The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1831-04-06

From the Ne,O FORK CommerciHl .4arsT1'Ser.
DETECTION OF SMITH, THE BANh |
ROBBER.
NARRATIVE OF Mr.. BANGS
On Monday, the 2lst inst, between ana
o'clock, A. NJ, Smith came TO my "ouso w'u
bis baggage, in company with Sst'lhaii' aug
en9uired of Mrs. Bangs II he couio nave ooafu
stated he had Just arrIveo-was shown
room and bedroom, whleh sulteu nun anu sii9
eartman brougEt in his baggage. He called
himself Iones-stated he had considerable bu- !
s;ness to transact while in the city, and would /
reouire his meals in his room, for which he
,vonId nav extra. Soon after a person called
and endured whether Mr.-Jones had taken
board there, and was shewn to his room, where
he remained few minutes. The same person
continued to call several times daily to see him.
Jones pretended that he had much writing to
do, and therefore did not wish to be interrupt
ed Mrs. Bangs, woman-lke, soon suspected
that all was not correct, and communicated her
suspicious TO me, and TO several other persons.
On Friday morning, about 8 O'Clock, the SER
want on bringing his breakfast things down,
observed that Mr.. Jones would not want any
thing till dinner, and did not wish to be disturb
ed, as he had some particular business to trans
act with a gentleman that morning. Soon
thereafter the same person who had before
NiSilCO Hilli3 CdACls dtu went up W iiiS iOuiiiJ
and remained there till after two o clock.
Mrs. Bangs discovered from the yard that
the shutters were closed, except half shut
ter, which admitted no light--her suspicious
increased, and she went to the door and
4eigned pretence to ask him if he wish
ed a pitcher of water and at the same
time attempted to open the doer, fnr the. nnr;;
pose of seeing what they were doing-she found
the door locked and he answered her inquiries
that he wanted nothing. He sent by the ser
want girl half dollar down for an extra dinner
for the gentleman, and with orders to have the
table set below
Mrs. Bangss suspicion noreased when
came home, she repeated her suspicious. |
concluded TO get an officer at once, and search
to ascertain if any thing was wrong but my
wife appeared afraid Of getting into difficulty,
and persuaded me to delay till something more
certain could be discovered. In the evening
communicated to counsel our suspicion, and he
thought had enough to warrant search, but
advised if there appeared no danger of TAX
ing his things away, TO delay till the next day,
to see if any thing more certain could be dis
covered.
On Saturday morning left word with Mrs
Bangs, If any thing more shonld be discovered
to send Immediately to the shop for me. Moth
ing occurred till said Jones returned in the af-
lernoon, about 5 or o'clock, with a small
trunk, and early in the evening be went out
with it under his cloak. Mrs. Bangs went up
stairs to his room to see what she could discov-
er,sand then found that he had packed up
his clothes, brushes, &c, which before had lain
about the room, and had strapped up his trunks,
apparently to move. She then sent for me
and communicated what she had discovered
This determined me to act. l called upon
neigh5or, stated TO him what we had discover.
ed, Mrs Bangs's suspicious and my belief that
this person was the bank robber, or in some
way connected with the robbery, and my deter
minaton to take him, and examine his trunks,
and enquired of him where Hays, Ia police Off
cer] with whom Twas total unacquainted, lived.
My neighbor informed me that he knew Hays,
and would go with me to him, and he did So
My nelgbbor introduced me to Hays to whom
/ stated the cause Of my suspceting that the
said Jones was the Bank Robber or concerned
in the robbery. On making the statement to
Hays he inquired" whether wished him to
go with me" to which l repHed-'s certainly,
that i E VI SOFA sd hs5a Hays then
walk up with him. Hays remaked that he had
had information that suspicious boarder was
at nv house, but did not ulnk it sufficient
Ground to 90 upon, but intened ifhe had been
5assing that way to call in. When at the cor
nsr Of Canal and Elm-streeH told Hays that
land his son had best III behind, and that
and sighbor and myself Wild go to the house
sho,,IJ C Jones had refined, and that they
streets till sehee oot HEM Tbev waited t i a
ecordingly, and came, nth oman in comnanv.
IN the gate way as direcld bv me. I too;
them up stairs to Jones's ,om. and shewed
them Jones's trunks. " hich kere onenod iii
one of the younger Hays's lbs. and in ono If
the trunks was found the honev-this was
about o'clock P. M. Mr. laws Immediately
PL3posea 10 take the money his house, but
OBJECTED to that till we took bnes. and reonest. .
ed the trunks to be placed / before and wait
down stairs in my room till came 7 so"urs
ed the gate and all the doorsso that no nerson
could get out nor in, otherthan tbrongb the
front door, and as Jones hid taken The nirht
key with him, we were ceIin tn take b;,ps "
We all waited till about minnIes beroro
twelve; when Jones -eDsred and want ~
stars TO his room. / discovered that If vas
him; took candle, proceeded nm with nv
nsighbor, Jacob HAYS, his.on R 7 H,rs an3
Holman, and seized him. The newt nooro fna
the officers of the Bank atbnded AZ tba pnl;ce
othce, counted the money d. INV nresence-lit
sal n 70 one hundred ard eighty-fve thou
and 80, sven y. hundred and tHTty-eight dollars