Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-10-18
A SHAMEFUL OUTRAGE.
An innocent Witness Imprisoned that
Two Emigrant Robbers May Escape
William NJ. Tweed Protecting Rob-
bers to Gain Political Influence.
From the n. Y. Tribune.

! " iliAuAa VI. INeed Protecting ROb-
bers to Gain Political Influence.
From the N. Y. Tribune.
Following the exposure in last Fri
days Tribune of the dark ways and ac-
ute tricks of the emigrant robbers, one
of them, Oscar Davis, was speedily
tried IN the Court of General Sessions,
convicted, and sentenced to five years
| imprisonment at Sing Sing. By far the
most important of these cases, however,
remain to be tried, and much interest
is evlnced as to the result One of the
crimes alleged was the robbery, on the
9th OF last June, of Anton Kornack, a
Prussian emigrant. Kornack, a man
of 81, frank, honest, and industrious,
arrived IN this country IN 1867. After
working four years, and saving 81, 500,
he started from Illinois for his home,
and while passing through New York
was robbed of nearly the whole of his
little fortune by Charles Moore and his
confederate, McDermott, at their den,
at No. 50S Canal street, by the
" belt rig, a process of theft
described IN the Tribune of last Fri
day. Rumors that Moore and McDer-
mott We're planning an escape from
trial, and that efforts were making TO
brlbe the victim, Ksnack, to WITH
draw the charges against them, have
been atioat, and Tribune reporter,
wishing to investigate the matter,
sought an 1ntervew with Kornack
The man had been detained for some
time at the hospital on Wards Island,
but on the 20th of September he was
removed, against his will and without
the knowledge or permission of the
Commissioner of Emigration, who had
placed him there, to the House of De-
tention in Leonard street. District
Attorney Garvin positively refused to
allow the Tribune reporter, who told
him his business with Kornack, to visit
him in his prison; but, nevertheless,
the reporter entered the building, and
had a conversation with the poor fel-
| low, who told his story.
After arriving here in 1867, he went
directly westward, and obtained en-
plOyment as a shoemaker in q small
village near Springfield, ILL., "During
the four years / worked there" said
Kornach, sometimes / did not spend
so cents on myself in a week, for
wanted to go back to father and mother
with some money. He had saved
$1,000, and with this in his pocket start
ed for New York. He arrived in Jersey
City on the morning of the 5th of June,
and while crossing over in the boat to
New York fell in with person whom
he supposes to be McDermott. This
person told him that he, too, was going
to Prussia, and proposed that they
should travel together. Being alone
and completely friendless he assented,
and they spent night together in the
city. The 81, 500 which he had he did
not wish to change here, but Dermott
told him such plausible stories
and SO completely won his conf
dence that on the following morn
ing he went with him to the
office, Ne. sos Canal stree. Here the
money was handed over to Moore, who
placed on Kornack belt containing
about 900 English money, and 20 Prus-
sian dollars. Soon after leaving the
office of the emigrant robber he missed
McDermott, and went on board the
Westphalia. At sea he discovered his
loss. On arriving at Hamburg he i'm
mediately reported the case, and was
sent back to New York on the Herman.
He arrived here Aug, 9Th, and until
Sept. 2Sth, was kept as witness on
| Ward Island, but on that day was
forcibly taken to the House of Deten-
tion, where he has been imprisoned as
| a witness with no prospect of obtaining
his money or his liberty until he con-
sents, at the diction of notorious poll
ticians, to compromise the suit, and LET
the raseals who robbed him escape to
prey upon other unsuspicious persons.
During his detention he says that the
home of his father and mother, both
OF whom are nearly 70 years OF
age, has been burned, and they are des-
titute. The poor fellow added, as the
tears flowed down his face, ''I worked
four ye ars for money for them, and now
lknow they are without clothes or home
and they may not have even food, and
am here nearl Y as poor as they, and
can't help them; [ tell you Sir, I am
almost crazy. My employers said that
should have my position if got back
by October, but now [ shall lose that
too. If you can do anything for me, ]
hope you Will. AS he made this final
appeal, the unfortunate man again lost
control of himself, and walked away tC
hide the tears which he was ashamed
to have any one see. It thus appears
that an honest man is impoverished
and imprisoned while the thieves are
free and luxurlating on his hard Learned
money.
During this interview District Attor
(1a1y 70 fa,n IL
the House of Detension, stood by
This officer has always been supposed
to be very deaf, and any one speaking
to him is requested to place his lip
against the officials ear, and roar ou
his communication at the top of nj
voice. Notwithstanding his inabilit,
to hear, this person makes it point t.
be present at every interview. Yester
day, as the Tribune reporter was leav
ing the building, he soliloquized
{" that's profoundedly bad case" ant
the deaf official symhathizingly added
Eyes, Sir, it is confoundedly bad"
Kornack positively identifies Moor
as the man who committed the rob
berry; but despite the gravity of hi
otfense, efforts are making to secur
his release, and William M. Tweed i
using whatever influence is left him il
this direction, for the purpose of heal
ing a quarrel with the brother of tn
Emigrant robber, ex-Alderman Moore
The latter person has already boaste(
that Tweed has interested himself t.
save Charles Moore from state prison
and to bring the accused safely through
the ordeal. Tweed's action in the mat
ter is conditional that ex-Aldermal
Moore shall use his influence i
the First ward in the interes
of the Ring. To satisfy tn
demands of the people that emigrant
robbers should be punished, John Lei
pold, an accomplice of Davis and Rya
in the robbery of Millard and Halle, ha
been singled OUT for trial and conviC
tion; but the third confederate in tn
preparation of the crime, William Ryan
: will probably be allowed to escape
He has firm friend in Nick Miller,
Tammany politician of the First War
and Erie Railroad ticket agent, an
this friendship is to save him. It
: presumed by the Ward politicians tha
/ Tho Of no1-Ic oII