After several visits to the Arcade Court and trying the key in
different doors, it was finally found to open a rear door to the
Subtreasury office. On the day the robbery was planned to be
committed, the thieves hired a brass band to play in the Arcade Court
as a serenade to Candidate Hoyne, the plan of the thieves being to
start cheering for Mr. Hoyne, expecting that the band and the cheering
would attract the attention of the Subtreasury clerks from their
desks to the windows, giving Little Joe McCluskey, the "sneak," an
opportunity of using the key to the bank entrance, passing into the
office at the back of the clerks and stealing as much money as he
could carry. About the time the plans of the thieves were completed
Mr. Pinkerton learned of them, and communicated with Elmer Washburn,
then chief of the United States Secret Service at Washington.
On the day the robbery was to occur the band appeared as arranged,
the Arcade soon filled with people, and there was prolonged cheering
for Mr. Hoyne. Not one clerk left his desk, and when McCluskey tried
to open the door with the key he found it would not fit. Through
precautions taken by Mr. Washburn, the lock had been changed and
instructions given to all clerks to remain at their desks when the
band played, which prevented what would have been a very heavy loss to
the government. Owing to the way the information had been obtained,
and not wishing to expose the source, no arrests were made.
Walter Sheridan, known under many aliases, an accomplished "sneak"
thief, was a Southerner by birth and of gentlemanly, dignified
appearance. In addition to being a sneak, he was also a general
all-round thief, counterfeiter and forger.