nTTTTT AVOIR T O 
I J v V JUV-LJJ_z » 
betrayeFby 
HIS THUMB. 
Most Extraordinary Circumstantial 
Evidence in the Express Rob- 
bery Case at New 
Orleans. 
EXPERT OARVALHO A GENIUS. 
Cashier Gurney's Theft of $22,500 from a 
Package of Money Proven by His 
Tell-Tale Thumb Marks 
on the Seal 
STUDIED BY MICROSCOPE AND CAMERA 
Method of Identification 
. arc Up What Seemed 
- c r.3? Impenetrable 
•Mystery. 
The astonishing testimony of David N. 
Carvalho, of this city, in the trial of 
Cashier Gurney, of the American Ex- 
press Company, at New Orleans, last 
week, surpasses anything in the nar- 
ratives of Sherlock Holmes, the English 
criminal detective, whose achievements 
In fiction made the reputation of A. 
Conan Doyle. Nowhere in the fascin- 
ating literature of criminal detection 
has a great crime been traced to its 
source from so small a clue, and nowhere 
in the writings of Poe, Gaboriau or 
Conan Doyle have ingenuity, pains-tak- 
ing industry and originality of method 
so marvelously ilustrated what a power- 
ful aid may science be to justice. 
Indeed the testimony which has now 
been put in against the prisoner at the 
New Orleans Criminal Court has opened 
up an entirely new branch of criminal 
detective science. The linear markings 
on the human thumb are shown to be 
individual, and the testimony of the past 
week has raised the matter of their de- 
cipherment from a theory to a science. 
The facts briefly stated are these: 
On the morning of Oct. 15 $22,500 was 
found to be missing from a safe con- 
taining $50,000, sent from the Bank of 
Commerce, of this city, to the Whitney 
National Bank, of New Orleans. 
The loss was discovered in the office at 
New Orleans of the American Express 
Company, and there was no clue to the 
thief, except a false one, which led the 
detectives a fruitless search. 
THE EXPERT SUMMONED. 
Then an expert in handwriting was 
called in. He began work upon the ex- 
press envelope containing the key of the 
safe, which it accompanied, and discov- 
ered certain marvellous coincidences, one 
of which was apparently designed to 
cast suspicion on the guilty man so as 
to enable him to prove his innocence. 
But he was identified by the expert 
through a faint impression of his thumb 
left in the wax of a broken seal and 
compared with a subsequent impression 
of his thumb. Finally from three other 
points in the envelope his guilt was es- 
tablished. 
The money-safe and the key therefor, 
which was in a separate envelope, ar- 
rived at the New Orleans office of the 
express company at 11 o'clock at night 
on Oct. 14, 1893. Gurney, in his official 
capacity, tore open the envelope in the 
presence of another officer of the com- 
pany, opened the safe, glanced at the 
contents, and remarked: "This package 
is in bad order." 
He threw the torn envelope in the 
w'aste-basket, and remarked that the 
money ought to be counted. Then he 
remarked that it might be unsafe to 
count so large a sum late at night, in 
which the other employee agreed, and, 
recovering the envelope, locked it in the 
office safe. He was left alone in the 
office, arrived there late the following 
morning, and when the money was 
counted the loss was discovered. The 
trial began at New Orleans on Wednes- 
day before a jury of six men, in accord- 
ance with the Code Napoleon, which 
prevails in Louisiana. 
The officers of the company and the 
detectives first directed their attention 
to the mysterious breaking of the metal 
seals on the safe containing the $59,009. 
It is an unusual thing for the metal 
seals on a money safe of this kind, care- 
fully guarded all the way by trusted ex- 
press messengers and constantly in their 
view, to be broken while in transit. 
There appeared to be no doubt that the 
metal seals were missing when the safe 
reached St. Louis. But the envelope 
which accompanied the safe and con- 
tained the key had not been tampered 
with, according to the testimony of the 
express messengers. Thus it was that, 
while the safe and the envelope were 
turned over along the route from one ex- 
press messenger to another and care- 
fully receipted for at each transfer, 
when a statement was also made by 
the messengers as to the condition in 
which each was received, yet no sus- 
picions were entertained that money had 
been taken from the safe, which all knew 
to contain a large amount of money. 
So large was this amount known to 
be, and so careful were the messengers 
of the express company to guard the 
property which had been placed in 
their charge, that on several of the 
"runs" between Buffalo and New Or- 
leans the safe was concealed under piles 
of mail pouches and ordinary express 
nackages, in case a band of train rob- 
bers should "hold up" the train. It is 
now believed that in some of these 
changes, when bags and boxes were 
being piled on top of the safe or taken 
therefrom, the metal seals were acci- 
dentally detached and broken. Never- 
theless, the absence of these seals when 
the loss of the money was discovered at 
New Orleans was naturally the first sus- 
picious circumstance which attracted the 
attention of the company officials and 
detectives. 
ON THE WRONG TRACK. 
But this, as it was afterwards learned, 
at once threw them on the wrong track. 
The investigation was concentrated on 
the "run" after the safe had left Cleve- 
land until the absence ci' the seals had 
been first noticed. Every man who had 
come in contact with the safe during 
that time was brought before the de- 
tectives of the company and examined. 
•The most minute facts were gone into. 
The suspicious fact that a brakeman 
got into the car at Cleveland and got 
out at Toledo was carefully investigated; 
♦he brakemen wa- hunted up. his ante- 
EXHIBIT B-Magnified photograph of the middle seal from the violated en- 
velope, showing the thumb impression of the man who stole the money. 
EXHIBIT C-Wax impression from Gurney's thumb, from a magnified pho- 
tograph. For identification by the strip method it can be cut where the lines 
are marked and then pinned on Exhibit B at the exact spots marked A and B. 
By lifting the separate strips the characteristic lines from both impressions 
may then be compared. 
cedents were taken and his movements 
previously and for some weeks following 
were carefully noted. 
A horde of detectives worked upon the 
case. When the train had stopped and 
the door of the express car had been 
left open all the attending circumstances 
were investigated, the names of those 
people who had been in or near the 
car, the number of minutes which 
elapsed while only one messenger had 
been in the car, the length of time the 
safe had not been in view, its position 
in regard to the door, noises heard by 
the messengers, unusual facts which 
had distracted their attention- from the 
safe, w'hether or not it stood in the 
light-these and a thousand other facts 
were noted, investigated and put to- 
gether in the hope of forming a chain 
of evidence which should fasten the 
crime upon the thief. 
In a case of this kind, of course, the 
express company, and not the consignor 
or the consignee, must bear the loss, and 
the $22,500 was made up by the American 
Express Company. But it is a of 
this company, and, indeed, of u.i ex- 
press companies, to investigate such 
matters to the bottom, to hunt the ras- 
cal down and send him to prison if he 
can be found. In nearly all the States 
and over various county lines, where 
responsibility may easily be thrown off 
by one District-Attorney to another, the 
express companies are compelled to 
maintain a system of criminal-hunting 
of their own. It was in this way that 
the search for the thief was prosecuted 
in half a dozen States, but only in Vain. 
In his office, on Broadway, in this city, 
looking down upon the City Hall Park 
and removed thousands of miles from 
the scene of the crime, the theft of the 
money was fastened upon the prisoner 
by Mr. Carvalho, the modern Sherlock 
Holmes, who had already proved his 
genius as an expert in handwriting in 
line, which hitherto has consisted in the 
main of unearthing forgeries to wills, 
deeds and other documents. But, being 
pressed by the company to undertake the 
work, he soon had h's sympathies en- 
listed and his enthusiasm aroused. How 
well he succeeded has been shown by the 
evidence he has given in the case, and 
which was sprung upon the defense as a 
complete surprise. Mr. Carvalho not 
The mysterious letters on the right and 
left seals. How the mystery was solved, 
only indicated Gurney as the criminal- 
he fastened the crime upon him from the 
evidence of the envelope in four different 
and distinct ways. Not once, but four 
times, did the torn paper envelope reveal 
to the eyes of the expert the criminal, 
the place where the robbery had been 
committed and the time at which the 
money had been extracted form the safe. 
EXAMINED AGAIN AND AGAIN. 
The envelope had been examined again 
and again in the course of the long and 
rigorous detective investigation. It bore 
the names of the express messengers 
along the route who had receipted for it 
and who had each identified and recog- 
nized the other's signature. It was torn 
off at the end in accordance with the 
custom of the agents of the company in 
opening such envelopes, so as to leave 
the seals intact, and Gurney had so torn 
it open in the presence of another em- 
ployee. 
A money envelope had been used to 
contain the key, as it appears there are 
no special envelopes for safe keys. 
From the fact that the money was in the 
safe and not in the envelope, the latter 
was not stitched. Three seals had been 
..put upon it in the office *" ■ Verier 
These seals were made in ...e peculiar 
shiny brown wax only used by the 
American Express Company in the 
money-order department of the New 
York office. Each of these wax impres- 
sions had been stamped with a seal 
bearing the words, "Out Money N. Y.," 
in block letters, the whole of the impres- 
sion covering an oval space a little 
smaller than a silver half dollar. One 
seal was in the centre of the envelope 
and one at either end, in the places 
marked upon the money envelopes for 
the seals. 
