Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1836-05-12
THE MERCHANTS BANK ROB
RERY

dollars oi the money laiely stoieh i'o''
that Bank. The particulars Of the rob
berry and the circumstances which led
to the detection of the thief, we have OBJ
.ained from an authentic source and the
one displays such consummate art in the
line of villany, that it ought to be made
known.
| A man by the name of Bell, alias
Laydlay, an Englishman by birth, took
up his residence in the north part Of this
city some time during The past winter
He is carpenter by trade. A few
weeks since he obtained casting OF a
very simple form, which he said he want
ed for the purpose Of applying to some
machine which he was inventing. This
of course excited no suspicion at the
time. From this casting he made four
keys. The impression of the outside
door lock of the Bank was easily obtain
ed, and after that was completed he en-
tered to examine the construction OF the
next lock; when he had finished that, 1t
gave him an opportunity to see the next,
and thus he went from one to another,
until he finally obtained access to the
vault. 1t is supposed that he, with his
accomplices, spent several weeks in
making the keys, Sc. before the robbie
ry was perpctrated. Meanwhile, week
previous to the robbery, he left Provl
dence with his family and furniture in
the steamboat Benjamin Franklin, for
New York, where he remained at the
Dry Dock two weeks; from whence he
removed his family to Harlaem, 8 miles
from that city, and took house situated
very pleasantly on the banks of the riv-
er with fine garden. His fami !y were
to remain there until he had obtained
the money, made voyage to England,
and staid long enough to avoid all sus-
picion.
As soon as the robbery was discover
ed, it was rumored that Bell had lett
Providence with his family y three box
es the week before, and that he and an
accomplice had gone on Sunday in the
Massachusetts with trunk. One of the
Directors Of the Bank left in the boat
the next day, and traced Bell, with a.
mother rogue, from the Massachusetts to
N assau-s street, thence to Hollis, thence
to Brooklyn and thence to New York.
Here nothing could be heard for some
days. Advertisements were inserted in
the papers calling upon the carmen who
conveyed the three boxes from the
Franklin, to give information at groce-
ry store in Mulberry street. The adver-
tisements had no effect. The gentle
man above alluded to, at length made up
his mind to apply personally to every
carman in the city, who number 384l.
| With Hays and Huntington he COM
menced the search in the lower part Of
the city; and most fortunately found on
the same day the very carman who was
employed by Bell TO take his furniture
to the Dry Dock. With the carman and
off GERS, a week ago last Saturday, he
went TO the house at the Dry Dock
which Bell had hired-but he had re-
moved from thence, as the inmates told
them, to Bloomingdale or Yorkville.-
The goods were carried in coal cart
and country wagon. On the same eve-
ming the officers and assistants took a
carriage and started for Yorkville, and
after sundry enquiries they found that
the cart and wagon had been seen IN
that direction week before. Passing
on to Harlem, they went to the bridge,
and there inquired Of the keeper of the
gate if the wagon had passed over the
Saturday previous, and he replied, no.
They then concluded to retrace, and as
they were returning inquired Of color
cd boy if he had seen the vehicle, and
he Immediately replied, yes, and that
they had gone to a house just on the
banks of the river, and that the owner
of the goods had hired the house Of his
master. Obtaining an additional num-
Der of men, they surrounded the house,
and Bell probably hearing them, opened
the back door to escape, when Hays
clapped him upon the shoulder. Bell
proiessed great surprise, and when it
was told him what they suspected, he Of
course denied all. A general search
was made through the house, but moth
ing could be found.
/ He was then deposited in the carriage
with the party and transported to Bride
well. On Sunday morning the officers
endeavored to obtain information from
Bell in relation to the money, and in the
meanwhile they again searched his
house. They finally concluded that the
only way was to promise Bell his lber-
ty, if he would confess. The secret he
was willing to confde to OGDEN HoFF-
MAN, a celebrated lawyer in New York.
MIR. Hoffman was sent for, and about
midnight on Sunday he came to the
Bridewell, and Bell disclosed to him the
transaction. Mr.. Hoffman, however,