Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-10-15
DEFERRED ARTICLES.
From the Ncw lotk Jou. Com""rCe.
EXTENSIVE ROBBERY AND SINGULAR
DETECTION.

DE1Etl1oN.
Abou, two wears back Mrs JancwaV, 4 rich
widow lady residing in Chatham street, va. robbed
OF large sum ofmoney. Beng then in a state OF
incipient mental imbeolll9, tnow confirmed lu-
na,iN she was rather imprudent ia the manage
nent of her affairs aud incautous as to where SHE
placed her cash under these circumstances, q
trunk which contained large sum of money was
stolen out OF her house. From that period I'LL the
last two or three dhYs, trace whatever could be
found Of tie missing property, and all idea OF ever
recovering ii WIS long since abandoned. At The
time of the robbery, Mrs. Jancway had three do.
mes,ics, named Patrick Finley, Mary q MearN,
and LYDIA Baker, the first two Of whom married
shortly after and went home TO ireland, whence
they came back 10 this country, and Finley again
entered The service of Mr.. Jancways family as
groom TO her son, and has remained IN his employ
mem, to tho present perod.-PaIck Finley las II
brother, james Finley, who lately quarrelod with
his wife, and after being liberated from Brlcwc
where he was iof mol supporting her, he finally
abandoned her and wentto \. Orlcans leaving IN,
wife in complete state of Notwithstanding
herself abandoned and without any means of up
port she applied to her brothcr-iu-laW' 5 family
tor relief, who refused to render her any assis-
lance. Shortly after She happened to meet a man
named w lillian Newson, who had lived with Mrs
Jancway at the time of her robbery, and i, also
at present in the employment OF her family, and
while complaining To him OF the unkindncss of
her relatives, she IN moment of irritation dnul-
ged the secret that they were the persons who
committed the robbery. Ncwson Immediately
communicated the intelligence 10 Mr.. Lawrence,
who is receiver to the estate OF Mrs. Jancway, and
he communicated the matter to the police. The
information was however of SO vagac nature that
the police could only act on it far AS To
examine the parties accused, and Lydia Baker,
who was said to be the prime mover III the robbery,
was brought to the police office, but She firmly
denied all knowledge OF the transaction that there
appeared but little chance ofmakmg any farther dis.
covery of the matter. Messrs. Merritt, Sparks
and Holman, however, took, the affair in hand,
and their first effort was 10 get hold of Patrick
Finley, who, ii appears, Is desperate fellow, and
lives in I.aurens street.
The officers then went 10 his house, which they
found shut up, and having raised the window, one
OF them was about to enter, when tremendously
large mastiil, which was inside, attacked HIM with
80 much fcrocity as to render his ngrcSs u matter
of too much hazard without first DESTROYING the en-
ragged animal that was within. This the officers
considered would he understandable, rs they we're
vet acting only from sutmiSe and their own r :
sponsibility, and after vanly cndcavorng TO paci-
~ the dog OF The officers procured large piece
Of beef, whichhe held at the window, and cncour-
aged the dog leap Which last did with drS-
pcratc an effort that il fairly eapcd out of the WIN
dow, and the officers, leaving him todcvour his prey
entered the house, aud on searching it they found
between three and four hun bred so,crcicnS, being
about $l700.
Their next proceeding TO 90 the house OF
LYDIA Bakers mother, with whom LYDIA resi-
ded and here they used their influence to such good
purpose with Mrs. Baker thai she acknowledged
having part of the money, and gave them up $1,000
and in order to her the trouble of looking foi
the remainder, they then searched her hous,
and found parcel of sovereigns, which was a.o
some of the plumber, and which, added to the two
other sums of money they obtained, made NOR,
than $4,000, being, as is supposed, somcwha, les,
than half of the amount OF the robbery.
Finley and his wife when oxamn d at the polio
office very plausibly accounted for the money toun
with them, by saying that uncle of Mrs. Finlc
died in ireland and left her legacy, and that
was to obtain this money that she and her HUSBAND
went there shortly after the robbery was commit
ted. In this story, they corroboraed each other,
sccount in every particular, which gave it mucl
the scmblance OF truth, that it difficult t.
doubt it, until at last, on Mr.. liopson asking Mrs
Finley the name OF her uncle who left her the leea
cy. she hestaed, stammercd and stopped so long
before she made any reply, that it evident tina
her whole story fabrication. When lydia
Baker found how the affair was likely to terminate
she confessed the whole aud it appears that Lydia
hcrseftook the trunk which contained the proper
ty, out of Mrs. Janeway's room, brought it down
stairs and gave it to Mary o. Meara, now Mrs. Fin
ley, who took it away, and afterwards divided tho
spoil. Finley soon after married Mary O. Meara
and they then went to Ireland as mentioned above
and such was the knavery and dupcity of Finley
that on his return to America, he again entered
the service Of Mr.. Janeway, and remained with
him until he was arrested. Finley, his wife, and
Lsea Rsker, were fully commit ed