The envelope was made of manila 
paper- and had a gummed edge, al- 
though it was subsequently discovered 
that this gum had not been used in 
sealing. Only the wax seals held the 
flap down. But these three, seals were 
large enough and strong enough for the 
purpose, and they fastened the en- 
velope securely. When the money was 
missed it was discovered that the seals 
had been tampered with. It was ob- 
vious to everybody who looked at the 
three seals that the wax had been 
broken and remelted. 
A singular coincidence had developed, 
as soon as the detectives got to work, 
which, when taken in connection with 
the mysteriously missed metal seal of 
the safe, enormously strengthened the 
theory that the robbery had beer. com- 
mitted between Cleveland and Sc. 
Louis. One or more of the express 
messengers at the latter point testified 
that the envelope when it camo into 
their possession was In bad condition, 
and that the seals appeared to have 
been tampered with. Yet a messenger 
further along.the route told the detec- 
tives, as he lias since testified on the 
stand, that the envelope -was in excel- 
lent condition when it reached him and 
the seals intact. Nevertheless, there 
end. cutting 
aey are in ga 
rts or address this package' 
d and sealed. 
Condition of the seals when the en- 
velope left New York. 
many disputed will cases. But it was 
not until after all the other detectives 
had exhausted their ingenuity in explain- 
ing the mystery of the broken seals that 
Mr. Carvalho was called in. He went 
to work on a new line of investigation- 
the envelope containing the key to the 
safe-and followed it to a brilliant suc- 
cess. 
Gurney's story respecting the envel- 
ope, in fact all he said regarding his 
part in the receipt of the money, was 
perfectly satisfactory to the officers of 
the company and the detectives. He had 
opened the envelope in the presence of 
another employee of the company, as re- 
quired by the rules, he said, and when 
the money was counted, also in the pres- 
ence of an employee, the loss was dis- 
covered. These were the facts when the 
case was put m the hands of Expert Car- 
valho to push, unaided, to some result. 
He announced after examining the en- 
velone that such work wj.s out <'f h..- TOXEY'S MARCH 
ON WASHINGTON. 
KUMFURT SHOE CO. 
28 EAST I4THST., 241 6TH AVE., 
near University Place. between I 5th and I 6th Sts. 
165 to 171 Grand Street. 
Corner Centre Street. 
CONTINUATION OF OUR 
Great Bankrupt Sale. 
UNAPPROACHABLE BARGAINS IN FINE SHOES FROM THE 
BANKRUPT STOCK OF L. JOSEPH, OF NEWARK, N. J. 
IMPORTANT NOTICE. LADIES' DEPT 
nAlF -s" 
NO Sl'C'll SACRIFICE OF FINE ICH MUCH LESS THAN 
seasonable hoods has ever e cost oi manufacture. 
BADIES' GENUINE IMPORTED TURKISH 
WF ROUCHT FOR I ESS THAN 50 SI'ri'PKR^ASSORTED COLORS, GOLD AND 
PER SSI OF ITS REAL VALUE. £ ™P^,R PRIC* 
COMPOSED ENTIRELY OF THE ®*r°°' ,IE bai-ANCE OF JOSEPH S STOCK 
NEWEST AND LATEST FASHIONS OF raam 
FINE FOOTWEAR. Vr. rER 
SPECIAL LOTS. PA'R'- 
Itawrmu BbW ■ LADIES' KID PATENT TIP OXFORDS. 
THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE MARKED SUEDE OXFORDS AND SLIPPERS; SHOES 
AT PRICES RIDICULOUSLY LOW IN ORDER W0RTH FROM $1.25 TO $2.00; ALL MARKED 
TO CLEAN OUT ALL REMNANTS OF LOTS - Dm 
FROM LAST WEEK'S SALE. C. PER 
LOT A-BROWN'S BEST FRENCH DRESS- # PAIR. 
ING, WORTH 15c. PER BOTTLE, AND 15c. 
BLACKING BRUSHES, LADIES' KID PATENT TIP BUTTON 
SHOES, WOULD BE GOOD VALUE AT $1.50. 
__ 2a«c«. 95° 
LOT B-MISSES' 35c. RUBBERS, WITH 
HEFI s LADIES' FINE KID AND CLOTH-TOP BUT- 
z A O E3SSS3 TON. PATENT TIP. FRONT LACE AND 
0 0 BLUCHERS, NEWARK PRICES FROM $2.00 
PAIR TO $2.50. OUR PRICE, 
i : $ | a gn per 
LOT C-LADIES' PLAIN CROQUET STYLE g g 
RUBBERS. WORTH40c. ; CHILDREN'S FINE PAIR. 
KID AND GOAT BUTTON BOOTS, WITH- 
OUT HEELS, SIZES 1 AND 2 ONLY, WORTH LADIES' FINE KID BUTTON BOOTS AND 
59e. ; OXFORD TIES, INCLUDING LATEST 
a PER STYLES OF BOTH BLACK AND RUSSET 
$ 4 GOODS; ALSO FINE THEO TIES, IN WHITE 
S # PAIR. KID, RED GOAT AND DONGOLA KID, SHOES 
- WORTH FROM $2.00 TO $3.00. OUR PRICE, 
LOT D-SIZES AND 3 OF LADIES' DCD 
FINEST QUALITY BUTTON BOOTS, WORTH d zS AVJj "fctv 
FROM $2.00 TO $2.50: MISSES' FINE BUT- g O A SO 
TON BOOTS, WORTH FROM $1.50 TO $2.50; ■ ■" !w AlFC. 
all MARKED -- L__ AN IMMENSE ASSORTMENT OF THE 
7 C, PER FINEST GRADES OF LADIES' WELT SHOES, 
r IN FRENCH DONGOLA AND CLOTH TOP; 
PAIR. ALL STYLES OF GOODS THAT RETAILED 
IN NEWARK FOB FROM $4.00 TO $6.00 WE 
SHOES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. PER 
CHILDREN'S KID SPRING-HEEL BUT- LB X 
TON, SIZES 5 TO 8 AND 9 TO 11, WORTH J&xa |B PAIR. 
75c. AND 85c. : 
prices 35 ano 45° MEN'S DEPT. 
--• WE NAME A FEW OF THE MANY BAR- 
CHILDREN'S FINE KID SPRING-HEEL GAINS TO BE FOUND IN THIS FINE STOCK. 
BUTTON BOOTS, WITH PATENT TIPS, JTINCLUDES GOODS BY SUCH MAKERS AS 
NEWARK PRICE $1.00. BURT, FREEMAN, CLAPP, STRONG fc 
OUR PER CARROLL AND MANY OTHERS. THE 
fiFfeR i n PRICES WE HAVE MARKED ON THESE 
PRICE W PAIR. SHOES WOULD NOT COVER THE COST OF 
THE MATERIAL. 
MISSES' FINE KID BUTTON BOOTS. WITH 
PATENT TIPS AND EXTENSION SOLES, 
NEWARK PRTCF S2 00 MEN'8 FANCY VELVET AND GOAT SLIP- 
NEV ARK 1 RICE PERS, $1.00, $1.25 AND $1.50 GOODS. ALL 
OUR $ d O MARKED 
PRICE (SQC. per 
CHILDREN'S AND MISSES' FINEST HAND PAIR. 
WELT DONGOLA KID BUTTON, WITH . - - 
PATENT TIPS, B, C, & D WIDTHS, SIZES MEN'S SEWED LACED BALMORALS, 
8 TO 10V2 AND 11 TO 2; NEWARK PRICES jqsEpu»s 82.CO LINE. ALL MARKED 
82.25 AND §275, r-s ty 
BOYS' FINE SEWED, LACED AND BUT- MEN'S FINE CALF CONGRESS AND 
TON SHOES, SIZES 11 TO 2 AND 3 TO 5. LACED SHOES, REGULAR $3.00 GOODS, 
xr sj 87 "s, 
THESE ARE REGULAR $1.25 AND $1.50 B S3 W5? & fAIK« 
SHOES. - - 
BOYS' FINEST SEWED LACED SHOES, MEN'S FINE PATENT CALF SHOES, 
SEAMLESS UPPERS. STYLISH AND SER- MANY STYLES, IN LACED, BLUCHERS 
VICEABLE SIZES 11 TO 2 AND3 TO5. AND CONGRESS, NOT REGULAR LINES, 
rniD CS I5i BUT NEARLY ALL SIZES AND WIDTHS OF 
UUri Sh figp $5.00 AND $6.CO SHOES. ALL MARKED 
prices ia/y ' PER 
TgKSESH0KS 
todies of Idle Men Send Word 
They Will Join the Columns 
of the Invading 
Army. 
'HE RIGHT OF PETITION DEMANDED. 
'Marshal" Carl Browne Tells of the 
Brigades, and How the Idea 
Originated. 
