Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-09-27
GAZETTE.

NOVEL AND SINGULAR OCCURRENCE.
Wea fen days since copied paragraph into
our columns from Cincinnati paper, relating
the manner in which veteran robber of that city,
Who had until then passed for respectable men,
Der Of society, lost his life. A gentleman lately
returned from Cincinnati, has furnished the Ed
itor Of the Easton Democrat with the following
particulars-"One Of the clerks in large whole.
sale store was reused from his sleep at midnight
BY noise in the upper story. He immediately
proceeded to ascertain the cause. There was
an open hatchway iron the garnet to the cellar,
and down this he heard something fall. Suppo.
sing that some goods had been thrown down, he
awoke companion aud they watched the prem.
ises 80 that no one went out until morning, when
the cellar was examined and the body Of man
found quite dead, and very much ds6gured; he
was armed with knife and pistols. and disguised
in wig and false whiskers. Depending from
the hatchway in the third or fourth story was
found cord fastened by hook, from which the
thief had evidently fallen in the attempt to de.
scend
The man was buried; but the Mayor ordered
him to be taken up aud publicly exposed in hope
that some one would recognise him, and perhaps
lead to the detection of accomplices. He was
accordingly laid in an engine house for that
purpose, but his face had been so much dis6gur.
ed by the fall, the police despaired of having
him recognised, until a gentleman stopped to
look at the body, who said that he recognised
him, but was unwilling to communicate his sus
melons until he had ascertained whether or not
the object Of them was absent from home. He
accordingly proceeded to the house OF one OF the
most wealthy aud respectable wholesale mer-
chants in the city, and finding that he was ab.
sent and the family unable or unwilling to give
an account of him. he openly avowed his belief
that the deceased was no other than Mr.. -.
General CONSERVATION followed this avowal. for
Mr.. ]. was a man of high standing, and respec.
liability, having an intelligent and we'll educated
family, and possessed Of fortune valued at no
less than 100000.
Some Of the members Of the family were brought
to the body, and acknowledged the fact that It
was the corpse OF their parent. The house OF the
deceased was Immediately taken possession OF by
the police, and was found to have been perfect
receptacle OF stolen goods possessed OF every
convenience tor carrying on the trade. range
of stores four stories high had been owned and
occupied by him, and were provided with vaults
for the purposes of concealment. and with sub.
terraneous passages, leading to other houses over
which no doubt he had the control. The stacks
of chimneys had been converted into channels
for the conveying goods in and out without expo:
sure to the public eve. Goods were there touha
which had been stolen four years before, and
some which could have been taken only short
time before his death.
The young gentleman who first heard him. and
caused his fall, it is said was engaged to one oil
his daughters, and both he and she have attempt
ed to commit suicide since the unfortunate affair
has taken place"