Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-04-18
VOL. 3.---NO. 215.
DAILY VIRGINIAN.
The Chloroform Robbery The Dunkirk Barb,
Caught,

Caught.
week or two since we copied paragraph
from New York paper stating that gentleman
named Fidd had been robbed by colored barber
IN Dunkirk, by means of chloroform, of 81 400
nnd that tho barber, whose name was James A.
Hall hnd fed. Last night at the cockpit in
,'fayier street while the Chief of Police was look
ing on, observing the mixed assemblage present,
no saw rather a distinguished looking mulatto
gentleman, with speotacles and sort of
prighhd style of hat, who casting furtive CLAN
oes at HIM Presently the Chief moved towards
'ho coffee stand in corner of the room and took
seat whore he was soon joined by the dark COM
P"Aiohed stranger, who sat down along side Of
MN nnd commenced the conversation by inauir-
ing 1t he had any "bogus." The Chief at once
twlgged the kind of customer he had to deal with.
anu answered that ho had mono at esenthavine
showed all he had Tho stranger then wished
To know II ho could not get some.a he wanted it
to go to tho races with. To this tho Chief replied
That he did not know, and appearing to be little
shy, asked the other If he "on the CROSS
meaning a thief. Tho latter replied that he was
''dead,' and the Chief having ntimated that he
was IN the snme line of business, and equally
"dead," confidence was at once established and
the conversation proceeded quite conidentially.
The stranger observed that he had been here
but short time, and not any particular
lay but was ready for any thing. The Chief
skiinliy led HIM ON, pattering thieves slang with
noarly ns much skill tho mulatto himself
The Inter stated that hc knew of an operation M
this town, by which fifteen thousand i" cases(dol-
lars) could be obtained but he was afraid il would
be necessary to ''croak" (kilD tho object first.
lie was certain they could not be obtained by
frlskng.' Frisking, we arc informed, is perfor-
ined by ono person coming suddenly behind tho
victim throwing his arms round, holding him tight
while confederate rapidly searches bis pockets.
When skiliully performed, it is tho work of only
n Ia In.. q. at.,,N r
clean
Ilo finally proposed to tho Chief, who had pre-
viousy informed him that he was also stranger
here, to go to tho st Charles hotel and take board
and that he (tho mulatto) would pass for his SER
yent. lie said the hotel "lay" was tho best and
saicst ono going, and as tho Chief was rather a
good looking man, (hero James blushed) he had
no doubt the speculation would succeed and bs
profitable.
This matter was discussed in full. and finally
agreed upon. but the muatto said that they must
bo careful of one thing, and that was that thew
were not spotted by the Chief of Police, one
james who no was informed a sharp fellow
and always on tho look out. This startled the
Chief, who at first thought he was suspected but
seeing tho fellow was perfectly in earne car.
red on the joke; and said that it had cost him
$50 to got the drop on that functionnry, but
that ho knew him perfectly well, and would point
him out. After further mannuvring, he
finally induced tho fellow to unbosom himself and
learned that his name James A Hall, that he
had kept barbers shop in Dunkirk, and had ad-
ministerod chloroform to Mr. Fdd, the gentle
man above mentioned, and had made his escape
to this city. Observing II large bowie knife In
his belt. the chief asked him if he had ever used
those things. lIe said he never had, but always
carried them, and would not hesitate to use them
in of emergency. The Chief approved Of
this and exhibiting pistol said he always went
prepared
About this time, finding the pear was ripe, the
Chief made signal to officer Horner, who was
near by and turning to Hall, asked him if he
could read lIe answered that no was a pretty
good scholar, and the Cheftoo crescent out
of his pocket, with tho ominous word ''polce"
marked on it. To describe tho fellows aston
ished look would be impossible.
He offered to bribe the Chief with all the mon
ey he hud about him, and the promise Of more,
but the latter would not listen to him. and after
depriving him of his knife and pocket book sent
him OF in the custody of officer Horner.
While on his way to the guard house. he tried
TO brIbo IIorner to let him off, by offering him a
magnificent gold watch and chain, which tho lat
ter pretended to accept, but as soon as he got
possession of thom ho drew pistol and told the
fellow if he moved he would shoot him down.
He was taken to the Chiefs private office,
where tho latter soon arrived and by pretending
that he wanted to make some money, got tho fell
low TO haul out of a secret pocket certificate Of
deposit on the banking house of George Over
ecker, of Cincinnati, for nine hundred and fifty
dollars, signed by James A. Hall, $50 of which
had been drawn, according to an endorsement
on the back. He then walked to the watch house
and locked him up to await his examination. The
whole affair was most skilfuily conducted.-New
Orleans Picayune ApriI0.