Nothing else in recent years in this 
ountry so well illustrates the truth of 
he assertion that no theory or belief can 
>e so insane as to find no supporters as 
oes J. S. Coxey's plan of invading the 
national capital with an army of the un- 
employed on May 1, for the purpose of 
■ompelling Congress to institute reforms 
Jvhich will bring about a reorganization 
S. COXEY. LEADER OF THE COMMONWEAL 
ARMY. 
>f s »ciety "as it should be." Those un- 
amiliar with the magnitude of the prep- 
irations or the intent of the promoters 
iannot but regard the project as the 
vildest flight of a visionary theorist, and 
lo not believe there are enough fools in 
he country to constitute a very consid- 
erable army for the fun to be had in an 
Overland march from Massillon, O., to 
Washington. Unless there is considerable 
revulsion of feeling among those at pres- 
ent desiring to become "Commonweal" 
■ecruits, the general public will be much 
Surprised, the recruits say, at the size of 
loxey's band of crusaders when they 
(tart on their march on Easter Sunday. 
From many quarters of the coun- 
ry comes intelligence of the organi- 
sation of bodies of men who expect to 
Join the invading column at some point 
long the proposed route, or at the grand 
ound-up at the Capitol steps in Wash- 
ngton. Many members of the People's 
>arty believe this crusade will inaugu- 
ate the millennium at once, and are its 
nost enthusiastic supporteftfe and promise 
o become the majority contingent of the 
joxey brigade. The official 1 indorsement 
-f tne plan by the American Federation 
f Labor has induced labor organizations 
hroughout the country to consider the 
natter more seriously than they would 
■therwise have done and many will join 
n the procession. 
People's Party Convention in Ohio again, 
but, for some unaccountable reason, 
the' convention refused to incorporate 
the idea into the new platform. Coxey 
attended the silver convention at Chi- 
cago in 1893, where I met him for the 
first time, being myself a delegate to the 
convention from California. I had been 
making speeches for the People's party, 
illustrating them with panoramic pic- 
tures. When he learned this, Coxey at 
once conceived the idea of making a 
picture campaign of his good roads 
idea, and invited me to come to Ohio, 
which I did. During the fall campaign 
of 1893 I was Coxey's guest while mak- 
ing addresses in the neighborhood. Coxey 
frequently accompanied me, and -occa- 
sionally gave a talk himself. 
"After election day Coxey said to me: 
'Why go back to California? Here is the 
battlefield Take up my road plan, it 
will solve the whole question. You have 
time to agitate it; I have not. As you 
cannot earn anything to pay your ex- 
penses while doing1 the work, I will 
furnish you all that you require.' 
"I agreed to do this, and took up my 
home in the Coxey household as one of 
the family and went -W-work, I made 
pictures which were lithographed and 
sent out by the thousands. Coxey and 
I jointly prepared a mass of literature, 
which, with numerous letters, was sent 
out. Editors were interested and in the 
mean time I went here and there mak- 
ing' speeches and illustrating our plans 
with humorous cartoons. In a short 
time a veritable boom set in. Letters 
from people of every political party 
came in every mail and labor organiza- 
tions began to indorse the idea. I at- 
tended the convention of the American 
Federation of Labor in Chicago last 
December to get its indorsement. I suc- 
ceeded beyond our most ardent expec- 
tations. I had, while in Chicago earlier, 
attempted to organize the workingmen 
to march to Washington to prevent the 
passage of the Sherman repeal bill, but 
the late Mayor, Carter Harrison, sup- 
pressed the movement in its incipi- 
ency bv sending policemen, who clubbed 
the men away. On my return to Chi- 
cago I was warmly received by the 
workingmen. I proposed to Coxey that 
he allow me to remain in Chicago and 
organize his army there. He insisted 
that I return to Massillon, which I did. 
Browne is a Theosophist. In explana- 
tion of the singular manner in which he 
and Coxey were brought together he 
said: "I believe that a part of the soul 
of Christ happened to come into my 
being by reincarnation. I believe also 
that another part of Christ's soul is In 
Brother Coxey by the same process, 
and that is what brought us together 
closer than two brothers. As all the 
chemical elements of a human being, 
as science proves, go back into their 
various reservoirs of nature at the 
death of a person, and are used over 
again in the birth of other persons, why 
may not soul-matter be used over again? 
This is on the line of reason and not 
CARL BROWNE. 
great precautions to prevent the army 
becoming a gang of hoodlums, and will 
permit no thieves or fakirs to accom- 
pany it. "In fact," said Coxey the other 
day "we desire no one to join us who 
does, not thoroughly understand our ob- 
jects or is not thoroughly patriotic in 
his motives. Should any one violate the 
law at any point eri route, we will be the 
first to turn him over to the officers. 
With our march there can be no police 
interference. We will be a law-abiding 
body going to Washington in pursuit of 
a lawful object-the right of petition." 
A World representative had an ex- 
tended interview with Carl Browne a 
few days ago. He was asked to relate 
the inception of the movement, which 
he did as follows: 
I In discussing this feature of the march 
boxey said the other day: "I hear from 
II over the country that men are going 
o Washington. It does not matter how 
hey get there, so they get here. Their 
Iresence will be an object lesson Con- 
gress cannot ignore, and our bills vzill be 
lassed. The right of petition is a fail- 
ire. No matter how numerously signed 
petition may be, when sent to Congress 
t is almost immediately pigeon-holed. 
3ut they cannot pigeon-hole 200,000 men, 
ind with the hunger of the nation right 
inder their noses, they will be very 
Ikely to do something." 
. At the headquarters, Coxey's home 
tear Massillon, Carl Browne, the "Wild 
Vest Artist-Journalist," of Calistoga, 
Cal., is as busy as a major-general in 
harge of a great campaign. He has 
een commissioned Chief Marshal of the 
Commonweal, and by virtue of his office 
iecomes seer • prophet, organizer, gen- 
ral ma^';^4„>nd press agent. Coxey 
saves eu. to him the details of the 
proposed invasion. Recognizing that 
'order is God's own law," Browne pro- 
poses that the procession shall be massed 
1 a kind of Salvation-Army-Labor-Day- 
>arade style. It will be composed of 
•roups; these to be federated into com- 
munes; communes to be federated into 
ommunities and communities into can- 
ons. Each division will be officered by 
narshals, wearing, proper badges of 
esignation. 
THE CHIEF MARSHAL. 
badge for high privates. 
"One dark and rainy night during the 
holidays of 1891, while Brother Coxev 
was driving from Massillon to Paul's 
Station, four miles north of Massillon, 
be floundered about in the muddy ruts 
of the road, and, when about half way 
home, he suddenly had an idea-that the 
only way to get a good road system was 
for the Government to build it, and for 
Congress to exercise its constitutional 
right to make money and pay for it. 
Thus three birds would be killed with 
one stone-a good road system, plenty of 
money and plenty of work for the idle. 
The next day he wrote a petition em- 
bodying. these ideas. In February, 1892, 
he attended the formation of the Peo- 
ple's party at St. Louis, as a delegate 
from Ohio, and through Mr. John Seitz, 
of the Committee on Resolutions, his 
ideas were embodied in the resolutions, 
but not in a manner satisfactory to 
Brother Coxey. In July of the same 
year he was a delegate to the People's 
Party Convention at Omaha, and tried 
to get his ideas incorporated into the 
National platform, but Ignatius Don- 
nelly, Chairman, told him there were 
about seven hundred other propositions 
to be considered in advance of his, and 
that there was small prospect of having 
it adopted, and it was. not. 
"He went to the State convention of 
t..e People's party of Ohio, held later, 
where he was successful in having it in- 
corporated into the platform. During 
the same year he secured a great many 
signers to his petition, which he sent to 
Congressman Warwick, McKinley's suc- 
cessor. Warwick, entirely misunder- 
standing the principles of the plan, 
wrote Brother Coxey 'that Congress was 
in no mood to make such a large appro- 
PRESIDENT COXEY'S BADGE. 
The procession will be equipped with 
11 the "pomp and circumstance of war," 
ave the bearing of arms. The official 
anner will be borne in the advance 
uard, alongside the Stars and Stripes. 
Thus marsnalied, and with its stand- 
rds flying, the Commonweal expects to 
=>t out on its mission on Easter morn. 
r will travel by easy stages and go into 
amp at night. Tne route is tnrougn 
anton and Alliance, O., New Castle, 
leaver Falls, Pittsburg and Uniontown, 
'a. thence by the old National Road 
nrough Cumberland and Hagerstown, 
[d., to Washington. At each camping 
lace Coxey will explain his good ruaas 
nd non-interest bearing bond bills, and 
irowne will exhibit his financial pano- 
ama, and draw cartoons on local and 
otinnoi subjects. a la Th. Nast. Coxev MB PAG ES17 TO 24. 
