Lot 278

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Description:

Pinkerton Detective Agency Wanted Poster Advertising Manhattan Robber Who Stole Over $4 Million in Today's Money

A Wanted Poster issued by the Pinkerton National Detective Agency in New York City on June 5, 1885 requesting information leading to the arrest of Richard Seaman Scott, a bank teller turned thief. A photograph of the fugitive, a facsimile of his signature, and a physical description of Scott are provided on the poster. The broadside was probably distributed to a Pinkerton Agent named Detective Coneybear in Auburn, New York, based on a pencil inscription found verso. Expected folds, light toning, and scattered foxing. Adhesive residue is found verso, as well as old tape. A small hole found at top may have been a nail hole. Else very good to near fine, and a lovely piece of turn-of-the-century criminalia, complete with the "We Never Sleep" Pinkerton logo in the headline. 7.875" x 12." Ex-Kenneth Rendell.

Bank officials offered a $5,000 reward for any tips leading to the apprehension of Richard Seaman Scott. $5,000 in 1885 was the equivalent of over $130,000 in 2021 currency, but the stakes were high since Scott had "stolen upwards of $100,000" from the Bank of the Manhattan Company, an antecedent of today's J.P. Morgan Chase & Company.

Press coverage from the period provides us with additional information about the sensational robbery. Prior to the heist, Richard Seaman Scott (born 1845) was a longtime employee of the Bank of the Manhattan Company, where he worked as a Paying Teller. On June 1, 1885, Scott stole $160,000 of bank funds (or the equivalent of nearly $4.3 million in 2021 currency). He fled to Canada, and then to Liverpool and London. When we last hear of him, Scott was living openly in London and could not be extradited back to the United States.

Both "The New-York Tribune" and "The New York Times" featured front-page coverage of an interesting development in the Scott robbery case in August 1887, when John R. Dunn, a cousin of Scott's wife, was implicated as an accomplice. Scott claimed that Dunn, who was a broker and lawyer, advised him about how to evade responsibility for the theft and later held the majority of the money in safekeeping for him. Dunn was arrested following this allegation and sentenced to nine years and eight months in a state prison.

The Pinkerton National Detective Agency had been established in 1850 by Scottish policeman Allan Pinkerton. Pinkerton became the byword of private law enforcement, especially after its success in guarding Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, and was relied on for intelligence and surveillance operations, security, and the recovery of property or individuals.

The Bank of the Manhattan Company merged with Chase National Bank in 1955; this entity, Chase Manhattan Bank, joined J.P. Morgan Company after 2000 to become J.P. Morgan Chase & Company.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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March 3, 2021 10:30 AM EST
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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000