Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1866-10-26
Arrest Of the Bowdoinham (Me)
Bank Robbers.

memory of our readers II will be rc:nenl-
bercd that the audacious operators IN ttits
robbery visited the dwelling of the cashier
ofthe bank. Mr.. z. Butterticld, ut midnight,
aud having knocked him on the head with
sluup shot as he arose in his bed, aud
gagged and pinioncd him (serving his wife
and little boy in the same manner. rilled
his pockets and obtained the keys of the
b INK. The thieves, however, however,
/ found that the mere possession of the key
would not avail themi with the ''combna-
ton locks OF vaults. and they returned for
the cashier. and threatening him with III
+. slant death ii he refused. compelled him 10
go with them and unlock the vaults. The
| robbers having thus obtained about S'o,w'0
in bills. coin. and L. :. bonds returned To
| the house, bound the helpless inniates to
their beds and escaped. In the course OF an
hour Mr.. Buttcriicld managed to free hun
self and gave the alarm. Mrs. Buttertcld
had. meauw lille. suffered such mental and
phy steal agony that she was completely
Frustrated aud has To this day been COZ :
rincd to her bed.
Ii was ascertainel shortly after the rob
berry that four Hlen answering the descrip-
ton of the thieves, had hired team ut
Portland, the night previous To the robbery
aud had returned it to the stable on the
following morning. The horses were very
much faded. andthcre was not much doubt
but that they were the robbers.
Mr.. Moses Sargent the Boston Bank de-
tectiye. was notified OF the occurrence, aud
visited Bowdoinliam. There he received a
thorough dc scription of the thieves. ana al
once came on TO this city and communicated
with superintendent Kennedy. Capt. Jour
dan ofthc sixth Precinct. and Detective
Elder. were detailed TO work up the case.
The description given Tailed exactly with
that of four Of our well-known Newly ork
Burglars. and watch was kept upon
their movements. For three months tina
above officers. or some OF capt. Jour'lans
men. logged them. with the hope OF dis
covering where the stolen property had
been placed Some of the citzens Of Bow
lonhain were sent for. an came on here.
Various thieves were pointed out to Them
i'm such q manner is not to excite tie Sns-
pcons of those under surveillance. and
eventually they succeeded in discovering
three of the gang.
Returning to Bowdoinham. these witness
scs went before the Grand jury at that
place, and made afiidavit against the sus-
pccted thieves. and the latter were indl,t-
ed. acquisitions were procured from Coy.
Cony by officer Sargent. who at once came
on to this city with them.
On Friday morning Capt. J"urdan and
Detectives Elder aud Sargent. acconpa
MED by Officers Dunn. Dolan AND llagger-
" of the Sixth Precinct, started after the
rncn. Their haunts were we'll lknown to
the officers, and not much doubt was en-
tcrtaned by the officers but that they
would succeed in capturing them. so close
" had they been watched. In the Eigth
avenue two of the sought for men We're
discovered, sa,ned David Bartlett, and Ed
ward Mcclure, alias Eddy MeGuire. alias
FAIRY" McGuire. They were followed by
the officers down to Abingdon Square.
where they were arrested. Both made a
desperate resistance. McGuire attempting
to stab Officer Dolan with u large: dirk
knife which he had hurri oily drawn from
his pocket. Nc was instantly Knocked down
and secured.
The thieves were then forced into coach
which had been in waiting III the vicinity,
and driven to the Station House III Worth
st. whore they were confined.
The utmost dispatch i'll securing the 9th
er thieves was now necessary, for should
they hear OF the. arrest OF their coniederates
they would at once make their escape from
the city. At 90 clock on FRIDAY evening,
the party again sailed out, and at the cor
nrr of Nest Houston Varick SITS. met an
other of the alleged thieves, named Owen
nliAs "Rory." Sims. He was in company
with number of notorious thieves and cut
throats. Fearing to delay in arrcstins him.
however. the officers resolved to take him
into custody in the presence oil his com
radcs. This was done, when desperate
fight took place between the thieves and
the officers. Revolyers and knives We're
drawn on both sides. a pistol was Presen-
ted at Cap. Jourdan. when he drew his re-
.volvcr and threatened to blow the mans
brains out if he did not drop his weapon
Sims was severely beaten about the head
In the hight of the melee Sixth ave, cal
ameAlong, and the prisoner was dragged
Into it, the crowd following. and continuing
their attempts to take the man away from
the police. They would rroha ly have sue
cceded had it not happeaed that two Twcn-
ty-eigth Precinct Officers, III post III the
! vicinity, heard the noise ran to the spot,
aud their exertons added to those OF the
! other officers, suticcd to clear the car OF
the roushs and thieves, much 10 the relief
of the passengers III the car, the lady por-
ton OF whom were terribly frightened.
The car was then driven on, and the pri. :
ouer Was in a short time lodged with his
confederate at fhe Station House. The
fourth man is still at large, but will prol :
oblv be caught in q short time. The pris.
oners were ON the same evening taken be-
fore Justice bowling who opened court
for the purpose, and by him coinm.ssed
temporarily.
On Saturday the friends of the prisoners
through counsel. sued out writ OF hdbeds
corpus, hut no trace of the accused could
be found. They had been handed over by
our police authorities to the Boston officer,
and he had left the city with them in his
custody, accompanied by Capt. Jourdan
and Detective Elder. Ere this they have
doubtless reached the scene OF the bank rob
berry. there To answer the charge OF rob
berry preferred against them. Bartlett 9
about 30 years. and was bonn in the United
States. He has served twenty one years
and six months in State Prison on convc.
tons of burglary. as follows Clinton Prls-
on, n, ". SIX years Charleston Mass. six
wears: and two tcrns-one five one four
and half ycars--n Sing Sing Prison. Two
Years ago he was engaged in burglary at
the corner of Mcdougal and Amitv sts.,
when Francis w. Cooper was robbed of
/ thirteen thousand dollars worth of diamonds
and silvcrware.
McGuire is abou. twenty eight years OF
age. and was born in the United States.
lie served four years and six months IN
Sing Sing in company with Bartlett de
Was recently arrested on n charge OF having
r,,lhrd Adams' Fyuress COnpauy, and now