" Circulation Books Open to All.n . , 
NEW YORK, SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 1894. y 1 
Have now on sa,e addJtional 
We have purchased from Herrmann's well-known Broadway Theatre, for presentation to our cus- Spring Importations 
tomers during1 the coming week, fifty thousand tickets for Reserved Seats for its first-class continuous 
performance, from 12.30 noon to 10.30 P. M. Every customer will receive a Complimentary Reserved- 
Seat Ticket, good for any day of the week, on condition that they are presented before 1 o'clock each day. HlfTiH 
II m HUES' Ml MSB' BLACK ANO COLORED SILKS superb ' ' 
CLOAK SUIT DEPTS • in every weave, color and tinting. Prices beyond reach of all compe- f 
„ MONDAY, TUESDAY ADD WEDNESDAY 
w„ttTll COLORED SILKS. cHxrx'tL8:1 .79 of this week. 
uv8.u3ifc.w uilivui all-silk black grenadines, o q opening of our trimmed mil- ror street, carriage and 
'> . Ail JIpW 37(1 StlPr'al ValllP"? heavy mesh . <1# I linerV, latest PARISIAN NOVEL- 
;W. 12.00, ah new d.iu opcu.ai vfliuo. 24-mch all-silk black double ko ties in pattern hats ami bon- reception wear which in- 
J ■ • TWO-TONED GLORIA SILK in 50 warp Dress Surah . O S? NETS and ENGLISH ROUND HATS. WCdl , WIIIV1I 115 
' AT different combinations m uZ ''S O supplemented with a wealth of rlnJpfhe InfAci 
/z\ 4?A J two-toned crystal cord black SATIN ROY al .OSy DAINTY and EXCLUSIVE creations L1UUC L11C euCULS, 
■. * 'CiV-'i MUSCOVITE SILKS, also evening OO ' """" ' *" - in EXQUISITE designs lYom our 
R| Afilf DRESS GOODS °TKSrofn"»ntiimmed Huts for I, Taffetas Antique, 
\V ™. n,o«. -<32;" CB,XA S,LKS- 49 'II NswBlack Suitings and Special Values, Q"«anno. poutme. 
/ \\ |(. ana Ba„er A,so 
/i \\ rted 8.oft-n,,ishe<J 39-inch all wool storm proof <- q. Flowers, Feathers and Imoorted Novelties. 
/ / \\ ser§e, Collar, re vers and SILKS, neat woven designs 63 SERGES and SURAH SERGES.B We've got 7C0 Ladies' Hats (like illustration), Cnene Printed, to- 
ISd "'be O«ne^0X'i 32'inch ™ENCH designs in Wash ' K O 46-'n<=h CRAVENETTE BLACK yg one of the prettiest shapes of the season;.hand- , ih 
8' ' Kilks > OO SERGES, rich fabric somely trimmed. As an open bargain, instead n 
" Yard wide WHITE JAPANESE i- an. 46-inch SUPERIOR QUALITY of their real value-$5.CO O® complete lines Of 
Ladies' Tailor-Made Paddock Suit, made with HABUTII SILKS ■ f FRENCH HENRIETTA tj we will sell them at 
long, close-fitting paddock coat of covert cloth, npw weaves in ALL-silk FRENCH a, <6-inch ALL-WOOLCREPON" j- /-» Worth , At American Manufao- 
'alf lined with silk, should ,« CREPES a *8* CLOTH i\ (■ tlll'C in exclusive 
-e $17.50, at H &a ■ vJ' - - ... ■■ 54-inch LADIES' BROADCLOTH, gy. II \ // O gfi 0 , . . . 
' Ladles' Suit of imported fancy mixed cloth, full Bi AfW QH l/P pure wool . # CR Oft sk / M BB designs, at price® 
circular skirt, waist shows a large moire rever § L.,1V U| 46-iuch CASHMERE MOHAIR DE aTs vJi'-'Ui \ to insure attention, 
edged with cream inserting, very full sleeves, I CHINE, rich lustre n -• \ . w1 
umbrella ruffie arnind bot- <5 Cb CS BLACK IAFFETA SILKS. 88-inch SILK WARP HENRIETTA, \ 
I tom, should be $17.5X at... B . S7 O extra quality ■ O cs/ beautiful quality o 0 / Tn rr.nrr-n»> YnnH-..- 
-_...- ■ ■ BLACK SATIN DUCHESSE, with ■y Q 46-inch FRENCH HENRIETTA, Q O ZTC- W& /A I O" mOrrOW, Monday, 
WORTH white sprays a < doubje warp, soft, rich finish ■ ■ s'Y \ 
. 24-inch HEAVY BLACK GROS O 48-inch all-wool HOPSACKING,with >S ZC jSk WA-/ V 
?< 5.00, GRAIN DRESS SILKS small woven dots ■ "V U-V A 1 n n-rre rr«'xc4' 
1 *.r BLACK FIGURED INDIA ya Q. All-wool FRENCH ARMURES and 4*0 dvw v.. ™ VSi i€ty Ot ITIOSL 
A' -. SILKS JACQUARDS, in small, neat designs /*/£. . • t { M 
,40 «iSuperior BLACK MOIRE, pure silk, £J> FRENCH SUITING, BLACK ALBATROSS ' aeSiraDie OeSigilS Ill 
' rtch (ltiality • *7 o NUN'S VEILING, BATISTE OO 
I - \ s fejYkJFj Rich quality BLACK MOIRE a O £3 CHARLIES, all at a «k> oZ 
I ' 1 ANTIQUE I a gS <5 We have received a choice assortment of 'snn dnrpn H.fs tn - IT* BT'fc IT IX T'TT' TA 
\ y/WEfe- r BL?fK faille fbancaise, Priestley novelties in this . q chvlp anri laee.bniid ' PR11N1BD 
\ '"..J:. - - navy, brown, ecru 
gr= J IS COLORED DRESS GOODS - CHINA SILKS 
Ladies' waists, same as above, in fine doibia A e ve got Everything that's new, stylish and desirable. Prices beyond wont, 
Warp Surah Silk, without lace, O 0 L f 11 t n.: At. I 
I should be $6.00. at reach of all competition. 0 C., F0C., 
Ladies' Shirt Waists in fine quality Japanese 40-inch ALL- V OIL DOUBLE CHAIN STORM | 54-inch BROACLOTHS, in all the newest 5000 dozen Rose 
Wash silk, in a large variety of handsome pat- SERGES, in all the new Spring colorings, in- Spring shades,as well as blues, browns, Cb IK Sprays lik" cut in u z 4r 
terns, made with yoke and turnover Q O c'u11u8 navy blues and handsome (Q greens,garnets. Ac. ,<tc. .value $1.40,at • «z W all colo'rs ' ' 
collar and ctfifs, should be $6.00, at 0. shades of gray, at. yard .*#17 5fi-inch IMPORTED BROADCLOTHS in a full ' 
130 pieces of ALL-WOOL WATERPROOF aHnrtment of Spring colors, everv 4 
WORTH MHIPCDRDSand STORM SERGES, tn shade < shade known to the trade, value $2, at 8 » Each !»r\4 Pfb Rt>« 
r» "51- ' ofnai'J b]ue, garnet, greens and tans, z* Q Each I8tft ST., 19tD 5t. 30(1 Git) 1176. 
2>ZO« lJfe yards wide and worth $1.25 yd. at ■ Vz KP NOVELTIES * Hl 
vr . 40-inch ALL-wool, tricot cloths, ' ,TV™TI,T.e H (18th St. Station Elevated Road.) 
ML */m new shades value 45c 40-inch ALL-WOOL CHEVIOT MIXTURES 1 A ' 
1 J/WAv J "E at yard ' 29 novelty designs and new shades of 5, COOdoz. Rose Sprays, 
7/ ', VH ■ \ll. wool fr^ch"bedforim ords, 46 graysand tans' at yard . CF Ztfv like CUt' "*a11 colora' -- a 
inches wide, in a few special colors, such as 40-inch ALL-WOOL NOVELTY CHECKS in O was the outset almost a certainty 
myrtles, navy bines, new greensand g*~ teu different colorings, two-toned Z8.M Each. that the robbery had been committed 
electrics; value $1.00 yard, at ■ O tljr effects all at, yard « ®3 oZ /'« S 2W between Cleveland and St. Louis, but, 
O-lnch ALL - WOOL BFDWiRn r'Cii?n< zi„ jo in has been said, this theory was 
cream color only) value 50c vard r- 4 wo°L NOVELTY MIX- 65 Ostrich Collarettes, searched to the bottom without discloa- 
crearn color onij), value 50c. jard, TURES in 38 new spring shadings, O very best quality; cost ing anything further. 
ai........ o at> yar(j_ B cS <£z 'w. s<ip,phtnimL,rf The search had been so rigorous that 
16-inch VELOUR 8ALAMBJS, an entirely new .ioin„h Tyrerrn ''' " ■ ■ ■ ■ port, further work seemed almost hopeless,- 
cloth for this season, in 40 different -B -v , ulikd NOVELTY MIXTURES, in yk but General Superintendent Antisdel, of 
shades; value si.25. at a Z sn«des of cardinal, new browns, new greens nsK Rjl the company, together with Francis F. 
Vehave on exhibition ..full line of' new spring 2'ac,ks'navV bbles, also two-toned / R O assistant to the President, would 
™F M°HA^a"d -UC50c..at... .39 
IA1IL.E CLOTHS, at, per yard, Q viXFn"Jv?™ "lebrated make of DAVITT Elegant assortment of who related the facts to Mr. Carvalho 
.39, .49 and ■ V C* bu iriNGS, in pure wool goods and R let Hats at assisted him m procuring evidence. 
