Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-10-30
REMARKABLE CAREER OF CRIME.

robbery have already been published; and after
being tracked for long time, and through
many places, its perpetrators have at last been
captured, and are now awaiting trial before
the Court of Assizes IN Nova Scotia. They are
three in number, and their names are Phil
Stanley, Jack Rand and Bell Smith.
These three men apparently are none of your
small, vulgar rascals- They display the trophies
of no less than sixteen memorable achievements T.
Of which each Of them boasts; and whether they
exaggerate the Importance and recklessness of
these from love OF bOasting, we will not stop
to inquire.
The leader Of tins trio is Phil Stanley, alias
Phil Sandford, who prides himself upon being
one OF the most artful villains in Christendom.
he was born in England, and is over 80 years
old. His manner is affable aud quiet, yet he is
very devil in hardihOOd. and gifted with al
most unparalleled fnesSe He has the eve of a
lynx the subtlety of cat. the quick decision
oil eOnsummate general, and n force of execu-
ton which sets all obstacles at defiance .
lie first became known on this continent in the
city of Buffalo, where in n single night he com
mitted three burglaries. He was arrested for
the crlre, tried convicted, and sentenced to
nine months imprisonment Unfortunately.
his sentence was soon after commuted, and.
true to bis instincts, he fastened to deserve an
other.
This fellow is aristOcratic in his trade. He
entertaIns hearty contempt for small rascali-
ueSs anu asplres to great projects and achieve
ments Scarcely had he got out of prison
when ne planned grand enterprise against
the Milton Bank. OF Dorchester; und one fine
morning that institutiOn missed S32 O0O Hay-
ing succeeded in this great project, he carried
on his operations In Albany, Rochester Buffalo
and Springfield; sometimes alone, sometimes
with his associates But in Buffalo the bird was
Gagged the second time, the Grand Jury found a
true bill of Indictment, and be was sentenced
to the Auburn State Prison for another period
OF nine years and nine months.
In the meantime Phil had married the widow
OF a Jew, who kept an obscure hotel in the city
Of Albany. When no found himself a second
time under the restraint of iron bars and heavy
locks, he set his genius to work to devise the
means of recovering his liberty. He drew up
a petition TO the Governor of the State for his
pardon, signed by all the employees of the pris-
on, and having counterfeited the signature of
the Judge, sent 1t on To Governor SEYMOUR
Hts excellency was ensnared by the trick; he
promptly sent on an order for his release and
In few days Phil found himself outside the
prison walls The fraud was afterwards dis
covered, and officers were dispatched To find
the criminal, and after a long and fruitless
search, they listened to the proposals of his
wife. who agreed to discover his whereabouts
upon certain conditions. The bargain being
eOnsummed, Phil got off with two wears and
six months confinement. This inadequate pun
ishRent only whetted his instincts, and gave
him new faith in his lucky star; and he soon
after robbed the Windham County Bank of
$500 lie next turned his thoughts upon
Canada. and went to Montreal, where he COM
mltted many rObberies with impunity-amopy
others one of a thousand dollars from the Office
of the Grand Trunk Railroad. A police officer.
getting clue TO his proceedings, tracked him
u Buffalo, where he succeeded in capturing
him. He was locked up two OF three months,
and then lot OF for want of sufficient evidence
After getting rid of this annoyance thus for
tunRtely, he went to New York where his wife
was then living Scarcely had he stepped out
Of the cars when this adorable creature de-
manded q fur mantilla. Could he refuse such
n request TO loving angel who had turned
aside the poisoned arrows of justice aimed at
his devoted head The thing was not to be
thought of, though Phil had not the funds. be
assured ne was not the man to spoil his dignity
by Pilfering 50 petty 4 timing. TO relieve him
self OF the embarrassment, he signalized the
night OF his visit to the metropolis by breaking
into a store and stealing quantity of rich furs
which he thought could not fail of satisfying
the most sxtravagant wishes of his beloved
But unfortunately for him, he had not obtained
the article ready made; he had only taken the
IA" materials; and though the skins were
magnificent, his wife upbraided him in no gem
tie terms for this oversight. They must do"
said Phil - they must be made up" They
were accordingly sent To n furrier, where. as
luck would have it, they were seen and recog-
missed by the lawful owner and Phil was ar
rested when be called for the article
- So it has often happened philOsOphically
remarked poor Phil on his way TO the Tombs
these cursed baubles of women have often
ruined great men, But he did not content
himself merely with giving utterance to the
maxims of wisdom; but while on bis way to that
venerable penal Institution he slipped from the
officers outstripped them in the race, escaped
from the city, hed to Michigan, robbed the
State Bank Of $1,000; went to Connecticut,
plunderet several jewelry stores in that State
robbed an Indiana exchange agent of a consd-
erable sum. p!undered several Of the principal
shops. aad joined Jack Rand and Bell Smith
The trio next attempted to rob rn oil COM
pany. by means of false keys the rascals got
into the cOmpanys safe, but to their chsgrin
found the golfers empty. For two OF three
nights they continued the experiment, but still
found no money. Enraged with his ill-success
Phil resolved not to have all this trouble for
nothing. Having carefully examined the com
pany books ana acquainted himself with their
method Of doing business he forged their name,
and persOnating one Of their employees. got il
discounted and left the city. When the note
became due, the unfortunate employee whose
name he had assumed, was tried for forgery
and sentenced TO Sing Sing for FIVE years
Thence the cOnfederates went To Quebec.
Their exploits in that city having alarmed the
people and walked up the vigilance Of the OIL
GERS, they Lett Tor Nova Scotia
few weeks after their arrival there, the
Bank robbery Of $4,000 was committed In
this stupsn1Ous affair, Phil employed all his
deyilish genius. His manner Of proceeding is
sometimes slow, but always sure. With a bit
of wax he took an impression Of the outside
door-look, and from this model they constructed
key. Another night the robbers entered the
building. and took impressions of the locks Of
the drawers and vaults, and made other keys
before and were now sure of success. Ii
is asserted that Phil has often devoted six
months study TO the plan Of an enterprise, and
when it promised largely, has not scrupled to
spend - 600 in maturing it.
lie possesses great lowers Of strategy and in
venti0n. At Auburn be made key for secur-
ing the CRATES, and gave it to the jailor, who
sold the secret to a house In New York. They
got il patented, and have realized large profits
froin its sale.
Ordinarily, Phil managed an affair and let
his confederates execute il But in Nova SEQ
TIA he departed from this prudent custom and
this neZlI0e.ea he oSges defe