the heart of the financial district,
shocked the police like an exploded
bomb shell. Years ago Inspector
Byrnes had drawn a deadline across
the city at Fulton street. below which
he ordered that no crook or pick
pocket should go on even an innocent
errand, under pain of instant trouble
with the police.
The order was tested and found to
be seriously intended. Having tried it,
the criminals obeyed, and for years the
financial district was the safest place
in the world for a man with large
sums of money or valuable securities
on his person.