, 1866-12-08

The Organized System of Robbery on
the New York Central Klullrond-
Curious and Important Revelations.

lf rom IDC GIlCH DGCEHlBcr j.
The trial Of tue two Gctmans and Mrs.
Kimberly, at Jol,nstown, Fulton County,
has resulted in their conviction OF the crime
chnrged-that Of receiving goods stolen from
the New York Central Railroad. So i'm.
portant and curious were sonie vf the reve1a-
lions Of this trial, that We give summary Of
the operations which led TO them.
During the last two and j half years, the
New York Central Railroad Company have
had large amount Of freight stolen from
their cars. The evil became at length so in
tolcIable that great efforts were made 10 de-
tect the thieves and bring them to justice.
But SO adroit and carefully covered up were
detection, and the robbcrics went on with
impunity. At length, about year .ago, the
railroad company called into requfsition the
services Of the New York Detective Police.
When the detectives took hold Of the case,
there was no clue for their guidance: They
travelled the entire distance from Albany TO
Buffalo and back, many times before It was
possible to form an opinion at what points
Stealing was going on. From much personal
| observation, and the reports Of his subor.li-
Scott became satisfied that Utica aud Home
| were the two principal places, at or near
which, the robbcries were conducted. This
| g.cat point DciDg assured, BY vigilance and
shrcwlncss, the whole mode Of operating
| was discovered, and eventually brought to
| AEuA. uC through CATS VII
the tram from New York aud Albany to Buff
ialo, are not disturbed. Of course, at way
stations. It1as to these, therefore, that the
thieves confined their attention. Two inde-
pendent gangs were engaged IN this bnsi-
ness. one belonging to Utica, the other to
alton. That Of the Utica gang appears to
have been to secretly get aboard the train at
| Hcrkinier, nhout fifteen miles below Utica,
while 1t stopped for wood and water. False
keys admitted them to the freight cars.
who1s doors they rs,a. s10,fd again and
watch even on the tan eh0sf fhsy "h4 then keP e:
1ccted such goods as they desired, aad. that
accomplished, would throw them out while
miles below Utica. Remaining in the cars
till they Stacked up on approaching this city.
the thieves would then, afttr closing and
lucking the door, jump OFT and walk back to
the point at which the goods had been tum-
bed out. Boxes were broken open, If neces-
goods carried or for sale. As the trains
usually rcachcd Utica after dark, the thieves
rot themselves and their booty away with
out detection. It WAS found at length by
the visilant detectives, that parties In Johns-
town were receivers Of most Of these
ried chiefly to Cohees or Troy. With
such system aud regularity was their busi.
ness carried on, that the railroad thieves
used actually to pick out such goods a. their
receivers desired, as il supplying an honest
market. The dainty rogucs have been known
to enter the cars several nights in succession,
break open cases, and finding nothing to snit
their customers, nail up the cases again,
leave them unharmed and wait patiertly un.
til another night should bring merchandise
morr In their line Of business at Johnstowu.
To this latter town, the attention Of Mr..
Scott and his men became directed. Several
Suspicious characters were found, among
them the three just arrested. Danlel
and Ezra Getman (brothers) we're found
TO have been receivers Of this stolen freight
for about two ycars, the former selling The
goods out Of his store, for nc WAS q merchant
Of the town, the latter from his house, where
he lived with Mrs. Kimberly, q lady Of about
forty summers, who has been connected
with thieves for quarter Of q century. One
John Plata, an Itnlian. was discovered te
be a Ro-between for the thieves and tht
| Getmans, and about q year ago, the detec
tiycs arrested him, fastened the crimt
| upon him, and he was sentenced IL
| Ttica, to imprisonment for three years
| and seven months. The Gctmaus aui
Mrs. Kimberly were all arrested by the Dc
tcctIve Agency, assisted by SheriGs Oliver
Getman and Miller OF Johnstown, In Nav last
A large quantity Of goods stolen from th
railroad were found IN their possession, som,
| in Dan. Getman'e store, more still In Ekra'
I house, but the largest portion at bis mill IL
the town Of Blocker, sixteen miles bacl