Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-04-04
ID DETAILS OF THE GREAT .EOxn
ROBBERY"

We give below. from the Newburyport Heyold tbc
details of the great bond robbery, and the verv
queer comments of that paper the qualities of the
Ieaolng villain" Truly he seems to have excited
the real admiration of the writer, the magnitude oi
tho rascaty having placed it, according to this ar
count quite above anything like "moanness." II
proves that this is indeed progressive age:
The party arrested is as fine looking man ~ ,ve
MOuto ueSire TO see lie has splendid figure some
SIX leet hlgh; well proportioned, and remarkably
well developed. lie is the picture of health has an
lntelgent face pleasing address, is neat in his an
paTel, ana every way outwardly cOmmends himself
to the observer. He is thirty-ninc wears old n Dn
1--WE OF New Hampshire where he had the benefits of
good home, the example and advice of respectable
parents who still live, the advantages of good ed
ucaton, and OF a Christian community. He is sadly
mantlng' OF course, IN moral principle. but is not
without affection for his parents to whom he does
not refer without emotion; has sense of honor that
viii not Sto0p TO mean transactions. and generosity
~ iaIon' he remarked the Other day, that he had
hoped 10 turn a short corner. by making "bir
thing on this, that he might provide for fhe "oi5
foIks, and himself lead different life that if there
was an honest thief" ne was not undeserying Of
that name, for he never took cent from poor man
IN MS illefOr dollar from one that would suffer by
Its loss. More than that, when John Jones (Brcwn)
had money, others had it with him, for he never
passed pas beggar il his life to whom he did not give;
refused II be had contributed for 't5i oheTs ss
comforts " hen iad means, and felt happy in so
doing. AS ktered these words our in formaDt
says he could asost have believed that it was re-
vlyal preacher before him.
When Jones (Bfown) had reached the age at which
young men wish to leave home, he went to Manchcs-
ter. N H., where he worked in machine shop, and
then removed to Boston and was honestly and hon
9Ta6y employed for years. but fell in with dsreputa
PIE females: More money was wanted than manual
labor would give. and another and criminal course
was adopted. The police of Boston knew him as Il
young man without visible means of support with
plenty OF money and living by his wits. So it ran on
for several years when orthe crime referred to above
he was arrested and imprisoned lie bad then at
tanned reputation thP 'flOcV circles - t,a
most adrOit man in his profess in America
II would be understood that these need no act
country.
Jones Brown had been at liberty something like
year, and had been In New York some SIX weeks
before the bond robbery looking about for job In
formation was given him by parties, whose names
we suppress to-day-men who were bound to do ex-
accly the OppOsite-cOneerning Mr. Lord and his
loose manner Of business. that he had large amount
OF money constantly on hand, which he did not de-
p9sit but kept in his own safe at his off e. 50 Ez-
change place
On this information he set himself to working UP
tue case, as the detectives would have called it. He
frequently visited Mr. Lord, at which times he talked
mons to the old gentleman, representing himself
as extensively engaged in the hop busir eSs in West
ern New Iork and Canada; that through his brother
In Albany he had now got the monopoly Of the trade
and was deslrous of leasing a store or an Office for
business. 1t was while he was talking hops" that
an associate took an impression of Mr.. Lords KEYS
But these were not found to work WELL and the in
side key to the safe not reached They were not
then aware that the inside door was unfasteped or
the would have entered at once for twice during the
two weeks in which they were talking hops to Mr..
Lord they had opened his office in the day time after
business hours and examined the premises. They
haa the means Of opening the outer door Of the safe
which would at once, had they understood its condi
ton, have given them the money.
Failing with these keys, it then debated among
them what other course to ia e, and of the par
ty-there were four in it-advsed to seize and hold
Mr. Lord while others accomplished the robbery.
