New-York tribune., 1841-06-15
NEW-YORK, TUESDAY, JUNE rs. Is4I.

stolen his instance bY his brother Thomas aided by fore
Rankin and George Grn-the former youns lFi>haan and
The latter English cabinet u'akcr-Tem the stote OF " m
Merle No. 262 aHd 264 frontt in IN; autumn OF lo4V ana
early winer OF l84Q-il.
From the testimony il appeared the ls OF August
tai0 III. and contents OF o21 oass OF co1ee on
storage transferred By Mr. ticHs ITS 9rneT &C.
cunant to Mr. Merle In September thereafter coffee was
missed and in No4eber hay found scattered oyer The
gro4nd below hachway in the rear yard oi the oT
Alcr yhch coffee was found scattered and tram o coffee
grains was traced over the yard Of the 20 the fence that
divided the part of the st9o premises fFo the rear oil
hose OF Richie, VINO KEEP: junh-shop the next door
Coffee was al.o swept out Of the door of the junk shop
into the street resembling that stolen from the store Ihs
excited suspicion of Ritchc Other hett' were conmiea
and finally the magnitude Of the loss induced MI Merle 10
procure officers 10 watch tho but they watched IN
their turn and no arrests resulted from their efforts IL vas
fnely made known 20 the officers, Stokely and Cochetar
that George Griffin knew all about The affair and ne was ar
rested and imprisoned In two days afterwards he made
confessions lon promise of mpunty ne told the whole
rihl thar he ,vi;h Thomas Richie, prisoners brother
aided by Geore Rankin had the instance ot prisoner
entered the store by ladder placed against the
second story window whence they let the bags OF Cot
down the ground carried them across the yard and
over the fence delivering thsm RI.chc his store" who
put the Coffee in barrels and had the carted out with his
and sold Rankin and Thomas Ritchle, as also
the prisoner arrested and committed and RANKIN
his examination corroborated the confessions OF Hln-
stating he and the other did steal the Coffee tor iae ~
OieT, VINO paiQ tUe -ild sum lp u; anu t'' 1' -
and thai when once Rankin refused steal any Rche
drew pistol and sworc he would blow his brains out ne
did
On the trial Ci;is re-sa:ed the substantially that he
had told at the Police Office and said Rchc pud hni and
Thomas Richie g for each theft OF Coffee consisting Of
from bags time and that no pald Rankin -
each tcfthat IItchie shop their starting point
whence hev would franz his window" get
into Merc yag with the ladder ascend 20 he second story
steal the coffee and return with into Rcc shop; he
several occasions, seeing their operations arl Receiving
hinlse-ha the coffee was in barrels OF il
sold Mr. Cies coffee dealer in Fifth street. some other
portions Mr. Gilbert in Dutch st. near Fulton and some
sent To- basement room of No. 30 McDousal ST. kept for
Richie BY an kngstman named Carter where 90 bags
sold
Mr. Gilcs who was formerly clerk for Ritchics cil
store in Broadway. depoed that prisoner and ms brother
Thomas sold him different times from 800 10 900 pounds
of sofiec AT nine cents a poundbis being given in the
mans of both Of hem-ihcy first furnishing samples OF II
Mr. Gilbert deposed having purchased or s bags Of
them and each supposed as was stated t" them was OBJ
ancd by the prisoner and brother from mates OF vessels
yccpings of the cargocs board OF them 1t was aso
somewhat dusty.
II was proved by Officer Solcly ,ha WHOM he di-
rcctel by Griffin the basement OF 38 McDougGl 81. lie
found coffee and sand nternnglcd the earth floor the
ocp,h Of two OF three inches and also dcpositons OF coffee
in holes under one side of the cellar.
In the defence it proved that Rtchic had deal; IN
coffee bcorc-iha he the OF the Junk shop,
which Thomas his brother dcpescd he started with money
furnished him bv prisoner and that the latter had sustained
a good character prior the present adar. George Ran
Kin one the accused who had made confessions and i'm
plcacd Richie in tcsfyng fo defence, denied almost all
ne h4 formerly stated in the Police Oicedcned he had
robbed or assisted TO rob the OF Mr. AeTlc, had
been in it after night cncrcd-and that he never
knew or saw anv coffee in Rches He also denied
ho Richie had threatened shoot him he did not con-
rnuc on to steal Thomas Rtehc also denied al concern
m he hc of the cof,e and said he and i> brother
owned the shop and t; the coffee obtained from sales
Of burnt coc 10 large extent, and from the ri
scs who sold The swecpngs and what bags after
the owners had the amount claimed in their uv;icc II
happened however, badly for the veracity of these men
that their catlis conradc,ed by Nh Hicks and Mr.
Mcrc-or the former contradiced positively the statement
Of Rankin thai he NJ. Hicks, had tad him to swear the
crime on Rtche-and Mr. Merle dcpo>cd that after the
aal of Thomas Ritchic of the theft OF the cofcc-a he
had confessed to him. Mr. Merle that hc Thomas Ritclic.
had stolen in connection with Others and that Thomas aso
implicated the prisoner, james Richie.
There was much other testimony Of rather collateral
character that unnecessary 10 Give. The case was
summed w ably and given the Jury after on inlParti
charge ay the Recorder. and the juty found verdict oi
guilty.
There are Two other indictments Tor grand larceay, and
one for burglarr asail>; the prisoner.
CoRoxYE', OffcE.-Thc Cornoner yc>tcrdas held az H.
Guest at tn. Hudson River Hotel No. II Hoboken-stiec
on the body Il an unknown found III the dock a; the
G,ot of Ca1a!->trcet Vcrli-t-FouuG drowned.