Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-11-25
THE ROBBERY AT THE PATENT OFFICE.
rnoN raE NEW ronk POLICE eAzErrr OF nov. IS.

Washington, the night of Wednesday, the 9Th instant,
which deserving of The close attention OF every citizen Tor
many eas ms above and beyond the nominal value Of
loss. The articles contained in large double glass
case which stood nearly opposite the main entrance Of the
great hail on The second story and consisted OF splendid
gold snuff box with diamonds presented by the Sultan,
and valued at SIX thousand doas gold sabbard belong
ing to sword presented Commodore Bdde by some other
poenae, aud valued three ve hundred dolars
pint bottle Of the o,ar Of roses of three times the value Of
its weight III gold presented by Eastern Princes neck
lace of the most respondent pearls, Of similar donation
extra large pearls, which epoed in the gold box sword
and scabbard of gold, presented to Commodore Elliot
the sword with diamond h and several gold medals and
Roman coins making an aggregate Of valuation of fifteen
thousand dollars
The and method of the robbery appear have been
ingenious and daring in the extreme and give evidence Of
having been the plan of experienced feonou minds The
time selected shows orethought and Judgment for though
the pure moonlight night would under ordinary crcum-
Stances have been most maapropos selection, the raging
the Presidential obscured all nicer points Of
observation.
While, therefore, the political watchmen engrossed
in calculations the chances Of Cass and Butler the robbers
entered the front door with nppes which gasped the key
inserted the inside and having locked the doer behind
them, leisuely proceeded up stairs skeleton key
opened the door of the great hail the second landing,
when, having fastened behind them with piece OF cord,
that if disturbed, they would have time make by
the window with knoed rope they about their work.
To avoid making any noise by the breaking OF the which
contained the jewels, they pasted the glass we'll over with
heavy pape and then striking it with iron instrument,
~
Cropping the floor Removing this carefully they used
The precautions with the inner case taking out from
each the sheets of cohesive fragments, and laying them
beside them chair They then commenced the riing Of
the repository but probably alarmed the sharp strokes OF
concealed bells attached to the GEL box the cabbard and
the string of pearls which had been stolen before they
themselves with such booty lay within the sweep
Of their arm and huedIy decamped by the knoited rope
which hung from side window down by the corner OF the
main porch The JOB admirably conceived completed
the robbers got oil safely with their punde end the traces OF
their operations discovered till the following morning.
Then however the hubbub commenced aad since the
police of every which has received the have been
oudgellng their brains to guess out the perpetrators
For our own part, do not feel much puzzled We are
confident that the robbery not committed for The mere
sake of pecunary gain, and believe indicate the
perpetrators ard signify their motives. To be plain, then,
and brief pnness always ought to be, believe, from
the bottom Of souls and below thai If necessary, that
Tom Hand. alias Shuster, and Jim Webb, the
nowned burglars Of the age, the perpetrators OF the
skul depreciation and believe that the object
OF the plumber 10 gain vantage ground that would en-
able them and their agents TO enter into treaty IN an %
sing for the release either Of Ned McGowan from his
peril in Philadelphia, for the pardon Of Charles Webb from
the New York State prison. If this hypothesis be correct,
and stalking great reputation on 1t, Is the arch
director OF the whole and his recent visit to this city 10 con
suit at midnight with Tom Hand and the burglar Webb
stands recognised at last in its bearings.
We writing cautiously and lhoughuly, and not III
the hot temper of sudden r Of the imagination Let
the reader, therefore, listen the attentive spirit
The Patent Office robbed Of these Jewels or the
most valuable Of Them BEFORE and that occasion the
depreciation committed the direction of entanged
on, by Tom Hand TO accomplish his release The crimi
nal to whom aude the renowned Tom Walker, CHE
former companion Of the Webbs now in Southern penn
Tertiary ten years sentence for Iobbing the mall his
stood nttrocked with dozen of daring and
heavy bugaes in Baltimore and New Yok, and, having
hope Of compromise by ordinary he summoned out
side friend his assistance and directed the Patent
Office be robbed. II done. reward Of 900
offered for the recovery Of the property by the Government
Let me slip through present dangers, said Tom alker
confidential officers, and I'll turn up this Govern
men swag The experienced officers took the hint and,
having made oil the necessary arrangements with the local
district attorneys cunnngy advised the agents of the Gov
eminent raise the reward fifteen hundred dollars The
five hundred dollars added when To- as by magic,
the trunk containing the missing jewels found reposng
all ready 10 the hands OF " We vgan police, upon the deck
Of the brig Mary Bright and Tom Walker, maugre all his
accumulated Crimes hocus Focused the open air
No nqcy made after the thieves, and the Government,
with dirty fondness for is worthless baubes, paid the price
for their recovery without making any efforts vindicate its
outraged laws, and the thieves by with the wnGDo
lnsu to question them.
Il remains be if this latter transaction is end in
the way For part, hope it may not. We
opposed 10 compromise IN toto Rather than that the thieves
should buy single day from ten years sentence, obtain
shade Of favor for associate, by restitution, would
the jewels thrown into the consumed before
aud believe ownership n them is great that Of
the President himself. They worthless ii every
indeed, baubes Of barbarian capce, and of yalue
purely visionary. As ing they however, they will
be hurt, and, in good time, will all back again.
The ottar Of will be uncoked the thieves not
fools enough that the jewoed snuff box will remain
despoied and the scabbard Of the diamond hd sword viii
suffer under the crucbe, the scratch OF IL
reveeni pie. This natter however, that should give
great Government very small Its true inquiry Is
after the despoers, and its legitimate the punishment OF
those who have audaciously defed its laws.