The native American., 1839-04-27
From the National Ltelligencsr.


Our attention was painfully attracted by read
ing in the Globe of Wednesday afternoon the
following:
ave understand that Mr. Orme, teller in
the Bank g ofthe Metropolis, took fifty thousand
dollars from the bank. The suspicious Of the
Cashier being awakened by appearances, he
counted the money, and discovering the deficit,
charged the Teller, who confessed every thing,
and pointed to the person who had it in possession,
Mr. Goodrich, clerk in one of the Departments
Mr.. u. was arrested and the money recaptnred."
The circumstances of this robbery, which was
the general and almost exclusive subject Of con-
versaon in this city during last Wednesday,
were, as far as we have been enabled to collect
them from the most authentic sources to which we
had access, as follows:
Mr.. Dennis G.. Orme, teller in the Bank of
the Metropolis, very respectfully connected, and
inheringa handsome patrimony, having not been
IN attendance at the bank at the usual hour last
Tuesday morning, and from his conduct on the
previous day in absentng himself for some time
from the counter, and appearing during the morn
ing to be slightly inebriated, suspicion was ex-
cited in the mind Of Mr.. George Thomas, the
cashier, that all was not right and his tellers ac-
count being compared with the cash on hand, it
was quickly discovered that there was deficit of
meda'ely on this discovery being made. it was
communicated by the Cashier to General Van Ness,
the President Of the bank and The Directors. The
former, though indisposed, went to the house of
Mr.. Orme (who was said to be sick in bed) and
obtained an interview, in which, after stating to
Mr.. Orme the deficit in his cash, the President
used every argument he could think of TO induce
Mr.. Orme to account for the deficit, and to say
what had become the money. But all in vain,
Mr.. Orne persisted in denying what had become
OF it.
After this interview, Mr.. Orme accompanied
Gen. Van Ness to the bank, and was again closely
interrogated by the President and some of the
Directors, when he still persisted in denying all
knowledge Of the deficit, and Of the way in which
the money had been disposed of; until, the
Marshal Of the District of Columbia being intro
duced, and process having been served for the
amount Of the difcit, the defaultng clerk made
confession that he had taken The .ffiy thousand
dollars and giuen 1t TO Mr.. Il. N. Goodrich, a
clerk in the War Department. This confession
was made rather late on Tuesday evening. 1t
was then thought advisable to arrest Mr.. Good
rich, and he was soon afterwards discovered by
the Deputy Marshal at Refcctory, and conducted
to the directors room, where. in the presence of
MIR. Orme, on being told by Gen. Van Ness that
he had the $4,000 given to him by Mr. Orme,
and the latter having confirmed this statement, he
(Goodrich) admitted that he had the money, and
taking large roll of bank-notes cut of his coat
nocket, gave them up, saying, '.There is the
money" Having obtained the money, it was
counted by the Cashier, who found that it amount
ed to the sum of $40, SOO--two hundred dollars
only being deficient. After some little converse
ton between the President Of the Bank and Mr..
Orme and Mr.. Goodrich, in order to obtain the
5000 still deficient, the President agreed, at the
request Of Mr.. Goodrich, that the bank would
dismiss all further proceedings for the recovery of
the money, and Mr. Orme and Mr.. Goodrich
were allowed to depart.
On Wednesday, however, about noon, at
affidavit having been made before Justice rhomp-
son, warrants were issued in the name of the
United States against Dennis G. Orme and A. w.
Goodrich, charging the former with feloniously
taking and caryingaway the sum of $50, 900, the
property Of the Bank Of the Metropolis, and the
latter with receiving that some Of money. know
ing it TO have been stolen. Both warrants were
placed in the hands Of HI. B. Robertson, who, in
a short time, arrested Goodrich; Dennis G. Orme
could not be found.
After long and patient investigation of the
charge against A. w. Goodrich, in the presence
Of the President of the bank and the Cashier,
who were witnesses for the United States, the
District Attorney being also present, and Mr.. J.
H. Bradley being counsel for Mr.. A. w. Good
rch,) the magistrate required the accused to give
bail in the sum of $4,000 for his appearance at
the next Criminal Court for the county of Wash
ington; which bail having been given about 10
o'clock at night, Mr.. Goodrich was discharged,
after being under examination about five hours.
1t is only just to add, that Mr.. Goodrich, in
his defence, denied that he had received or obtain
ed the money with any criminal intention; that,
finding Orme in f1olic, and crazy, as he could
be proved to be, when under the influence Of IL
quor, he had merely kept the money until Orme
got out Of his frolic; and that he was prevented
from returning the money to the bank (which he
sincerely regretted, through the fear that he might
do Orme some injury with his employers, and in
the hope that he would speedily get right again.
Goodrich also said he had searched for Orme du-
ring the day in his usual haunts, but could not
find him.
Two or three witnesses were called, who tes-
tiied that Dennis G.. Orme, when intoxicated,
was ..almost crazy" and excited in most unu-
sual and extraordinary manner. One Of them