, 1863-02-05
NO. ;,
THE OTHER SIDE.
BOLD, DAsHING AND INGENIOUS ATTEMpT TO
ROB THE NEW yOHE gycHISGE E4tE

BOLD, DAsHING AND INGENIOUS ATTEMPr TO
ROB TIE NEW ToRE EXCHANGE E4SK.
II, in the estimation Of the French people,
England has produced q race Of shopkecpers,
In our eyes she has yet the more distinguished
honor Of having produced race OF inyincible
housebEeakerf: Il q robbery occurs Of more
than ordinary magnitude, the features Of
which reveal extreme cunning, cool calcu1a"
tion and unusual skill, detectives at once pro-
nouncc it the work Of English burglars. who
alone hare cleyatcd thie1ing TO science, and
upon this supposltion they commence their
party. The cool calculation displayed, the
labor endured and the patience exhibited in
the bank robbery We are about to detail, have
rarely, if ever, been exceeded.
On Monday morning, the o5th u1t., shortly
aftcr the opening of the New York Exchange
Ger Of the bank that he could not open the
vault doors. An immediate examination was
made, when 1t ~as found that the lock had
been tampered with. 4 blacksmith was sent
for, but, before the doors could be opened. a
portion Of the massive brickwork had to be
torn down-no easy work, considering the
substantial character Of tue building.
On cnteriDg the yault, the officer discovered
| a laolr in the toor large enough to admit the
body Of 4 man. The tirst impulse was to look
| at tic safe, which was known to contain near
| II four hundred thousand dollars in notes and
| specie, besides twenty Thousand dollars worth
| Of railroad bonds belonging to the President
| Of the baDk. The safe was unopened, but the
| burglars lad tried it's strength in various ways
but had ultimately abandoned it in despair.
| Tic next care was to examine the hole It
| was evidently regular tunnel, and extended
!! considerable distance.
| information ct the affair was Immediately
! sent to the General Snpctintondents Office,
| when detective Lefferts and others were dis
| patched 10 the premises to make I'LL the nee.
| +$a noFf fhn f1ff3 hfv
Of experiment, entered the frame building I'D
joining the bank, and without much trouble
ctuwlcd through the subtcrranean passage I'M
ii! he arrived underneath. and actually entered
the vault. Tie basement, upon being eyaln
incd, WAS found to bc full of rag carpets, and
| judging from the appearance of the place, il
was evident these carpets were manufactured
there Some fifty or sixty bales Of the carpet
ing had been piled up at the rear OF the base
1nent, with the view, no doubt. Of screening
the operations ofthe burglars while they were
engaged in tunnelinE their way into thc nez1
building. Behind this barrier was concealed
the earth drawn from the excavation undel
the bunk; but, upon close inspection, it WAS
evident HAT the great bulk Of the rubbisl
must hare been removed to the street ant
carried of.
the basement to tic vault, and the labor II
making it must have been immense, as on ex
animation 1t proved that in tunneling to tht
vault the burglars had to pass throusha hcav.
founIatin vail ofstonc and also lighter on
means regular 1t was crooked, aud ut OIL
point detouE Of eight or ten feet was made
although for What purpose We cannot iluaginc
The way was cut through 1lsass Of sand ant
made ground. The tunnel was found to b.
carpetcd throughout and strcwn with book
and p:pcrs, which had been removed from th
vault 60 rs to facilitate tl:t movements Of til
| iar;ro and inflrf1tju;lhfe rDh1rrs
a vast amount Of burglar stools were foun'
! in the basement. The police took possession
ofthc different articles, and made the follow
. ing inventory OF the same; One tack-EcrcT
| valued at fifty dollars: one small do, yaluc
at twenty-five dollars: ono large crow-ba1
one email do, one compound driver, two jim
mics, one iron bar, one large slcdge hammer
three braces, one Ratchet, one fofeplauc, on
hand vice, three files, one claw-hammef, on
serewdriyer, one chisel, three SAWS, one pivot
Que large iron poker, two spades, two shovel:
one carpenters square, large number {
! wedges, two shirts, two pair Of overalls,
:: dcMijohn Of whisky, and one alallet.
The carpet manufactory was teElnt1ess an
: apparently deserted. Harmon Roberts, pr
prietor Of 4 drinking saloon over the carps
manufactory, on being questioned By the pc
lice, stated that Tic basement had 'een f.,1
n,crly occupied by man named 9ohn Afcoci
man giring his nameas Thomas B1rkc, rccci,
ing $500 for the stock, fixtures and good vi
| of tie concern. Tic says that Burke had
partner in the business; but he did not knoI
e lis n:1nc, nor could he give any descTiptio
the place from Roberts, and vas prompt i
r Ill lis payments.
: The only loser by the affair was Mr.. 4.
Peck, 4 broker, who had deposited s., 900
: uncurrcnt bills in tin box, which had bee
: placed i'll the vault Oh Saturday afternoon
f>U
nj anF rrn,nncreted the robbers for the
time, labor and outlay in purchasing tho stuc
Of the carpet store, loss Of burglri0us instr
nlcnts, &c.
The robbers evidently understood til
ground plan If tho bank Building. How The
Got their Information remains to be found GU
t Gut this fat is certain that their mining op
d raaicus were carried on with military prcc
c sion, and terminated in the very centre Of Il
r place they designed to reach.
+ The location Of this dashing burglary Il:
is been the scene of the grcstest excitement d
r ring the weeA, curious throngs hanging rou1
Is the bank at al1 hours Of the day. The pr
i vailing sentiments Of thesc loungcr5 Is, y
regretto say, symrathy for the thieves, d
miration fo1 their boldncss, aud Il half-FcgE
safe. Bank institutions arc not popul
among the people.
Every exertion is being made to ferret q
The perpetrators. John Alcock, the carp
h weaver, who sold out to tAc burglars, yoEu
ii tarily appeared before the Police Court. b
ar as be knew nothing subsequent to the salc
,c wns not detained, Detective kcefe, who i
been detailed, i'll connection with sever
st others Of Sergeant Lederts' squad, to terr
&c out the burglars, succeeded, oil tho 18th ui
4. In ar1esting one Of the suspected parties. Il
K prisoner, who is IN Euglishman, Is said to
ID notorious burglar; but at present there
ut no eyidencc whatever to implicntc him in t
ID bank robbery. The accused, whose name
Sheffield, was arrested some three months a
on suspicion Of burglary, and locked up
the Tuonlbs, in company with cDmpanl
named Richard Co1lard. Sheffield eucceed
i'll effeeting bis release By means Of y habe
u. corpus, hut his companion in mise;1 sr,il
mains ince-.ccssiia1ed The prisoner denies
knowledge Of the affair, but tho poll
= thought proper to lock him nr for few da,
VALUE OF 4 GOOD SAFE INSIDE TT
Il. VAULT.
b. NEW Yunk ExcHAsE BASK !
ID New YoRK, March Fl, 1861.
is MessTs. HERA1So & Co., No. ISL Broadway
IN Gentlen,en:-Tou have already been well j
II formed through the columns OF the da
i papers Of the desperate attempt made up
O. our Money Vault, and the Fire and Burg
r, Proof Safe made by you for our bank ! I,
U, years ago. Although our vault Was &c
le strongly built, and provided with heavy doc
r aud the best Of locks, the attempt ni,on t
d. vault was successful.
C. The roEue5 succeeded in undermining