Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-11-05
DEN OF THIEVES in A CHURCH.
A Singular DIscOVery--The Loft OF a
Church "a Hiding Place for Robbers
$4,000 Haul OF Stolen Property.
From the New York Herald

FROM tue NEW lOTh hSTdiu'
In the village of Little Neck is a neat
littlereligious edifce, an Episcopal Church,
and in the garret of it nestled gang of
burglars and thieves, about five in number,
and who, it is conceded, have been the
ones that committed the many depreda-
tions in their community of late In this
garret the proceeds Of many nights labor
has been concealed. Here the gang actu-
ally lived, did their cooking and the like,
without the slightest interruption from any
body. In this attic were found articles of
almost every denomination-solid silver
ware, plated tea sets, coffee urns, tea-pots,
silver pitchers, carpets, guns, pistols,
swords, pots, hardware, and even groceries.
II will be remembered that a short time
since the public schools were broken into
throughout the whole county, and books,
inkstands, etc, were carried of; these
same things have here been found the
churches were robbed of their carpets and
cushions, and these, too, have here been
found, together with the carpets and cush-
ions stolen from the church in which they
chose TO make their headquarters. They
have lived here long time, and have many
a Sunday sat looking down upon the con-
Gregstion as the Rev. Mr.. Beare was ex-
planning the Bible and while he was CONS
posing his sermons during the week. 1t is
still more remarkable how they succeeded
in entering the church so often during
wet and stormy nights without leaving
some tracks which would Indicate their
situation. A young man named Alfred
Townsend has been arrested upon sus-
picion of being accessory to the robbie
ries. and the detectives are now upon
the track OF others who are leading parties
in the affair. The church was presented a
short time ago with a new organ, the one
| which they then used being out of order,
and il was abandoned and the new instru-
ment erected. When but few weeks in
| church the back was taken ont, and the
pipe and bellows carried up stairs, where
! thew were used for the purpose of melting
! the stolen silver. This act was charged
/ against New York thieves, as were all
| the others. In this same place were found
! stoves and everything necessary for their
use The amount of goods discovered will
amount up to SIS 900, and from present IN
! dications there are chances Of ferreting out
similar dens of depredators. The prisoners
were committed to JAIL to be brought for
: warn hutAl N1C VI ~ SNHN
were arrested Knight is willing TO turn
States evidence, under the thought that 1t
will free him from punishment for either
crime and Townsend is said not to have
been connected with them for months past,
hut is willing to testify against the parties
in hopes of getting free himself Here the
case rests for the present. II has created
more excitement on Long Island than any
previous occurrence, including the recent
murders. The people came to Flushing
from every town in the county to get
view Of the articles and the ingenious men
who have been 80 expert at their business
In the loft were found various letters which
had been commenced, but not shifting The
composer, were thrown around careiessly'
One OF two of them are evidently in the
handwriting Of female.