The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-11-19
A NlSER's LOSS.
How an Old Coin Dealer Lost Over
OO.OOO-Arrest Of Thieves.
From the N. Y. Sun. Nov.


Confirmation has beep lent to the
story of Luthur Bryant, the coin deal
er, that he was robbed of $4,000
while he lay prisoner in the Tombs.
1t comes in the shape Of the arrest of
two men with part of the property stol-
en-. The robbery was romance in the
calendar of crime. An old man, well
educated. member of a learned pro-
fession, but eccentric to the verge of
craziness, having experienced every Vi
cissitude of fortune, became dealer in
old and rare coins. Ten years ago he
first displayed his treasures for sale in
front of the Old Dutch Church. About
the same time, by the death Of his
brother, he fell heir to a property, and
this he at once converted into 100000
in gold coin, double eagles, each piece
Of which he marked by making dent
in the figure of the Goddess Of Liberty.
These he concealed in the furniture of
his apartments. His inheritance fell to
him in times Of corruption, when banks
and other places of trust were suspend
ing through manifest dishonesty of the
officers or downright theft of the en-
ployees. A deep conviction Of the inse-
curity of moneyed institutions led him
| to distrust them all, and he therefore
boarded his wealth in his own room.
Although he lived in tenement in
which many families dwelt he swept
his own room, made his own bed, and
admitted to the privacy Of his apart
ment only one family, mother and
daughter, and even they visited him so
seldom that he had reason to suppose
them ignorant of his wealth.
ACcuNuLATING WEALTH.
For years he sold coin and gathered
gear from the rich Of antiquarian tastes.
When the mania for stamp collecting
prevailed he added the collection and
sale of stamps to his trade. His bust
ness was profitable. for in ten years he
gathered around him rich furniture
enough to furnish a Madison avenue
mansion, at the same time adding near
ly fifty thousand dollars to his accumu-
lations, and all was invested in rare
coin, in American minted gold, in post
age stamps, and in United States legal
tender notes. Two years ago he dis
covered an attempt to break into his
and he moved his quarters to ! Forsyth
street, where he occupied rooms in the
third story. He took his meals at
Crook Hotel, transacted his business
in front of the Old Dutch church. and
occupied his richly furnished rooms in
a mean tenement only at night. 81
did not think they could suspect how
much wealth was hidden behind my
trebly bolted door, he said,
On the 10th Of October he was ar
rested by firm of private detectives
on the charge of buying from Office
boys postage stamps which they had
stolen from their emp oyers. He was
imprisoned in the Tombs, and although
he might have obtained bail ny ordi.
nary exertion, his secluded life had SO
far benumbed his faculties that he lay
in prison four days after the robbery,
the circumstances Of which are now to
be detailed.
The morning after his first night in
the Tombs little girl who lived at No.
! Forsyth street told him that the out
side fastenings of his room had been
tempered with. He was that morning
called for examination on the charge Of
buying stolen postage stamps. Weighed
down by
CRUSHING PREsENTIAENT
that his accumulations had been stoler
he made very lame. defence. He was
unassisted by counsel, although he hat
retained in his defence a well known
! firm Of criminal lawyers. He wa
nevertheless able to impress the Jus
tice with his reason to apprehend ths
theft Of his wealth. and an adjournment
was granted. Confirmation Of hi!
worst apprehensions was brought t.
him ON the next day by Miss Neuge
bauer who was one Of his two confiden
: tial friends. On the first night Of hi,
detention in the Tombs thieves price
off the inner and outer fastenings o
his apartments and everything easily
portable was carried Off. His colo
coin wrapped in convenient packages
and, amounting to $4,000. was stolen
Postage stamps amounting to s20,00(
and old coin, Treasury notes, silvel
, ware and jewelry, worth at least SIS,
!, 600. were also taken. The old mar
! was three days in impressing upon hi
, jailors any adequate sense of the mag
, n:tude Of his loss; indeed, they wer,
rather inclined to treat him as an i'm
poster. who was endeavoring to worl
upon their sympathics. After his ex
animation had been disposed Of and hi
, bail bond in $500 duly executed, tn
story Of his robbery was Investigates
|, by Detectives Reilly and Williamson
They thought the coincidence Of an Ar
: rest and robbery on the same da,
, Was suggestive, to say the least. Thei
, inquiries elected the
e ONE SUSPICIOUS c1EcUHsrAKcE,
: scarcely amounting to clue, that tw
5 strangers were seen at the door Of NJ
e ! Forsyth street by . neighbor abou
1 10 o'clock on the night Of the robbery
T One was slim man Of medium heigh'
:. with light nair, and queer way {
r locking at people out Of the corners {
{ his eyes. The other was . man |
e about the same height and build, bu