, 1873-02-15
THE FREMONT HOUSE ROBBERS
The Cause Of Justice Nearly Defeated
Yesterday Morning,
Disgracefu' Attempt to LIberate: Two
Notorious Thieves.

DIsgracefu' Attempt to 'lIberate: Two
Notorious Thieves.
superintendent Washburn's PROMPT Ao.
ton Averts the Catastrophe.
- 1anoa II. Barron, atlas Brown and Ionstiu6
oehofn, two mon who aro charged With having
committed tho Ttonont House robbery acme
weeks ago, wherein tho travelling sgent OF
New YORK wholesale jewelry house lont bet1oan
plo'V'o anu S2o,ooo worth Of goodH, we're ar-
ragnea before Juatico soul1y, at Tho West slda
foltce Court, yesterday morning. The pubtio Ia
sufficiently acquainted with tho history of tha
cf1fnc, and tho WAY In which tho arrest Of tho
supposed thieves waB accomplished, both hav-
ing beon fully explained In TIE TRIBUNE. ona
1ruao' a young lawyer, who has gained eoma
hotoffety among certain olasB Of people, ouina
TO tho part ho took in a recent case Thnsra =
crowd OF gamblers appeared az complainentA
anu tue city as defendant, represented tho pris.
oners. Az aeon ~ tho case waa called.
an affidavit for a change of 4sns.s
| was read, aud the Court granted
change to Justice Want Woud, whose office Ia
situated at tho corner Of Ha1Hted aud Handolph
atfoeta. Ihe prisoners wore brought thithar.
and' Wnen they wcre properly before the Jus.
ttce, Irude obtectod to the proceedings beoausa
tho police authoritiea could not produce ths
papers showing that tho men were legally In
custody. He aaked for the discharge OF tho
prisoners, az the officers had violsted RtAte
law, which reads: IA man cannot he commi,ted
to prison except by virtue Of procoss." It did
not appear that that process ha been uaed. and.
accordingly, tho arrest was unauthorized and
illegal
Detective Tyrrall, who made the arrest. TO-
Piled that the prisoners we're found with large
quantity OF the stolen property In their rosaos-
sion, aud that, therefore, no warrant was necsa-
aary. II the Justice allowed them to escape.
he (TyrrelD would bo compelled to retain thon.
In custody, and bring thom before another
tribunal.
Superintendent Waahburn, who vas aIao
presont, supported the detective In his dotermi-'
nation.
Several law-bookB wore examined by the Jua.
ttee before he venturod to say anything, Truda
meanwhile keeping up vigorous tabbor in be-
half OF bis clienta, and against the police. When
the necessary information had beeen asoertaiued.
Want Woud remarked that tho priaonors had
taken change Of reaue from Justice BcuIly Ia
himseif and, as no papers which enumerated thu
alleged crimes had been produced before him, ii
held them IN custody Without tie nscesssry iseai
documents giving him Jurisdiction over them.
he laid himself liable to prosecution for con-
temsps Ttoh %as yeIy unpleasant alternative
haaty proceedings. and demanded that tho caBe
be continued for an hour in order to give him an
opportunity to secure lawyer, and conduct the
trial in = proper manner.
rnfr uo7 T. nrn
anxious that tho prisoners should be discharged
without dolAy, and ho accordingly notified thom
that they wero at liberty to 60 where, they
pleased without tho interference Of. police
officers.
Barron and 6ohorn arose, and were about to
leave the Courtroom when Tyrren and another
officer named Hogan, interterea; The l.ttes
aaa bsa SB awn S nr III 5 a.
fore any Of bis friends up, stairs could
realize what bad become Of him. Tyrrell
eaught ea Barron by tho collar and informed him
bseE and stseE tho detective IN eha isas VIE VIE
gil his might: Tho blow rather confused the Of
dcer, and before he could racover his sslf-pos-
=. session, i. two or three % more blows were planted
right chook was badly cut, and hia oye Was a.
most closed. Being . powerful man, be soon.
brought Barron to the floor, aud would haYa
D Wo esd a hoa Sat o1 ill., E.
roll, don't abuse q priaoner!" The voice Of
the eminent Want Would was then heard
above the general din which prevailed Re-
tssaE Ts mas Tss th in Sf s ae
that officer s6 tor contempt Of Court, and COM.
nit him until the fine ia paid" Halt s.dozon
Booketbooks we're instantly produced, but ths
pay the Justices bill but himself. :.
Tho scene In tho Courtroom during tho guar
rel waa interesting to those who kept cool and
attended to thcir own business. The room was
InAr, 'nN
tho particular friends Of tho thieves, and
who would have done anything In thei1
power to Get them: free. The prompt
Wsshum SRa snergHslee action Of supssdnfsnent
other officers who were called up from tho street
oVerawed them, however,. and Barron WAS CON.
veyea to the Madison Street Station IN safety,
soo ey | E. sdps9 t. xs lo
the station, the prisoners were brought to POLICE
Headquarters, whore they arc nov looked up. :.
There seems to be no reaaon why Want Woud
to hear tie evidence against the thieves, but dis
charged them on technical point Of law, which
would have been set aside by the sworn state
ment Of my OF the Witnesses. It could have beon
their possession quantity Of the stolen proper
ty, and TINT memoranda were found upon them
showing where tho remainder was aeoreted. Tho
police authorities arc determined that these men
have every roaaon to beliaye that they committed
all the other hotel robberieB It Ia not known,
however, what oourse will now be pursued, aa
the Superintendent hns not yet arrived at de-
ciBion. .'. :.
Want Woud's clerk appeared to have as little
senBo az Want Would himself. During the OK
citemont in tho Courtroom he drew revolver
from recess ut tho roar Of his pantaloons, and
aouriahed It around in dangerous proximity to
the heads OF come reporters who vese sitting at
q table near him. Three Of the newspaper Hlen
immediately adjourned to m adjoining
alone with tbs iufuriatod limb Of. tho
law. 1t waa only tho work Of
an instant for TIE TRIBUNE nun to diaarm the
clerical desperate, and then the gallant note-
takers; who wore Watching the proceedings from
thoir hiding place, returned Into the presence Of
the assembled multitude with great bravery,
The murderous weapon Of Yant Woud'e saa+
culinary warrant-Aller was put out OF his reach.
f3oua u{n1o on1ihro oan1{jop In,