O-inch SILK FINISHED ALL-WOOL HENRI- sllk anci wool mixtures, full 54 inches ze, l\T> The first thing to which Mr. Carvalho 
■'"ir* «■"»' a 5 44W,",e;77™"ra •98 .39. .49, .69 & .98 at-rh"u2A''1a„3 A1? ST'? 
.- •'■4 r'r'il' ' 'aUd 4-inch imported NOVELTIES in plain and 1 "■"■ 111 ■"""»» the envelope bore the marks of a 
b-inch SILK FINISHED ALL-WOOL HENRI- shaded effects, in the latest spring ess DIRPDMC. t/ TYUJIU'E? human finger upon the softened wax, 
ETTAS, in 23 different colorings, for street colorings, at yard 69c and ' Z Q Ext OlJ'Ul NO /2 rKIUtl. and above that were still faintly showing 
wear, all for this season all extra -i ' ' * B nn „ . some of the letters of the original seal 
qualities at vard 69 "0 and 9R yards wale ALL-WOOL MIXED NOVEI Nos-16 and/22~Satlu and Gros Gra'« black dou- of "Out Money N. Y." A singular al- 
h in..i a'f » TIES German Suitings, in the latest sbadincT ble faced Satin and fancy striped Moire, usually teration had been made in the two seal® 
2-inch ALL-WOOL FRENCH CREPONS, in value 75c. yard- we are sb S' sold at from 25c. to 35c. per yard, 
cardinals, light blues, old rose, Nile greeM, new them ati showing at, per yard . IO 
grays, pinks, creams, Ac., Ac., at, ESQ) ■ T 4 Nos. 22, 30 and 40-Plain and fancy Moires, ele- 
.•'u*53 Challies. gant Satin stripes and Moire effects, usually re- 
O-inch ALL-WOOL NUN'S VEILINGS and * tailed at 50c. and 60c. per yard, at, >>■ NYfflEwbi 
ALBATROSSES, in evening shades; also new Six cases of Half-Wool PACIFIC CHALLIES per yard ■ «S O 
browns, navys, blues and creams, at ja gv "ew Spring designs, at yard, <a Nos 5 and 7-All Silk Ribbons, 
ard39and .Qil . 1 212 -suafiy sold at 10c. and 12c.. at 
8-inch ALL-WOOL IMPORTED BROAD- FRF>GH CHALLIES, in light and dark yard bOO Jr 
CLOTHS, in navys, blues, greens, new browns, grounds, with small and neat figures, AS z> 5. 6 and 7 inch Ribbon, very best quality, in plain 
tans, grays, modes, new blues, hellos. 45 0 at. yard35 and ■ Ar «7 colors and fancy effects, cost to import from 
Ac.,&e.,ccst to import $1.10,at yard ■ <7 ERi ENTINE CREPES, in three qualities, in V5c. to $1 per yard, now at, per zv ' !'-77)• Y 
7-inch ENGLISH CORDUROYS, very stylish a11 'he evening shades, also blacks 4 o yard .15 9 f 
this season for seaside and street wear, in and navy blues, at. peryd..,15, . 17 & a Q 9 90 pieces 9-inch Black Moire, special 
shades of drab, modes, tans, greens, navys, LIGHT and MEDIUM WEIGHT SPRING price for Monday only, per yard ■ & «5 
browns, blacks, creams, Ac., Ac.; at q CLOAKINGS, 50 inches wide, in all o O ""7" 
"* 98 Hujiin a!,d Sill; UillJerwear 
13,000 pairs of Ladies' 7 Foster Hook French 1 lot of Ladies'Muslin Chemises, nicely 
-- -- .■ j„ji 1 f A*"*"-~ Suede Kid Gloves (like cut), in beautiful shades trimmed with lace■ 4k 55 
\,z> » n * 1 in of mode, tan, brown, English reds, black and 1 lot of Ladies' Muslin Chemises and Drawers, 
"v V V v w " u '"-3grays. The hooks are the same color as gloves; nicely trimmed with fine Hamburg 
1 '" every pair we guarantee not to rip or tear; fiist and tucks■ o5 Z 
] trying on the fit is perfect, and they have 1 lot of Ladies' Muslin Night Robes, yoke of . . 4.4 v. <> t 
z " ****^^^7***^-3 been sold right along at $1.50. **9 tucks and insertings and ruffles of em- M ax impression from the thumb of 1H« 
-I sale price .#9 broidery.™. .09 SBectQr. McLaughlin. , _7„ - 
We ar? now showing our importations of Ladies' 7 i„t of ladies' Muslin Walking «tkirts nin«to at either end of the envelope. The wax 
'rench Kid Gloves in all the new Spiin- color- « • fT 1 ot of Ladies Muslin t alking Skirts, cluster of had evldently been remeited and then 
ags and on Monday will place"Zsaie four of the ' pairs of Ladies' 4-Button Pique Kid tucks and ruffle of fine embroid- impressed with a new and unknown 
anao - o daj win place on sale foui of the ( Gloves (like cut), in English reds; an excellent ery ■ Z uZ seal. A curious fact about this was 
leatest argans in .adies Kid Gloves ever quality; one of the most fashionable colors 1 lot of Ladies' Cambric and Lawn Underwear, that the letters were reversed, showing 
llo"n- and splendid wearing glove- thousands consisting of Night 'Robes, Walking Skirts, that an engraved sign of some kina 
200 pairs of Ladies' 4 Button French Kid of paIr8Phave been S? Sale TX and Sklrt ChemiSe' 
Glace Gioves, large pearl buttons, in beauti- ;ce a 4 9 trimmed with lace, worth $1.50 to zv Q the broken wax 
ful colors of plum and eminence; have never '' ■ u.75j all at a 9 Mr Carvalho began ' to study these 
been sold for less than 2.> a pair. Ladies' China Silk Wrapper Gowns, prettily mysterious letters under the microscope, 
Sale price . H II ~~~ trimmed with ribbons and lace, z% zfe and the more he looked at them the 
1,500 pairs of Ladies' Perrins' Lacing Stud Only // ' reduced from $7.98 to O.9O m%e startling were the discoveries he 
F.eich Glace Kid Gloves ;n the choicest of hadi«' Taffeta silk Walking Skirts in plain Mention waFthaf the fhree mysterious 
colors, such as tans, English reds, browns, and fancy siIk' ln a11 OO letters on the seal at the right hand of 
Niles and black. The fit is perfect, and they 4uUi ?>--colors Hr. <7 0 the envelope, while closely resembling 
c .nnot be purchased outside of our I ___> " 1 lot of Brilliantine Skirts, with deep ruffle of those on the left, were yet different in 
.lore for leas Uianai. 25. S.l«prtee.. ,O» ! U- .ilk, „5„.5 (3. »S « & Q S3 
I lift (ME GV . 1 lot of children's Gingham Dresses, sizes 1 to 4 were a. G. G.-the initials of Asa G. 
I ilHlin nll'ilrili (fa -Tv) Worth years, nicely trimmed with ruffles e? z< Gurney, the Chief of the Money Order 
LhmILU IIUJiLIII. "UIU1 B! 719 and embroidery, reduced from 98c. to. O 9 Department at the New Orleans office 
Three Ketnarkable Bargains in Ladies' 1 JW AHo '' /J 
Hosiery. | /ip "s:::/;™ s. 6.981T GURNEY'S SEAL RING. 
F,5X)pairs of Ladies' Lisle Thread Hose Riche- flt 'll / A A full line oi Infants'Long and Short Coats, in rinT bear'ing 
lieu ribbed, in fast black, tan, mode, gray, A-VSZh* It > Il |[ IN silk- cashmere and cloth, prettily made and these letters. But when he procured an 
helio, slate and two-toned fast black boots.with /'Vw&'v\ ■ trimmed witb ribbons and lace, at reasonable impression from that ring he discovered 
the daintiest of colored tops, notone A n p " '| , prices. not only that the letters were different 
»o="«ss ' 11., i;r°Px7"X"'"X7n.7pS'; 
1.000 imlrs of ladles'opera length Colion Hose, _J -Jl_| trimmed with ribbon and fancy . Q rear! forward on the wax.'whlle the wax 
Richelieu ribbed and plain, two toned, with war- 5<(joo Men's Knot and Four-in-Hand Scarfs like braid, regular price$2.59; to sell for I ■ <5 *7 impression on the envelope was back- 
ranted fast black boots, never before E" - ... auuxfuui nuuuouuw, in.c aMaMM-MMaaaaaB, „„„„ , N ward showing that it had been taken 
sold for less than 50c.; sale price u35 cu's-excellent quality, large variety of choice from'something which had never been 
patterns in light and dark effects, not one worth .ilKAMA intended for use as a seal. 
