The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-10-24
THE RUTLAND GLOBE FRIDAY MORNING. OCTOBER "a 1873

common in the force of this city for many
years and under various administrations is
perfectly well known to those CHARGED
with the prosecution of criminals. One or
two conspicuous cases are called to illus
trate this practice.
Some years ago the wholesale dry goods
store of Henry Oppenheimer & Co., in
Broadway, was entered one Sunday after
noon and robbed of a large quantity of
valuable silks. The robbery was commit
ted between $50 and 0 o'clock p. m,
which was the only time the place was
alone during the day A notorious burglar
John Brady, was arrested as one of the
principals in the crime. At all examina-
ton before Justice Bowling the detective
officer employed at the Metropolitan Hotel
identlhed the prisoner as man he saw
coming from Oppenheimers premises on
the Sunday afternoon of the robbery
The witness was particular about the
time, as he was riding down Broadway on
the top of one of his hotel coaches, which
was on regular trip to down town ferry,
having left the hotel at few minutes be
fore o'clock. lie also identified the pri-
soner positively. The defence was an albi,
which was sustained by the testimony of
| the late Superintendent Jourdan, then cap
|
Sergeant Walsh, both OF whom swOre posi-
lively that at 8 o'clock on the Sunday af-
tcinoon in question they saw the prisoner
at point half mile distant from Open
hcimers store. On this testimony the pri-
| soner was discharged. But the noticeable
feature of the case was the fact subsequent
ly developed that the stolen goods were
taken direct to the residence of the dctcc-
tive connected with the sixth ward police
and were kept there during the conline-
ment, examination, and until after the
discharge of the prisoner.
But more fragrant case occurred about
two years ago The president of leading
western railway, one of the railway kings
| Of the country, was cnroute to Boston to
deliver $4,000 in railroad bonds The
bonds were of the denomination of 81 ,0O0
each, and of course there were fifty-four
of them. They had been sent to the gentle
man by express from his western home.
| He received them here at the express
office, and carried them personally to the
| st. Nicholas Hotel, where he was lodging.
Arriving at the hotel he went at once to
| his room, No. 5, on the paror floor,
opposite the ladies' drawing room,
closed his door, and deposited the
bonds in the bottom of his satchel.
Then consulting his watch he found
| nltccn minutes 10 spare before
starting fol the Boston train. and decided
to improve it by taking lunch. lie latchcd
his door and went to the dining room. A
moment after he had passed out a dapper
young man appeared in the corridor. and.
| spying chambermaid, called her, saving =:
"Pcase open this door for me-" pointing TO
No 5. "Fatlitr has just gone into lunch
and don't want to disturb him." The
chambcrmaid. thrown wholly of her guard.
| by the young mans assurance, opened the
door for him with her pass key, and then
went on about her business. \ few min
utes later a messenger from the Office
knocked at the door with a card The
young man opened the door. The mcsscn-
ger merely said, "a card for Mr. - -. -
The card was received with the reply
FEATHER has gone to lunch. I'll take
the card and hand it to him
when he returns" Three minutes later
the young man left the room with the SOL
900 of bonds. When the gentleman re-
turned from lunch and found his door TN
locked his suspicious were aroused, and
hastily opening his satchel he missed his
bonds. In due time, indeed very promptly,
Il thief known as Johnny Price was arrest
ed for this robbery, and lodged in the
Tombs Efforts were made to get him out
on straw ball. but they were unavailing
When these failed two messengers were
despatched to the West to negotiate with
the owner of the securities, but that gentle
man declined to have anything to do with
them. Then after two months had passed
in frtiitcss efforts to get the thief out of
the Tombs, the bonds were returned
anonymously to their owner, who, having
recovered his property. did not care to put
himself to the trouble of travelling all the
60 IL.
and so he went free. But before his dis.
charge he told the prosecuting officers that
the bonds were lodged in the Police Central
Office within thirty minutes of the time
when they were stolen, and that they were
held there until they were returned to their
owner After deposting his bonds in the
detectives office Price went to his home in
Brooklyn and remained there until he was
arrested.