The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-06-11
THE ROYAL INSURANCE BOND ROBBERY.

Trial Of Dan Noble ut ElInirn-Eull Details OF
the Robbery by a Dissatisfied Accomp.icc.
The trial Of Dan Noble for his share of the robbery
Of bonds from the safe in the ONCE Of the Royal In.
surance Company in this city, on the 10th Of Deem
ber 1865, commenced at Elmira on Tuesday last.
The most interesting part Of it the testimony o!
Frank Knapp, who, with Noble and Griffin, was
concerned in the robbery, and who has turned upon
his former comrade In crime, because, it appears,
his proper share OF the spOils withheld from him
by Noble. When put upon the witness stand he said
he had known Noble five or six years previous to
the day Of the robbery-the 10th Of December 1866.
On that day or Monday Noble and himself went on
the street in the morning, in company, and met
Grimm about nine half past nine on the corner Of
Prince ana Mercer streets by arrangement; they
started down together to see what they could
pick up; went through Broad street and
several others, and finally, about half past
ten, fetched up at the ONCE Of the Royal Insurance
Company Grimm went in first and he followed after
posite the Royal; asked Griffin what this Office was
and he said an insurance ONCE; Knapp walked up
to Mcdonald aud engaged hun n conversation, and
on the opposite side from SAFE SO that when Knapp
talked with him 1t would naturally turn his head
ana at last he got to the safe and got the box Knapp
thinks Griffin got mis- coat on In the ofce; the VT
life insured and few other friends, ana said they
were commercial agents and married men aud
wanted to. effect On insurance on their lives
be gone down the Mississippi; he had him get
q book down aud show tine rates OF tarir for
man twenty or twenty-five or twenty-three years
old, and kept his attention rvctted upon it, he CON-
menced making calculations and tod the different
he got chance to 60 into the safe and he threw his
coat over the box, and the last the witness saw OF
'front.' Of and TAXED Sy Gen
onds with the old gentleman and then excused him.
self and went out OF the Wall street side, and turned
and went down to Pearl street, and again turned
to the left and went north, and saw Noble and
Griffin crossing the street and an of1cer In uniform
posed ne had seen these men and was foIIowiir
them; he walked down and told them he thought
there was 2 copper ON them; he followed them
continued on Water street and he continued up
TO Fulton street and saw them get into car, and
procured q large sheet Of brown wrapping paper
wrapped up the box and rode up opposite tine Aston
House, and then took the Greene street car on the
Seventh avenue Line and rode UP TO the corner OF
Greene and Prince streets, and then got out and
went to Mobiles house, and went into an upper bed
paperA and in envelopes and In the box were docu-
nents and private papers; they sorted the bonds
from the private papers and rolled the bonds up In
away, and rolled UP the private papers IN another
piece Of paper, and some got piece OF sealing
IN the neishpourh0SS Of ssoSooo. and and Hs he
they hadn't ought TO destroy the papers, be-
cause there would be large reward offered, and
they could turn back the private papers ana have II
hushed up; no said he had shown his face ana 30
had Grimm, and the best thing they could do was TO
get out OF town, and they had no time to lose; he
gave the bonds 10 Noble, and took the documents
into Mrs. MOBILES room and sealed them aud laid
them on the beds that Is the last he Of them; he
said he was gong out OF town. aud thought they hal
all better go; grimm was not in favor OF going; but
Noble said they had better 60 10 Canada, and there
they could dictate terms TO the company; but II they
stayed In New York and were arrested tine company
could dictate terms TO them; Noble said to take the
tram and go as far ~ Pouglkeepsie and Grimm ana
he would meet him there next morning and bring
the bonds, and they would 20 TO Canada; he
went TO Poughkeepste at q quarter before four
O'Clock on the Hudson road, and got there ut nine
or ten O'Clock; went 70 the hotel ana registered
some name which he forgot; about four O'Clock the
next morning after reaching Poughkeepsle there
was knock on his door and Grffn came IN with
aud to when witness replied that II was not the way
to do business; there was good deal OF money dc.
pending here, and he didn't feel disposed TO 60 away
and leave everything with Noble.
At this point the troubles and difficulties OF the
two commenced, and the witness gave detailed
account OF their circuit0us travels 70 Montreal
Albany, 10 Detroit. TO Elmira and the many ways
he and Griiln undertook partly 70 make settlement
with the company, parity 10 obtain their share OF
ceived In all only some 81, ooo while Noble was
buying houses fast horses aud was losing 900 o.
Q single slick" ut faro. The witness was search.
tngly crossexamined. The trial was continued on
Wednesday; the officers and special detectives who
succeeded In arrcsting Noble were examined for the
prosecution but their testimony was principally the
same as thas on the first trial ana already known.