Jones Brown objected; he would consent no yo-
lence he would take no such advantage of a feeble
old man; but suggested that they go in and take the
funds before his very eyes, and in broad daylight
This they accomplished as follows
One of the party dropped into the Office he desired
to lease store; and then the others, till they
all there Jones Brown having the gift ftOngue "
was to Mr.. Lord sattenion, while one was to
enter the vault and hand some of the booty to COM
panOn. take the rest himself and the fourth was to
open the door when needed. Accordingly Jones
(BrOwnl sat down in front of Mr.. Lord. whose back
was his SAFE with the door open. lie was earnest
efGg% ShS 6g oGe in in the the
vault. lie had ascertaned that the treasure was in
two tin boxes about foot square, and Two pocket
books. IL passed one of the books to a companion
who was warming his hands at the crate fire. with
his back to Mr. Lord and who kept the box in front
Of him. The other box and ore pocE etbOok be took
himself carrying it so as to bring his body between
the treasure and its rightful owner At one time
during this process Mr. Lord rose if he would look
rOund but Just then Jones Brown was more anxious
than ever to obtain the lease of his hop store and
plead so eloquently for immediate answer that
the venerable Mp, Lord sat down again without as
much turning his eyes.
It was at that very moment that the fourth robber
pulling his valuable gold watch from his pocket re
collected that he had engaged to his business
partner up town, and must leave; he would call
again. That gave occasion to open the door, and
then ont went all the party but Jones C}rowni and
out went the boxes and poke book. Jones Brown
talked long enough to enable them to get out of
reach, when he joined them. The million and half
dollars were carried out in broad daylight in their
hands in sight of the crowd upon the street in the
busiest hour of the day. 1t was therefore the bodes
robbery as well as the greatest ever committed
Whether the hops made the old gentleman sleepy or
the pleasant talk Of the small man drew his thoughts
for the moment from his dollars and his bonds-from
his treasures earth that took legs depart if not
wings to fly away, cannot tell; but this story we
tell as it was told to us, confirmed by all the crcum
stances.
way. where they stopped and covered their booty
and then proceeded up town to their headquarters
the contents examined. Now it was thatthe robbers
were more surprised at the amount of their ilIgOt-
ten gains than was Mr.. Lord, the day following
when the hop merchant forgot TO call on him at his
great loss 1t beyond all their anticpatOns and
cir eyes glared and their chnS dropped to find that
" were the biggest thieves of the world, Here
ST eks upon the table-national bonds State bonds
railroad bonds, private papers, and even the last
J.. LOrd-still richer than any man in the State of
MassachusettS-aiready the verge of eternity
having passed to the last score of his century who
estate unprovided for.
Some of the party were so staggered that they be-
gan to ASK what they should do with it. and it was
proposed to burn sink in the harbor all papers of
little value to them difficult to dispose Of In their
secluded quarters in the still hour of night they met
to determine their arrangements. Then it was that
Jones Brown swhose tongue was as persuasive with
his comrades with Mr.. Lord, dissented. No, he
said though the papers might not be valuable them
they were to that aged broker upon whom we have
drawn largely and they should return to him wha
they could not easily and when it was suggested
that such return might lead to their detection, he
took the responsibility perform the task. and thus
all the papers saved. The property then d-
vided into seven parts-those who had got up the
coming in for shares-and each one had S237 00O
but all remained within tho control of their leader
Jones (Brown) and on his terms given up.
Jones Brown stopped about New York some days
after the robbery, and then TO Boston, where he
remained a week, and was started for a second visit
when he arrested. While here he perfectly
at appearing to feel apprehension for the
suit. The next time we hear from him we hope he
will be in better business. He will not probably see
the inside sf prison for this and he don't deserve it
half as much as some of the men whose names we
have suppressed. Though we know not tho terms
upon which he gave up the money, they were proba-
bly, like those upon which the Concord Bank received
their money. 1t is time that these compromises with
crime were stopped and they must be, or robbery
will soon be parwith stock gambling and similar
speculations and in the multiplicity of evils there
aNNv