100 dozen fast black Cotton Hose, double soles less than 50c. and a large number have UUUVi.i V* What was the result of this discovery? 
and high spliced, two thread, a really d| been selling at $1.00; your W. B. Corsets, in black, gray and The first result was to direct suspicion 
splendid wearing quality, at ■ i choice < S3 white, all sizes, worth 2.50, at I ■ I Sz upon Gurney, and then to show him In 
o i z> w guise of innocence-as the uncon- 
Lvenne. OXsl; "to QQcl SJ±jreo"tB I his°initials', and the fact'that he carriel THE WORLD: SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 1«9L 
ft seal ring, would naturally seek to set 
up a false clue by casting suspicion on 
an innocent man. It is beyond the 
bounds of reason to suppose that a man 
committing a robbery of this kind, and 
desiring to conceal every evidence of his 
crime while standing his ground to 
maintain his innocence, w'ould be such 
a fool as to imprint his own initials on 
the broken seal of the express envelope 
he had robbed. Yet, here plainly 
stamped in the wax of the violated seal 
were the three initials of an employee 
of the company, through whose hands 
the envelope had passed. Of course, 
when Mr. Carvalho came to think about 
It, that was a very strong argument in 
favor of the innocence of Mr. Gurney. 
It showed, moreover, that the thief, 
whoever he smight be, was a man of 
unusual cunning and foresight, to look 
so far ahead as the time when the seals 
should be investigated under the micro- 
scope, and to provide himself before the 
robbery with the three initial letters of 
an agent of the company upon whom 
Suspicion might easily be oast. 
DID HE FORESEE IT? 
But. now, in view of the subsequent 
discoveries, the question is raised, Did 
Gurney foresee all this and deliberately 
cast suspicion upon himself when he 
rifled the envelope of its contents? Was 
It part of his elaborate plan for the rob- 
bery of the money to secure the advan- 
tage of being first falsely suspected and 
then to triumphantly prove his inno- 
cence by producing his seal ring? Did 
he foresee that the fact that he would 
be so suspected would be a strong pre- 
sumption of his innocence, and believe 
that the audacious plan to put his own 
initials unon the seal might be the 
means oF forever diverting suspicion 
from himself? 
If so, it was one of the boldest 
schemes ever put into operation. Under 
ordinary circumstances no doubt it 
would have been successful. Mr. Guer- 
ney bore an irreproachable reputation 
for integrity, and even when the strong- 
est facts were subsequently discovered, 
his employers were loath to believe him 
guilty. He could easily establish his 
innocence by the production of his own 
seal ring, the plan of the real culprit 
to falsely accuse an innocent man would 
then be perfectly clear, and the company 
would have to apologize to Mr. Gurney 
and might indeed increase his salary 
In order to soothe his injured feelings. 
This is a length in criminal ingenuity 
which even Gaboriau and Conan Doyle 
never dared to penetrate, for where in 
fiction is the forger, thief or bank rob- 
ber who casts suspicion upon himself 
in order to prove his innocence? 
The seal on the right hand side of 
the envelope first received the careful 
attention of the expert. He examined 
longed study to a student, was sufficient 
to warrant the arrest of Gurney, much 
less to satisfy the scruples of a jury and 
secure his conviction. Mr. Carvalho 
said: "Wait a while; I have not finished 
with the envelope as yet. Keep Mr. 
Gurney under surveillance and get me 
all the evidence you can as to his con- 
nection with this envelope, how long it 
was in his possession and how he opened 
it and announced the loss of the money." 
The official of the company went back 
to his office and Mr. Carvalho returned 
to work upon the envelope which had 
already told so much. He had finished 
with the vzork on the seals. Now he 
was prepared to make a general exami- 
nation of the envelope and study it in 
its other parts. The result of this study 
was even more convincing, if not more 
astounding, than what had already been 
disclosed. It was discovered that again, 
and in an entirely unsuspected quarter, 
Mr. Gurney had left damning proof of 
his guilt upon the envelope. 
It will be remembered that Gurney, in 
accordance with a rule of the company, 
had torn off the end of the envelope in 
the presence of another employee. One 
of the first conclusions that Mr. Carval- 
ho reached when he came to examine 
the paper of the envelope was that the 
wax had been melted by a burning 
match held close to the seals. This was 
shown by remnants of carbon disclosed 
under the lens of the microscope, while 
the paper was discolored by smoke in 
one or two places. Mr. Carvalho discov- 
ered that the torn edge of the envelope 
was burned. The seals had been melted 
after the envelope had been opened by 
Gurney. 
Here, then, wns the elucidation of the 
mystery. Gurney receives the envelope 
and the safe in good condition; he com- 
plies with the rule of the company, and 
opens the envelope in the presence of an 
employee by tearing off the end; left 
alone with the safe and the envelope 
during the night, he determines upon 
the robbery; after stealing the $22,500, 
he relocks the safe, puts the key back 
in the envelope, and decides to "fix" 
the latter so as to divert suspicion from 
himself. With this purpose in view, he 
breaks the seals, remelts the wax with 
a match, and reseals the Whole, using 
the baggage master's badge, and press- 
ing the middle seal with his thumb. 
The following morning, with another 
employee, he counts the money, the loss 
is discovered, and the violated seals no- 
ticed for the first time. 
Nobody but Gurney nad had possession 
of the envelope from the time he tore 
off the end until the loss of the money 
was discovered. The burned edge of the 
torn envelope proved that he alone could 
have broken and remelted the seals. 
The examination of the envelope had 
reached this satisfactory point when an- 
afraid of being seen taking it from the 
express office, where he remained that 
night after all other employees had left. 
From the changes in temperature it had 
undergone in transit and the long and 
rough journey, the money package in the 
safe arrived at New Orleans in a broken 
and damaged state, and Gurney had said 
to' one of the officials that night that it 
was "in damned bad order." That, per- 
haps, gave him the first idea of the rob- 
bery, and the sight of the disordered pile 
of bills, together with the knowledge of 
his being alone for a time in their pos- 
session, is believed to have excited his 
cupidity and made him a thief. 
At the preliminary hearing Mr. Antis- 
del, general manager of the company, 
testified that the first he heard of the 
robbery was from a telegram received 
Oct. 15 from Mr. Nosier, the general 
agent at New Orleans. He immediately 
started for that city, but at St. Louis 
was met by a messenger, who handed 
him the envelope which played so im- 
portant a part in the proceedings of last 
week. J. P. Coleman, assistant paying- 
teller of the National Bank of Commerce 
of New York, who placed the money in 
the package, said there was $10,000 in $5 
bills, $30,000 in $10 bills and $10,000 in $20 
bills. W. A. Roberts, an employee of the 
New York bank, described how he deliv- 
ered the package to Receiving Clerk 
George B. Tole, who is employed in the 
Money Order Department of the New 
York office. J. S. Truman. H. H. Smith 
and Messengers Bennett, Gerry and Gan- 
ders, from New York, described how the 
money was put in the safe and the key 
in the envelope Oct. 11 and both taken to 
the train. L. Saunders, Thomas Flood 
and William _ Carpenter told how the 
safe was carried as far as Cleveland, O., 
the envelope being transferred from one 
to another at the same time. Mesenger 
Bennett, by the way, swore that the en- 
velope in evidence Was not the one that 
passed through his hands. 
MESSENGERS' TESTIMONY. 
The safe reached Cleveland Oct. 12, 
when Flood swore that it was still 
sealed with wire. Messenger Griffiths, 
running between Cleveland and St. 
Louis, was sure the seals of the enve- 
lope were in good condition when it left 
his hands. He it was who testified that 
Brakeman Bishop got into the car at 
Cleveland and rode to Toledo. At St. 
Louis the safe and envelope were turned 
over to Albert Schapperkotler. A. F. 
Grandlich, running between St. Louis 
and Du Quoin, Ill., said there were no 
seals on the safe when it came into 
his possession. 
At Du Quoin Lawrence Karzendofer 
received the safe and envelope. He put 
chicken-coops on top of the safe to con- 
ceal it. When the train arrived at New 
Orleans this witness and Messenger 
Wilson took the safe to the express 
office. C. D. Boyle, who examined the 
safe at Cairo, Ill., swore that it was not 
sealed at the time. Messenger Wilson 
said he received the envelope from 
Foyle at Cairo, Ill., and that he examined 
the seals upon it and found them "in 
good order." The train arrived at New 
Orleans two and a half hours late and 
he and the special guard took the safe 
to the office, and he said that the seals 
on the envelope were in good order when 
it left his hands. 
P. M. Pierce, assistant money clerk at 
New Orleans, checked off the run. He 
took the envelope containing the key and 
placed it in the office safe. Gurney then 
tore open the envelope and, taking out 
the key, opened the safe. It was then 
nearly 11 o'clock at night. Gurney lifted 
up the box of money and remarked: 
package is in damned bad or- 
'■'ISK** He at flrst said the money should 
be counted, but immediately added that 
he did not think it safe to handle so 
large an amount so late at night. Pierce 
acquiesced, and Gurney then took the 
package and placed it in the safe. 
The next morning Gurney called 
Pierce's attention to the broken seals. 
The red wax seal on the box of money 
was broken. G. F. Nosier, general agent 
of the company at New Orleans, counted 
the money and found it $22,500 short. 
