New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-08-09
LOCAE MISCELLANY.
A SrARr1ING ACCnSATION.

THE Cl}fW or a u. - clhAnr%N ~
NAVE BEEN CONCERNED IN A sEhlh' "
DARING RoBBERlEs ALONG THE SOUND
Robberies in the towns and villages skI'hs
Long Island sounl have been Of neq"eA' oVV" 49,,
within the past few months Stores ha'o Oe0H -
into aud robbed and dwellings rihed ana u o''l
the deprcaatore have succeeded ID es'~i''e' ~ -,
ally have carried away more less plnhdeI. AnoS
,hor pla.s visited are The towpsof New-Eochee 1rVe
wieb stamford and NOrvalk Inc absence " " 's
MALICE sorce IN those places makes the work OF inc
thieves comparatively easy, as ther en'u0eS VI "N
zion and arrest are very much iesseheu-
The town of Greenwich has peculiar attractions Ioi
tba.e tbevss About months ago the store Of Geo
w Ia Forge IN the mann street Of that place was robbed
of goods 10 considerable amount The store OF H. r.
lime near the steamboat landing was soon aitefWefu
srsken into and robbed In several instances the doors
a windows of pivate residences have been tried az
unreasonable houTs and when the occupants MADE out
cries the ntruders hastened away. This condition OF
Affairs has naturally rendered the inhabitants suspicious
and the movements OF strangers are watched especially
after niehtau The clerks who sleep III the stores are
well armed and occasionally reinforced 10y young
Of their acquaintance.
On the night Of June 16 five men were seen near the
store H. r. June after it was closed forthe night
aud one or two OF the number tried the door, This was
s0ne cOnectured merely TO ascertain whether OF
not any one slept the store Apparently satisfied that
no one was within, they turned away. when
MI June subsequently returned his store
10 him by the person who had witnessed
them. NJ. June at decided that repetition OF
the robbery of his store 10 be attempted, ana re-
solved TO lie in wait for the thieves. Charles Holmes
al acquaintance, volunteered to remain with hm ana
his offer was accepted They provided themselves with
Iargoszed Colts revolvers, stationed themselves IN the
front Of the store, and in the darkness awaited
the coming Of the thieves. Between II and O'CLOCK
tie sound Of suppressed voices was heard ontsloe'
and it was evident that an attempt "as
10 be made 10 rob the store. The thieves
first endeavored TO pry OF shutter
OH the south side Of the store but falling IN TINS they
turned then attention to the door leading into the store
room In the rear and this soon opened. The door
leading the stOrerOom into the main room ohefeo
scarcely any impeachment TO the thieves, and with
powerful jimmy il wrenehed open AS the door
Dew open June and Holmes who had posted themselves
directly opposite fred simultaneously the moment the
foremost thief appeared lie fell backward with a
roan and the door al once slammed TO by those IN
As the friends Of the wounded thleI had
recovered from the surprise caused by this unookeoo
reception they returned the FIRE with vigoT Several
sbots were fred through the door and partition, and
by those inside. None OF these appear TO
have taken effect The thieves after some little delay
supposed 10 have bcen caused 10y their efforts 60 remove
then wounded confederate left the building ana re-
treated 10 hCr boat which lay the shore OF the MET
q shOrt distance away. As soon as June ana Holmes
were aware Of this, they started in pursuit; hut the
opened FIRE them, and one Of the number was Oh
served 10 fan backward in the boat. The fire was
returned. and fusilade was kept up by ooJh
parties the boat had passed out of range Neither
June nor Holmes wounded although bullets passed
close to them several times 90 returning 10 the store
the defenders found small leather bag containing
complete burglars outfit, consisting OF large steel
pointed combination jimmy, nearly dozen steelp4nted
two pair Of handouts and some smaller articles
Deputy Sheriff 6. NJ. Newman OF Fairfield County,
TpUnrpd be eBiful successful detective,
having been psIdpental IN securing ne aldesd ana
occurrence. and early the following morning made
minute examination IL was apparent that q BODY nag
ssen dragged o f & store e 9 c{ req ~ y4 lqoT ee
sTcpped by Que Of tie thieves. He then examined the
toOs The most OF them were sueh az w%G e oSeT a{
upon a safe but there was also ehlsei bearing the
sharks az. s., XII" which indicated that It had
formerly belonged 10 the Government The number
VIII probably enable the Government detectiyes 10 as
fedge hammer is also different from those generally
used by burglars but Is the exact counterpart " AVse
Up 10 the present time the deputy sheriff has been en-
gagged on the case although he has obtained no pos
tive proof he has collected iactS WheH are u
ssmuoh they give rise 10 the suspicion that portion
Of the crew OF United states vessel are the thieves
whose depredatons have annoyed the Inhabitants along
the western shore Of the Sound.
T SSTs7 TS1T et has beea eas up 9
down the Sound, altering the position OF 1u9ys ana
beries have always occurred when tho steamer was
wing of the place where they were perpetrated, and
Iaye invariably followed visit from some OF the crew
On the pretense Of purchasing small articles Judging
from the accounts given, the discipline Oh the vessel
must he very bad FOR members Of the crew may be met
with ashore at almost all hours OF me gay
and night. On the afternoon preceding the last
attempt TO rob Mr.. Junes store, man watching
the oyster beds in the vicinity saw white r0wDo con-
Taning five men put OF from the steamer They roWeQ
over TO he Of sma island and remained there until
Ssf niehtfan partly concealed by sail AZ an early
hour on the following morning, ne saw me same Roat
coming from the direction Of the shore and nCuceQ tly
s crew went on board the steamer THE boat ia evely
respect resembed the one used by the thieves and the
aress OF latter, though nor readily dstnguishable
n hfsdarkness unlike the uniform worn by the
crew Of the steamer The cOd-chise and sedge hammer
arc such as used cut the chains which asen ouoys
10 then anchorage and may have been stolen from the
steamer -
There are other facts which induce the deputy sheriff
~ believe that the attempted robbery the work OF
employed the steamers. A few hours aiter the
robbery he teeCaphed 70 rusty officer IN Harlem TO
visit south Brothers Island and other points and inter-
sept thieves The officer was requested to ascertain
also whether any wounded men were IN the v1cin-
ty, or had been admitted - the New
York hospitals, whose injuries could not be
explained satisfactorily. Meanwhile various points
along line OF the NewYOTk and New Haven Railroad
were watched. All these efforts were trultess The
plcions keputy sheTH'are shared by considera
Die number inhabitants the towns where depre
cations have been committed. The matter viii be in
vestg,ted thoroughly, ana IL is believed that the thieves
Sjil sooD DC brought 10 iGSilce.