Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-12
$4,000 HUNT
FAILS To LAND
$1,000 ROBBER
Southern Express Mystery Still
UnsoIyed After Scores Seek
CIews for Month.
EMPLOYEES ARE WATCHED
Companies Grieve Most Over
Failure of 'InfaIIibIe System
of Guarding vaIuabIes.
ARE WATCHED

There are all the makings of as
pretty a mystery down Savannah way
as ever popped from the pages Of
Conan Doyle or Poe. To-day, more
than a month since the theft Of s71,-
600 was discovered by the Southern
Express Company, through which ii
had been consigned to Georgia banks,
not the slightest breath Of a clew has
been found to fix any guilt
Yet every special agent and de-
tective In the employ of the Southern
and the Adams Express companies has
entered the hunt, executive officers
are racking their brains and sighting
other duties, Pinkertons and local de-
tectives everywhere between New
York and Savannah have been com
missioned to ind the money or the
thieves, and thousands OF dollars are
being spent in the investigation.
Every foot OF right of way of the
Southern and the Adams companies
between New York and Savannah has
been secured. Every employee who
mlsht be IN any way connected with
handling or even viewing the money
has been investigated. his past and
nresent life, his habits, his tastes,
even his thoughts, so far as possible,
have been studied. Still there 10 no
oiew.
Failure Of ESysten" 5e~slled.
Il is not the loss of the money that
stings the two great express compa-
niea Their officials have announced
that they are prepared to spend much
mora than that amount to md the
robber Their grief arises from the
fact that their infallible system" has
gone awry. This system has protect
ed vaiuables before this. 1t Was
thought impossible to disturb the
contents of any consignment without
sign Of some sort being left that
would point to the robber.
There must be some irregulartty'
said the express companies men, with
serene confidence. There may be
thefts but the thief could not get
away with his haul without discovery
and arrest, they declared.
Until this ST. 800 robbery occurred
all went well. But now the Wanted
system" has proved fallible, the
money has vanished as into air, with
out trace being left of its disap-
pearancs.
Two express messengers are named
in connection with the shipment OF
the money. w. L. Schindell, of New
York, came with the strong box from
60 -
where it was transferred to l. Z.
Bryan, who took it into Savannah.
Both these men are at the DeSoto
Hotel in Savannah. They are being
kept there by the companies while
the investigation is conducted They
are allowed to 60 where they please,
but are never out of sight of one OF
the company's men.
Both Men Under Guard.
The officials and detectives are
frank in admitting they have investl-
gated the two young men. SchindeI
Is said to move in the second-class
vaudeville set in New York, but he
has never been known to drink to eX-
cess or to play the white lights. Bry-
an, a country boy, lives at Florence,
and runs only as far as Savannah.
His habits are said to be good.
The ST. 800 was consigned by the
Georgia banks; $4,000 was going to
Georgia banks; $500 was going to
the Savannah Bank and Trust Com
pany and $4,000 each to banks in Sa-
vannah, Albany, Brunswick AMI Val
d0sta. The remaining $500 was being
sent to a private commercial house.
The money was sent in bills Of small
denominations, none being larger
than $40. To ascertain whether one
man could have successfully made
away with the amount, similar pack
ages were made up. They weighed
rs pounds, and were very bulky, prov
Ing that II would have been impos-
sible to conceal 1t about the person
Of any man,
Sent In Steel Box.
Messenger Schindell received the
money at Jersey City, from the agent
Of the Adams Express Company. It
was in a steel strong box with bills
Of lading on the inside. The top Of
the box was worked by combination
known only to the agents at each
end Of the line There was an inner
door, locked by a key, which was
placed in a sealed envelope between
the inner and the outer door.
When Schindell received the box at
Jersey City he complained of the
seals looking bad" But refusal to
USCSpl money Shipment Is SERIOUS
matter. The express companies have
q policy of severely reprimanding its
agents If they cause delays in ship
ments of currency, as the banks file
claims for interest on the large
amount, even when the delay is for
one day. So Schindell, although de-
claring the seals were looking bad"
talked it over with the agent at Jer-
sey City, and decided to accept the
package. Bryan made no. complaint
Concerning the seals when the ship
ment was placed in his hands at
Florence.
The box was delivered in Savannah
september 10. The express agent
placed it in the hands of the super
ihtendent, who opened it.
There was no irregularity. The
oils of lading called for 1855 and no
more. That amount was in its place
Search Costs 100000.
Funny remarked the agent,
That's mighty big box for such a
little money"
The bills Of lading for the big
amount had been taken together with
me money. Therefore the express Of
metals in Savannah were astounded
When the Savannah Bank and Trust
Company sent for its s51 900. A tele-
gram corroborated the announcement
Il IT. Ia