General Agent G. F. Nosier first 
learned of the condition of the package 
the following morning, when Gurney 
arrived late at the office. Mr. Nosier 
then said the money should be counted, 
and when this was done only $27,500 was 
to the found. >Gu|npy said Mr. Nosier 
way the only ptlrsdn besides himself who 
knew the combination of the safe in 
which the money had been kept that 
night. 
Gurney had been five years in the 
employ of the company and received 
a salary of $1,500 a year. He is a tall, 
athletic-looking man, about twenty-eight 
years of age, with blue eyes, rosy cheeks 
and brown hair. He dresses well and 
carries himself jauntily. The photo- 
graphic enlargements of the thumb- 
marks, which Mr. Carvalho took with 
him to New Orleans, included one from 
the thumb of Inspector McLaughlin, of 
this city. He said that he had used a 
half-inch objective in the compound 
microscope, enlarging twenty-eight times 
and by areas 784 times. The charge of 
the company for shipping the money 
Tom New York to New Orleans was $50. 
die to the grave the skin impressions of 
the thumb and finger remain the same 
with each individual. A comparison of 
two forefinger impressions made after a 
lapse of fourteen years showed thirty 
points of agreement and none of disa- 
greement.' 
Out of eight cases of this kind where 
the Bengalese had given their finger im- 
pressions to Sir William Herschel in 
1878 and again in 1892, there was a total 
of 125 points of agreement, and in not a 
single point did the fingers disagree, ex- 
ASA G. GURNEY. 
shadow to the hollows in the wax and 
changed the whole surface. Therefore, 
Mr. Carvalho was compelled to turn his 
photographic camera upside down, to 
place the wax impresses directly under 
the light and to photogtaph them as they 
lay face upward on the table. 
When that work had been accom- 
plished the task of comparison was 
taken up. It will be seen from the con- 
figuration of the lines on the envelope 
seal that but a small portion of the 
thumb was pressed against the wax 
CONSIGNEES will please open this package on the end. cutting the twine, 
as 10 preserve all the seals, and observe whether they are in good order. 
• AGENTS OF THIS COMPANY are instructed the contents, or address this package, 
and not to forward the same without its being stitched and sealed. 
AMERICAN EXPRESS CO. 
A-The, express envelope (full size) from which Gurney's guilt was established in four different ways, showing the condition of the seals when 
the $22,500 was missed the thumb mark on the middle seal which revealed his identity, the mysterious letters on the left and right seals the unbroken^con- 
dition of the latter and the burned edge of the torn envelope. ' 
each letter separately under the micro- 
scope and then compared them with 
the three letters of the seal on the op- 
posite side of the envelope. The letters 
of the seal on the right hand side were 
A G G, while those of the seal at the 
other end of the envelope were G G A. 
Mr. Carvalho discovered that while the 
two GS on each seal were made from 
a different letter, yet the two Gs on one 
seal were identical with the two Gs on 
the other. On the other hand, the A 
on each seal was made from a different 
letter. This showed that the thief, in 
resealing the envelope had used the 
same two Gs, but a different A on 
either seal. 
Then another discovery was made. 
It was found that the seal whereby 
these letters had been impressed in 
the softened wax had evidently been of 
tnetal and was straight on top and 
bottom, as there was a faint, straight 
line on either side of the letters. Mr. 
Carvalho studied over this problem 
day and night. He began to wonder 
what kind of a sign had been used in 
making the impression. He came to 
the conclusion that both false seals had 
been made from the same metal plate 
and that it bore a word containing these 
letters in sequence: A G G A. 
From that it was but a step to the 
"words baggage and baggage master, 
■which are stamped upon3metal strips 
for the coats and hats of railroad em- 
ployees. Nobody about an express office 
uses a badge of this kind, and suspicion 
would thus be not only attracted away 
from Mr. Gurney, but away from all 
the express employees and cast upon 
railroad workmen. Railroad workmen, 
by the way, had been under suspicion 
between Cleveland and St. Louis, when 
the theory that the safe had been robbed 
between _ these points was entertained. 
Now, it is in connection with this bag- 
gage master's seal that one of the con- 
clusive points against Gurney has since 
been developed. 
When he was arrested upon the facts 
Subsequently discovered from the inter- 
nal evidence of the envelope, his prem- 
ises were searched and the identical 
baggage master's badge from which the 
Impress was made was found in his 
house, concealed. The fact that it was 
the same badge was established by 
some of the peculiar brown wax re- 
maining in the crevice of the letters. 
The letters on the badge and on the seal 
twere also matched. 
AN IMPORTANT ENVELOPE. 
All of this, however, was subsequent 
to the main and principal work done 
upon the envelope by the New York 
expert. When Mr. Carvalho got through 
with the seals at either end of the en- 
velope, the Slight suspicion under which 
Gurney had rested had been dispelled 
and nothing had yet been found to fasten 
suspicion upon anybody else. Putting 
these two seals then aside, Mr. Carvalho 
went„ ?to work upon the seal in the 
middle of the envelope. This was the 
one containing the impress of a man's 
thumb. Mr. Carvalho examined it mi- 
nutely under the microscope, enlarging 
each feature several times and scrutin- 
izing every crevice and elevation. He 
photographed it and "threw up" the pho- 
tograph, magnifying the thumb mark 
twenty-eight times. 
From the shape of the envelope and 
from experiments which he conducted 
he was • convinced that the thief had 
tried to use the baggage master's badge 
upon this seal also, but, failing to get 
an impression because of the shape of 
the envelope, had squeezed the softened 
wax with his thumb in order to make 
It stick together. Under the microscope, 
and when enlarged by the photographic 
lens, it was shown that the left hand 
Bide of the right thumb had been used. 
Mr. Carvalho, as an expert in all mat- 
ters of identification, was, of course, fa- 
miliar with the work of Sir William Her- 
schel in India, where the impress of the 
thumbs and fingers of natives have been 
taken and registered by the Government 
of Bena-al. The Special Sub-Registrar of 
Hooghly, Babu Ram Gati Bannerjee, 
who is in charge of these finger-mark 
Impressions, collaborated with Francis 
Galton, a Fellow of the Royal Society, 
in the production of a work on the sub- 
ject, which was published by Macmillan 
& Co. last year, and which goes with 
much detail into the positive method of 
Identification which this system fur- 
nishes. It has been shown by this work 
and by the long series of experiments 
upon which it was based that not only 
ere no two thumb or finger impressions 
alike in their linear marks and capillary 
rtdges, but that the passage of time de- 
no change, and that from the cra- 
cept where cuts had meanwhile been 
made in the skin. The average number 
of points of agreement in these eight 
cases was more than fifteen. 
In China, too, this system of identifica- 
tion has long been in use. Mr. Carvalho 
wrote at once for information on the sub- 
ject to China; the officials of the Celes- 
tial Empire replied courteously that they 
had a staff of clerks compiling statistics 
for him, but the statistics failed "co ar- 
rive in time for use in the trial. Atten- 
tion was also called to the fact that 
finger-mark identification in a case where 
two children had been exchanged at 
birth furnished Mark Twain a basis for 
the plot of the story of "Pudden Head 
Wilson," now running in the Century 
Magazine. 
But all this was largely theoretical. 
Elaborately as the theory had been 
built up and illustrated, there was no 
record of the system having been put to 
practical use as an aid to justice in 
bringing a criminal to the dock in an 
Anglo-Saxon court. It was not, there- 
fore, known what questions an ingenious 
counsel might put to a witness in cross- 
examination to break down this theory, 
nor what class of expert testimony 
might be called to accomplish the same 
result. From a scientific standpoint, 
however, the theory that the markings 
on the skin of the thumb and fingers 
form the basis for a certain and posi- 
tive means of identification appears to be 
irrefragable and sound. 
The capillary ridges of the skin at the 
ball of the thumb or finger encircle in 
nearly every case either a whorl or a 
loop, whose shape, size and relative 
position differ with each individual. A 
microscopical' examination of these 
ridges, then, shows that they come to 
an end, divide to reunite or Continue as 
two and join each other in a strange 
and unaccountable way. Sir William 
Herschel, Francis f--aifon and 
who have investigated and written upon 
this subject, have never found two 
thumb marks even faintly resembling 
each other under the microscope. In 
thousands of specimens no two are ever 
found alike in the distance, of the capil- 
lary ridges from each other and in 
their direction and number and the 
forms into which they separate. 
THUMB-MARKS TELL. 
It is laid down 'oy both of these scien- 
tists that thumb-marks form, a means 
of identification more positive even than 
a photograph of the face or measure- 
ments of the human form-the systems 
which are followed by detective bureaus 
and police officials in France, England 
and the United States. The general 
method whereby finger impressions 
have been taken is by means of printer's 
ink. That was the plan followed .by-Sir 
William Herschel, and it is the pian now 
followed in China. An impression in 
wax, however, possesses many advan- 
tages Over one taken in ink. as it shows 
not only the surface markings, but the 
configuration of the skin in the gutters 
between the ridges. 
