The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-30

The Offices of the Atlantic and Great Western
Railroad, No. 40 Broadway, were entered last
night, not by burglars, but by those wel-known
and desperate characters, Messrs. Fisk IL Gould.
Their object was plunder, of course but not OF
gold, or bonds or Eric stock, anything that
could readily be converted into gold, but the
possession of the entire set of books of the At
lantic and Great Western Company, from the
smallest to the greatest. With their usual luck
they met with their usual success; the books of
the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad Com
pany-as many of them as could be found at the
office-are in the undisturbed possession of
these representatives of the Erie road.
The reason of this transfer of valuable pro-
perty, why it should have been so peremptOrily
and forcibly obtained, what new or old develop
ments or manipulations are involved in it, are
not yet quite apparent. Enough, however, Is
known to excite a strong craving for more
knowledge; and it is pretty certain that the
directorate of the Atlantic and Great Western
Road are powerless in the hands of the monarchs
of Erie.
Last night one of the express carts Of the Erie
Railway, accompanied by about twenty men,
stopped opposite the doors of No. 40 Broadway,
and in the absence of the janitor proceeded to
remove all the books in the Office to the wagon.
The crowd and the appearance of the men
aroused the fears of woman who was left in
the temporary charge of the building and she
sent for the janitor, old man, who was in the
neighborhood. On his arrival he could not see
any other line of duty, in his simplicity, than
sending for the police, and to the police he sent.
When Officer Woodward, of the First precinct,
arrived on the scene he found wagon filled
with ofice-books, number of rough-looking
men clearing out all they could find In the offices
of No. 40 and altogether general upset of all
his notions of law and order.
To put those notions in way of being put
right again, and to have law and order vindi-
Gated, was the earnest endeavor of his life for
the time being, and so he took the entire crowd,
wagon, horses, books clerks. helpers and parti
cularly Mr.. William Archdall O'0oherty, who
pti oe M or N ef pff
rations, into custody. Woodward therefore Or
dered a march to the First precinct station, and
told the janitOr to lock the doors of the office.
On the arrival of this unexpected throng the
captain felt himself unable to grapple with so
much that was altogether out of the range of an
ordinary burglary, and so he sent the following
telegram to Headquarters
From First Precinct, Gas O'Clock P. M.-William
A. ODoherty, who claims to be receiver of Great
Western Railroad Company, was brought here by
Onicer Woodward for forcing the door and board
ing and removing the books OF the Erie Company.
The janitor thinks that there Is something wrong,
as O'Doherty has force OF about dozen men with
him.
After sending this telegram, the wagon. men,
and police were taken to the Central office, and
there it was not quite clear what was to be done
with these desperadoes, and the telegraph ope
rator was directed to send for Superintendent
Kennedy. After short delay-indeed, SO short
as to look as though this rear guard must have
had pretty clear eye upon the main army
there appeared in the Inspectors room those
u
name may be allowed TO such distinguished
personages) Mr.. James Fisk, Jr., and Judge
Barnard.
Then came the transformation scene. Out of
chaos came order, in all its glorious and signifi-
cant array. The magieians wand was waved and
the voice of Judge Barnard was heard to pro-
claim, II gave the order for all this to be done"
In the White House at Mulberry street, that will
all-powerful; the authority of the Judge of
the Supreme Court of the City was supreme in
its dictates as to supreme personal liberty and
burglary in Broadway was at once condoned.
Mr.. Oh oherty, who up to that
moment had been in custody was
free man, and walked down
the steps with considerable ease considering he
had been badly hurt in railway accident
about an hour before. The wagon containing
the books, of course, was driven rapidly away,
followed by two coaches, one of which con
tanned Mr.. j. Fisk, Jr., Judge Barnard Mr.
,iopr,. and Mr.. O'Doherty. The cause &C =,
this is, Of course, lawr The E:iic roaa IS f;oSt M
ing the Great Western road on the question
receivers, and the Hcrsion of Mr. Fisk gave our
reporter AZ re Opera House last night is as fol-
lows
On the 9th of April Messrs Jay Gould K Co. were
appointed receivers with Mr.. oDoherty. Mr..
ODoherty fell sick about two months ago, and he
books OF the Great Western away BY order OF Judge
Barnard, who had granted that order yesterday
"wednesday morning The jantor, not having had
any notice Of this removal got little frightened
and sent for the police, ETC., ETC., etc.
This is Mr.. Fisk's version. We presume Mr..
O'Doherty was sufficiently conyalescent to re-
turn to the city, for he is reported to have sent
the following telegram last evening to Mr..
Gardner manager of the Great Western offices,
at No. 40 Broadway, and who, but for the tele-
gram, would have been at the offices to receive
Mr.. O'Doherty, his wagon, and array of help
ers:-
"Meet train that arrives in city 41O p. NJ, with
close carriage am seriously injured by railroad
accident. WILLIAM A. ODoHKRTY,
'sDecember 20, 1862"
1t is not unlikely the Grert Western directors
may, in their simplicity, inquire as to the dis
posal of the 1920, 900 acknowledged by the
Erie kings to have been earned by the Grea
Western road since December, 186S.-N I
Herald this morning.