The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-10-13
THE ROMANCE OF CRIME.

The ROMANCE OF CHINE.
The career of but few men in the paths of
crime has been fraught with such painful and
at the same time romantic interest as that of
Langdon w. Moore, alias Charles Adams,
alias John A. Stevens the Lime Rock bank
robber, who has Just been sentenced to
term Of seven Years in the Thomaston State
Prison in Maine.
The case of Moore has excited universal
interest throughout the country for several
causes the most prominent O. of which is
the extraordinary efforts made in his behalf
by VIM. P. Wood, ex-Chief of the United
States Detective Service, who has, it appears,
been endeavoring to get the United States
Government to interpose its powerful arm in
behalf of this great criminal.
As Moore is known to the entire Detective
force of the United States-local and national
the Canadas, the British Provinces, and in
portions of Europe, under the assumed name
of Adams, better than any other it is propos-
ed, in giving some interesting points in his
history, well worth perusal, to speak of him
by that name.
His career in crime began with the early
days Of his life, when he emigrated from a
pleasant country home and took up his abode
in that hot-bed of crime and criminals, New
York City. There he formed the acquaint-
ance OF notorious woman known as Mad
am Russell of Mercer street,"a woman, who
under the mask of sanctimonious face, and
the appearance and bearing Of decent
woman, carried in her heart all the low cum
ming, skill and ingenuity in entrapping the
young aud unwary of her own sex. So fatally
necessary to the successful pursuit of her
fearful avOcatlon, and who craved the society
of just such a man as Adams. The coalition
between these skillful adopts lasted several
years. They amassed a considerable amount
OF money, drove elegant equipages, drank
fine wines, and were carried nearly to the
topmost pinnacle Of success, only, as subsc-
quent events have shown, to be precipitated
force, and dashed into fragments.
A young and exceedingly beautiful girl, in
whose veins ran-every eighth drop-African
blood, was brought into the house as an at
tendant. Fifteen years of age, of slight but
faultless figure, and graceful carriage, with
the bloom of hnr rich blood lust shading
through the olive Of her radiant countenance,
but little less could have been expected than
that Adams should have early marked her
tor his prey, and at once set about the ac-
complishment of her ruin. Iu a few months
this was effected
Madam's rage was boundless. She sprang
upon the poor victim before her, as the
vicious tigress would upon the destroyer of
of her cubs, and but for the timely interfer-
ence of others, who were attracted by the
shrieks of the girl, would have manned her
for life. She was at once banished from the
house, and Adams followed shortly after. 1t
was no crime against the girl, in Madam's
estimation 1t was one against herself, how
ever, which she could not and would not
forgive; but it was the last. as we'll as the
first, wayward step in the life of the real
sufferer, who, to-day, in the heart of the
great metropolis, is making atonement in
the offspring Of her love, one of the most
beautiful and bright boys to be found in II
years travel.
Adams still continued in the path Of crime
The robbery of the Concord Bank Of Mass ;
the Armenia Bank of Duchess County New
Iork the Wolfboro' Bank Of New IIamp-
shire; the theft of IT, S. Treasury bonds
the robbery of the L. S. mail in Maine, and a
hundred other crimes intcrmiXcd, ending
with his more recent and last exploit, the
robbery of the Lime Rock Bank. all attest
his superiority rs a thief and burglar of the
first class.
The ending has come at last. Justice in
our State has been vindicated. The decree
has been pronounced Never did it oyertakc
q malefactor more rghteously, than in this
instance. Langdon w. Moore, alias Charley
Adams, goes to the narrow cell Of his living
tomb, with seven long years before him for
penitence, which is to be hoped may be
sincere, and for reflection which, in the
interest of human progress, it is to be hoped
may lead to it. Seven gloomy years for the
memories and the ghosts OF his misdeeds to
pass in dreary procession before him, with
here and there Il terribly injured face looking
up from the long and sombre line, and above
all others, one surprisingly beautiful in the
delicious and dreamy days Of her past, but
now grown weary with the great burden and
sorrow of an unrequitcd love, carrying the
fruits Of her shame and his forever onward
to the silent tomb. Boston Times