The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1861-03-20
Daring Burglary at Lamont.

for sundry robberies by them committed
at Lamont, by entering, at divers times,
the store Of Messrs. Luther q Hinsdale
and clahdestinely abstracting therefrom
and converting to their own use gcner-
al assortment of dry goods, groceries,
boots, shoes, ready-made clothing, crock
ery-warc, &c, &c. The circumstances Of
the case, as we are Informed, are briefly
as follows: - Is 81
Messrs. l.. q H. have, for months past,
been persuaded that goods were from
time to time leaving their store, which
were neither paid for nor by them deb
tied to responsible persons. On or about
the fourth day Of July last, a dark-lan-
tern and key were found under the steps
of the Congregational Church in that vii
lage. The key fitted nicely the lock at
tached to the front door of the store Of
Messrs. l.. & III. This, with other Incl
dents, fully confirmed their impression as
TO the abstraction of goods as aforesaid.
AS time passed additional confrmatory
evidences Of the the truthlulness of their
suspicious became almost daily apparent,
and certain parties were at length fixed
upon as the veritable robbers; and during
week before last persons were engaged to
watch the premises, and, if possible, seize
the miscreants, but the parties did not
make their appearance during that time.
However, on Sunday following, certain
person and one of the parties now under
arrest, was seen filing door key at the
shop Of Mr.. Carney, and on that evening,
about 8 o'clock, while most of the vii
layers were at church, two persons were
seen approaching tho store, unlock the
door, open it slightly, close and lock it
again and pass away. On Monday night,
the store having been closed, Messrs. Syl-
vester Luther and Wood took position
behind and under one of the counters,
and silently and patiently awaited coming
events. Soon two persons approached
the door, unlocked it and entered. One
with dark lantern in hand, seemed al
once to constitute himself special COM
mittee to take observations with reference
to the proximity of intruders, if any. Fol
this purpose. he commenced circuit
round the counter under which the watch
were snugly ensconced, and had proceed
ed but few steps when the full blaze
from his lantern fell upon the countenan-
ces Of the watchers. He saw them,
knew them, stood aghast an instant, and
then with one bound cleared the counter,
with the next reached the door, and the
next moment, with his companion, was
lost in the darkness.
The dark-lanterned burglar was Hiram
Carney, and bis companion Dewitt Slater,
both residents of Lamont. Slater was
arrested the same evening, at the instiga-
ton of Messrs. Luther & Hinsdale, at bis
residence, and placed under the care Of
the watcher, Wood; but, before morning
Wood becoming oblivious to his duty and
responsibility, through too frequent pota-
tons, allowed his prisoner to escape. The
next day search for the culprits was made
and on Wednesday morning the aforesaid
Slater and Carney, and an accomplice
named Thomas Curtis, were found by the
constables snugly quartered in a small
cabin in the interior Of Nettle Swamp
so called, near the head of Crockery
Lake, in Chester. Slater and Curtis were
then and there arrested, but Carney, es-
Gaping, was traced to the residence Of his
brother, in Crockery, aud there arrested
The trio were taken back to Lamont
for an examination. Carney waived an
investigation of matters pertaining &c
himself Slater and Curtis procured
counsel from Grand Rapids, were found
guilty on examination, and in default o.
bail were, with Carney, duly committed
to the headquarters of Sheriff PFAFF, il
this village, TO await trial at the next sess
ion of the Circuit Court, one week hence
1t appears that Curtis is not guilty o
abstracting goods from the store, but o
receiving those taken by the others, anc
disposing of them, knowing them to b,
T stolen goods.
Messrs. L. & H. estimate their loss, il
the absence of any definite basis of cal
) culation, at from $1,000 to $1,000, anc