The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-03-09
.pICKPOCKETS ROB
new YORK BROKER
OF VAST FORTUNE
Men Knowing Habits of Victim,
Lay In Wait for Him In Cor
rider Of the Safe De-
post Vaults.

New York, March Z. = Aaron Ban
croft. broker SO, years old, was
robbed last Thursday afternoon OF
securities worth approximately 100000
in the vestibule of the Produce Elk
change Safety Deposit & Storage cont
pany, but he did not discover his loss
until today.
For the last 25 years IL has been Mr..
Bancroft's habit every Thursday after
noon to deposit the firms valuables In
a box rented from the deposit 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. Thursday
Mr.. Bancroft placed securities worth
about 100000 in large envelope, tied
with red tape and with the firms name
printed in the corner. Alone he walked
from his office.
Mr.. Bancroft says he noticed a young
man whom he only remembers as rath-
or understood leaning against the corri-
dor wall.
Collide With Victim.
Just as the broker was about to turn
the corner at the end of the corridor a
tall man came running around the cor
ner in the opposite direction and col
lided with him. The shock threw Mr..
Bancroft off his feet and in falling he
The undersized young man, who was
leaning against the corridor wall step
ped 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 it was the
envelope that fell, as he went on 10
deposit It in the vault.
This morning his son, George Ban.
croft. unlocked the box 10 check UP
the securities before the opening o.
business for the week, he found that
the only envelope there contained three
old newspapers.
Knew Victim's Habits.
Thu 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
certain appearance. for they provided
themselves with so close an imitation
that 1t deceived the broker.
The securities were Of railroad ana
Industrial stocks, which could easily
house in the United States having con-
nections with the New York exchange.
The certificates included 100 shares of
Lehigh Valley, 800 shares Of Shelters,
80 shares of New York Central, 200
shares Of Brooklyn Rapid Transit. 500
SeCuTltleS, % SldTeS VI oteel
common, 10 shares of Atchison, 30
shares of American Beet Sugar 40
shares Of Analgamated Copper and 100
shares Of Missouri Pacific.
So bold robbery in the daylight
In the very heart Of the financial dis
trict shocked the police like an ex.
ploded bombshell. Years ago Inspector
Byrnes had drawn a deadline across
the city at Fulton, below which he
ordered that no crook or pickpocket
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 il
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.
William M. Sullivan, attorney for the
Bancrofts, said this afternoon that the
numbers Of all the missing certificates
were I'm the firms possession. Part OF
the securities had been transferred to
the name of the Bancrofts, ne said,
and less apprehension was felt about
the robbers realizing promptly on the
securities so transferred than on the
others. which had not undergone the
transferring process