A COAL-OIL JOHNNY LOSES FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN GREENBACKS IN
PETROLEUM CENTRE, PENNSYLVANIA--HIS SAFE BLOWN OPEN WHILE HE IS AT
SUPPER AND THE MONEY CARRIED AWAY--JAMES SAEGER, THE PRINCIPAL
"BLOWER," BEATS HIS COMPANIONS AND SKIPS THE COUNTRY--REWARD OF ONE
HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OFFERED--DETECTIVES FLOCK IN FROM ALL
QUARTERS--AFTER YEARS OF WANDERING, SAEGER TURNS UP IN DENVER.
Although as a rule Gen. Cook's experience with criminals has been with the
class who kill, he has also had a great deal to do with burglars and
thieves, and others of the less demonstrative classes. One of the most
notable cases of this latter class with which he has been identified was
that of James Saeger, who was engaged in the robbery of a safe in
Pennsylvania in 1868, from which half a million dollars' worth of
greenbacks were taken. The loser by the robbery was an old German named
Bennehoff, who resided at Petroleum Centre, in Venango county, Pa., and
whose wealth had been accumulated with rapidity through the magic
instrumentality of petroleum. He had, previous to the discoveries of oil
in the Keystone state, lived there a quiet and frugal life, residing in a
plain country house with his family around him. When his good fortune came
upon him he did not change his mode of life, but continued in the same
house, the only innovation being the addition of a small iron safe, which
was deposited in a hallway in the dwelling. This piece of furniture was,
compared to others of its kind, a fragile thing, but old Bennehoff
considered it a secure depository for his fast accumulating wealth. He
grew rich with wonderful rapidity, as those were the days of the coal oil
boom. His wells were numerous and apparently inexhaustible, and the
petroleum was worth a great deal more then than it ever has been since.
He was in the habit of carrying his money home loose in his pockets every
evening and pitching it carelessly into his little iron safe, going about
his business feeling assured that his treasure was secure.
Naturally enough the facts of his great wealth and his careless
disposition of it began to be noised abroad, and the cupidity of some of
his neighbors became sorely tempted. Among these was James Saeger, who
lived at Saegerstown, near Meadville, and no great distance from Venango.
Up to this time Saeger had borne an enviable reputation. He was a member
of an old and well known family, in whose honor the town at which he
resided was named. He was at that time a man of middle life, of splendid
personal appearance, had long been engaged in mercantile pursuits and was
the head of an interesting family. Yet the temptation of Bennehoff's weak
safe was too much for him. It outweighed all considerations of good name
and of family ties. He did not, of course, undertake the robbery alone,
but was assisted by four other men of his locality, all of whom masked and
boldly entered the house of Bennehoff while the family were at supper, and
at the muzzle of their pistols compelled Bennehoff to deliver up the key
to one of his safes, in which he kept an enormous sum of money. This was
done, and the robbers secured their booty, over half a million dollars in
United States notes, which they emptied into a pillow case and made good
their escape. Two of the robbers were afterwards arrested and convicted,
one getting seven and the other fifteen years in the Pennsylvania state
prison. Two others have never been heard from, while the fifth, Saeger,
has been a fugitive from justice ever since, followed by detectives nearly
into every corner of the world, until his arrest in Denver, since which
time, for reasons which will appear, he has been let alone. It appears
that after the robbery the money was secreted for two days, it being the
understanding amongst the robbers that they were to meet at a specified
time and "whack up."
Once entered upon his downward course, Saeger moved with great celerity.
He even neglected to observe the regulations which have led the world to
adopt the general conclusion that there is honor among thieves, but before
the time for the meeting of the robbers and their "divvy" had come
around, Saeger stole the whole amount from the hiding place and jumped the
country, leaving his companions with no money and the guilt of being
parties to the burglary, and also deserting his family. It was one of the
most remarkable cases on record, and, at the time, created much excitement
amongst the people of that section, and was heralded through the press of
the land.
Old Bennehoff was almost wild when he came to fully realize his loss. He
was still wealthy, notwithstanding $500,000 had been stolen from him, and
he announced his determination to capture the thieves at any cost. He
offered first a reward of $5,000, then of $10,000, then $25,000; then
capped the climax by offering $100,000 for the taking of Saeger, when it
was discovered that he had all the lost money, and that he seemed in a way
to effectually evade the officers, unless Bennehoff should make it an
object to them to search "the world over for him," as he stated it to be
his desire that they should do.
As a consequence, detectives flocked to the humble home of this rich man
to obtain clues for the purpose of working up the case. They came from all
sections of the Union--from New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Pittsburg and
numerous other places. In fact, almost the entire detective skill of the
Union was concentrated upon the case. They searched the country for their
man in its every nook and cranny. Doubtless as much money was spent in the
aggregate in making the search as was offered in the reward.
Among those who devoted several months' time to the case was Capt. Hage,
chief of the detective force of Pittsburg, who, after visiting Venango and
taking elaborate notes, conceived the theory that Saeger had come to
Colorado soon after the robbery, and he came to Denver himself, crossing
the plains on a stage coach, making this city his headquarters while he
scoured the country round about. But his efforts were of no avail. After
spending much time and considerable money he returned to Pittsburg. During
his stay here Capt. Hage conferred frequently with Chief Cook, of the
Rocky Mountain Association, who coöperated with him. He furnished the
Denver detective with complete information as to the robbery, and also
left a description of Saeger.
Bennehoff never gave any notice of having withdrawn the reward, and Cook
determined to keep a lookout for the bold robber, and did so for years. At
last, after six years of waiting, his patience was rewarded by getting a
view of the evasive and long-sought-for safe blower.