The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1912-08-05
Is Said to Have Secured Over $780,.
600 Worth of Plumber Which
Filled Nine Trunks.
CAUGHT BY PINKERTON MEN
Had Been Trailed Since May and
Was Landed Saturday While Max
ing Bank Deposit.

Guthrie, a graduate of Armour In
stitute and former teacher in the
Englewood high school, was locked
up at Central station shortly after
noon Saturday as the perpetTator of
the most extraordinary series of bur-
glaries and forgeries ever committed
in Chicago.
Compared with Guthrie's exploits
the celebrated 900 sub-treasury
robbery almost pales into insignifi-
canoe. The plumber already recov-
cred by the police is estimated by
them to be worth 100000. When
this plumber was dug out of nine big
trunks and spread out in the base
ment of Central station, it made that
dingy apartment look like the in
terror of Ali Baba's cave.
Besides this Guthrie got $11,SOO
in a period of twenty-four days. It
is known also that he has stocks and
bonds worth about $4,000. He has,
in addition, admitted he speculated
extensively through the brokerage
firm of Babcock, Rushton & Co., and
it is said he lost money in these
operations.
Credit for Guthries capture be-
longs to Hugh c, McCaffery, an oper-
ative Of the Pinkerton detective
agency. McCaffery has been on the
mans trail since May and has pur-
sued him with all the craft of an
expert thief. But McCaffery want
ed Guthrie only for forgery. He
did not suspect the man also was a
burglar, and, in fact, when that idea
was suggested to him, as he first took
the trail he scoffed at it,
Lieutenant James Markham of Can
tain Halpin's staff made the discov-
cry that Guthrie had dabbled in an
other branch of crime besides for
gerry. That discovery was made onlv
by an accident. Markham caught
the prisoner while he was being
searched at the station trying to
swallow two bits of paper. The two
DTS OF paper were taken from his
throat and connected Guthrie with
even more sensational and success
full burglaries.
The victims in this instance were
prominent society people. Guthrie
went to the society columns to get
the names of people to rob and
robbed the people who were sojourn-
ing abroad or wintering in Florida.
A list of the burglaries he has COM
m1tted is as follows: Mrs. Otto
Young, 2032 Calumet avenue, Jewell
ry, silverware and brooches valued
at $4,000.
Mrs. Sarah H. Kellogg, 1928 Prai-
RE avenue, oil paintings ,silverware
and furs valued at $4,000.
Samuel Wallerton, 1918 Prairie
avenue, silverware and furs valued
at $1,000.
William R. Sterling, 1916 Prairie
avenue, jewelry worth $4,000.
Mrs. M. O. Stone, 2O35 Prairie
avenue, Mrs. Charles E. Ford. 1929
Drexel boulevard.
Not content with these and pro-
ceeds of former burglary, the for
mer schoolmaster took to forgery,
That led to his undoing. One day
in March he read that Mrs. Ella Will
son of Drexel boulevard was about
to go to Japan. He watched until
she was we'll on her way across the
Pacific and then he began to write
checks with Mrs. Wilson's signature
at the bottom of them. Guthrie
were on the Central Trust company.
Mrs. Wilson was away and the bank
could not question them. Guthrie
secured $11,800 in the society wo-
mans name. He made savings de-
posts at the Illinois Trust company
On April "a he checked out his &C.
count. The forgery was discovered
when the clerks made the monthly
balance.