National Republican., 1873-01-31
A WONDERFUL STEAL.
A LEGAL QUESTION.

IL II Lnrceny--The InEcnuiiy Of n Close
Woman A Trick Discovered - The
Opinion Of Lawyer.
Heat was said by Prof. Tyndal TO he impene-
trabe, and In substance Identical with light.
Whether 1t can be the subject Of larceny Is a
question which may probably be brought up for
adjudication at one Of the coming terms OF the
Criminal Court Of this District, or the transac-
ton detailed below, u not compromised, may
give rise to civil action, as In that case It will
come under the Jurisdiction Of the Justice hold
ing the Circuit Court.
The circumstances which viii probably soon
form the subject Of our court reports are dc
tailed to US somewhat IN this wise
No. TO2 adlOlns No. 7Oi, with but q nine-inch
Intervening wall. No. iO2 has found that within
the past few years much more fuel was required
than during previous winters since his house
was built, but attributed II 10 the establishment
Of the signal stations at several points below
zero, aud their constant communication with
"Old Probabilities" here, thus keeping open the
way to the polar regions aud leading the Arctic
winds in his direction. However, twenty-five
tons used to sufice, and thrty-fOur have been
lately required.
Accurate observers Of things In that neIghbor
hood to wilt, Miss Y, who lives opposite, and
Ms. r., who lives near the corner both now de
clare that they have thought II "the stranges
thing In the world that No. TO4 bought 80 llttlI
fuel. They both will declare on oath that thel
have watched that house, and every other on,
that their front windows could command, faith
fully for several years, and are confident tina
less fuel went to No. IOl than to any other house
In the neiRhborhoOd.
Miss X, upon further examination, testinet
that on meeting with like calamity with Uake
Amcs, and recovering her memory, she distinct!
recOllects that but little fuel has gone there sine
liking the furnace al IOI In lsGg. Neither OF thes
ladies', however, mentioned these facts until tn
dsnOnsmeni mentioned below occurred. ayerrlnI
| a. q reason to the detective, who called upOl
! them, that they "never liked 10 NEEDLE with tn
! Affairs OF their nciRhbors.n
| The present cold snap, however, led TO re
maTkable discovery. The heat Of the furnac
proved totally insufficient at IO2, and pAter "a
mlllas was compelled to visit the cellar. The ful
mace was glowing like blast Of an iron mill, ye
| the thermometer above showed thirty-eight dc
grecs Fahrenheit only. There must be somethln
wrong with the connection pipes, and upon pro
ceeiing to examine the furnace, which was bull
against the wall, It was found that No. TW ha
only made prctence Of repairing his own fuI
mace, but had occupied the time IN making con
neotlon between his registers and the furnace q
his neiahboT Not only this, hut there had bee
constructed through the wall an ingenious valve
by which the supply Of heat at TO2 could be reg
ulatcd in the cellar OF IOi. Here was clear case
1t Is needless 10 say that Mt. @, who has bee
unwittinRly heating two houses instead Of one
was "nred up" at this discovery. He says b
! felt hot enough at the time to serve as furnac
| for q square Of houses. lie does not so nuc
object To- fair division OF the heat, especially
he Is accustomed to do things on the square, bu
uses several Oaths IN connection with his III
scription Of the ingenious COntrtyance fOI throw
ing all the heat into the other houses, which h
styles d-n internal machine TO freeze hi
TO death with his own furnace.
II Is fair to say that No. IOl, who Is often al
sent from the city, disayOws all knowledge
this latter aTtinee, and says he always intende
q fair division, hut that his wife, who Ia q clio,
woman, had the cutoff turned on because 81
was afraid that II this weather continued %
coal would not hold out, and so cut on, he thlnl
very unfairly, No. 7O2 for fair share.
The wOrkmen are now engaged In hull1n
an is-inch wall between the cellars OF T02 and 70
and BarTister D., who has been consulted on a
legal aspect Of the affair, thinks 1t a clear cas-
! of trOyeF and conversion,