It was thus that Mr. Carvalho saw 
that the thief who had opened the en- 
velope and, extracting the key so as to 
steal the money, left an infallible clue 
behind him when he carelessly sealed 
the wax on the middle seal by pressing 
it down with his thumb. It was as 
accurate a clue to identity as if the 
thief had left his photograph on the 
envelope. Enlarged microscopically, pho- 
tographed and studied painstakingly and 
thoughtfully, the "finger-mark," faint 
and careless as it seemed to be, was the 
key to the mystery. 
Mr. Carvamo decided to make it the 
base of his operations. He asked the 
officials of the American Express Com- 
pany for a wax impress of the right 
thumb of every man through whose 
hands the envelope had passed. He did 
not ask for the names, but carefully re- 
frained from learning them. When these 
wax impressions were turned over to him 
each bore a number corresponding to the 
name of the express officer who gave 
the impression, and these, names were 
retained by the company. Seven red- 
wax impressions were given into his 
hands. They were the thumb marks 
of seven men who had had possession 
of the envelope between New York and 
New Orleans. 
The examination of these impressions, 
so as to enable a comparison to be made 
between them and the thumb-mark. 
the envelope, was a most laborious piece 
of work. Each had to be enlarged by 
photograph to a uniform size with, the 
enlarged impression from the seal. The 
mere photographing of the wax impres- 
sions was a difficult task, as it was 
found by the the light strik- 
ing at a different angle nave a. new 
while it was warm. The whorl or loop 
which was the centre of the thumb- 
marks did not show, and its relative po- 
sition had to be guessed at. Several 
days were devoted by the expert to each 
of the seven thumb impressions which 
had been placed in his hands. He re- 
solved to proceed by what is known as 
the process of exclusion. 
When he came upon a thumb whose 
character was so different from that in- 
dicated by the envelope seal that no 
point of resemblance could be found, no 
matter which way it was turned, it was 
cast aside and marked off. More than 
one of the seven wax impressions bore 
a superficial resemblance to the mark- 
ings on the envelope. These were care- 
fully put aside. Two of the wax impres- 
sions were obviously impossible to match 
with the envelope seal, having an alto- 
gether different character. Three of the 
remaining impressions were also thrown 
aside, but only after laborious work. The 
two remaining seals bore a Resemblance. 
The first of these which the expert 
took up and studied under the micro- 
scope day after day, trying it first this 
way and then that, fitted so well that he 
put it aside temporarily. The other 
seal fitted in many particulars. But 
when subjected to the rigorous test of 
being compared in separate strips it 
failed to identify, and was so discarded. 
The remaining seal, put aside tempo- 
rarily, was now taken up. In the im- 
pression on the envelope seal a ridge ap- 
peared near the centre and suddenly 
came to an end. The same was the case 
with the corresponding ridge in the red- 
wax impression taken for Mr. Car- 
valho. Again, towards the left-hand 
side of the impression on the envelope 
the ridges parted in two different direc- 
tions, This corresponded with a trian- 
gular space in the red-wax impression. 
Again, there were ridges which formed 
little loops and islands alike in both im- 
pressions. The test of cutting the en- 
larged photographic copies into strips 
for more thorough comparison was one 
which put the identity of these two 
thumb impressions beyond peradventure. 
The expert first flattened out the copy 
of the envelope seal on a drawing-board. 
MAKING COMPARISONS. 
Then, when he had ascertained ap- 
proximately and as nearly as possible 
the exact trend of the lines of both, a 
copy of the red wax impression corre- 
sponding in size was superimposed upon 
the picture of the envelope seal. and 
pinned down at three of its corners. It 
had previously been cut with a scissors 
into strips tending towards a common 
centre, and still holding together at the 
upper end. These strips were then care- 
fully lifted one after another and the 
lines at the edge examined to see if they 
would correspond exactly. The identity 
of the two thumb marks when thus 
compared was marvellous. Every line 
joined accurately. 
Where there was a broken ridge in the 
one it appeared also in the other. The 
size of a hair's breadth did not separate 
the lines of one from the lines of the 
other. Junctions of the ridges and en- 
largements of the perspiratory pores ap- 
peared equally in both. The same 
minute scar, only apparent to the micro- 
scope, was seen in both, and the direc- 
tion, size and general character of the 
ridges and gutters were identical. There 
could no longer be a doubt that both 
had come from the same hand. The in- 
dividuality of the man who had resealed 
the violated envelope was written in the 
wax. The thief, in his eagerness to 
hastily close the envelope, had indellibly 
registered his identity in the seal. Long 
and laborious work with the microscope 
only made the identiccation the more 
■complete. At last Mr. Carvalho was 
able to announce that the clue to the 
mystery had been found. He read off 
the numebr of the red wax impression 
from which he had worked and asked 
an official of the American Express Com- 
pany who was the man from whose 
finger it had been taken. The reply was: 
"Asa G. Gurney, Chief of the Money 
Order Department at New Orleans." 
"Then Gurney is the man." 
"Imposible!" 
"Gurney is the man." 
"He is a most trusted employee. He is 
above suspicion." 
"The mark of his thumb is on the 
broken seal. He is the man." 
' Again the official of the company pro- 
tested his confidence in Gurney. But 
this had to weaken in- the face of the 
evidence which the expert had to show 
as the work was explained. The mi- 
croscope exhibited the identity of the 
finger marks. Then the question came 
un- whether such evidence, however 
much it mltjht be convlnclns after pro- 
other discovery, equally as convincing 
and surprising, was made. By an exam- 
ination of the seal at the right-hand side 
of the envelope, the expert discovered 
that, as a matter of fact, it had never 
been broken, although it had been re- 
melted with the match. The other two 
seals had been broken, as was evidenced 
by the cracks in the wax. The seal at 
the right was whole and entire as 
had originally left New York, although 
its surface had been melted. In con- 
nection with the curious shape of the 
money envelope, this established this 
very important fact-that by reason of 
an extra flap of paper on the inside it 
would have been impossible to remove 
the key without breaking all three of 
the seals. In other words, the envelope 
proved that the key had not been taken 
out at the top. for that would have been 
impossible unless all three seals were 
broken. The breaking of the seals had 
therefore been merely a "blind" to di- 
vert suspicion, and the key could only 
have been taken out to open the safe 
where Gurney had torn off the end. 
It was proved that even if the seals 
had been broken and remelted in transit, 
yet from the condition of the right-hand 
seal the key could not have been taken 
ut of the envelope except as Gurney took 
it out-through the opening he had made 
in the end. In connection with this the 
interior of the envelope was interesting. 
It was found to be stuck together with 
mucilage, and there were marks of the 
lead-pencil which the thief had used 
when he pried open the flap. The muci- 
lage was in a place where it never could 
have been put except through the open- 
ing made by Gurney at the end, for the 
unbroken seal at the right hand pre- 
vented its being put in at the top of the 
envelope. This was evidently another 
part of the "blind." 
What then was the result of the work 
of the experts? Summed up in a few 
words, what had the envelope disclosed? 
What could it be made to prove in court 
as it proved to a logical, reasoning mind? 
Gurney was convicted by the internal 
evidence of the envelope in four ways, 
thus: 
1. By the identification of the thumb 
marks. 
2. By his possession of the baggage 
master's badge, as afterwards found in 
his possession, wherewith he had im- 
pressed the melted seals. 
3. By the burned edge of the torn en- 
velope, showing that the seals had been 
melted after he had torn off the end 
and while he alone possessed the en- 
velope. 
4. By the unbroken seal at the right- 
hand side, which proved that the key 
had not been taken out at the top, but 
must have been removed through the 
torn end. 
The position of the mucilage found on 
the inside of the envelope might be cited 
as a fifth convincing proof of guilt. It 
will be remembered that the envelope 
was not wet on its gummed edge when 
sent from New York, and no mucilage 
had been used upon it. The thief had 
inserted mucilage at the torn end as 
part of what he supposed would be 
mutilation that would confuse the most 
expert and cunning of detectives, but 
he only established the fact, if it needed 
further proof, that the mutilated seals 
were a fraud. These were the facts 
which led to the arrest of Gurr.ey. 
When the convincing evidence which 
the expert had extracted from the en- 
velope was laid before the officials of 
the American Express Company they 
lost all confidence in their old and 
trusted employee, and telegraphed to 
New Orleans to have him taken into 
custody. He retained able counsel and 
prepared for a stubborn fight, stoutly 
maintaining his innocence. As soon as 
Mr. Carvalho had identified Gurney as 
ihe man through his examination of the 
thumb marks, detectives were set to 
work to collect evidence as to his con- 
nection with the safe and the envelope. 
A mass of corroborative evidence was 
thus obtained, and it was sufficient at 
tne preliminary hearing before Judge 
Adams in December to warrant his 
being held in $10,000 bail, wuthout dis- 
closing any of the evidence of the New 
York expert, which has only now come 
cut for the first time. The outside evi- 
dence thus collected is interesting as 
disclosing the known facts about Gur- 
ney's operations, together with the man- 
ner in which the $50,000 had been 
transported. 
A curious question, by the way, has 
been. Why was the thief satisfied with 
$22,500 when he might as easily have ta- 
ken the whole $50,000? The belief in New 
Orleans is that the whole amount ma.' 
euUi a bulky package that Gurney wa