The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-05-12
A PUT UPJOR.

Rascalilies OF the Ring at washing
ten-The Bogus Burglary and SAT-
Robbery.
Washington Special, May 9Th.
A grand jury, composed Of contrac
tors and other friends OF the Distric
Government, to-day commenced a So
called investigation OF the bogus burg
larry and safe robbery recently commit
ted at the office of District Attorney
Harrington. A Mr.. Ives, clerk in 6
bank, testified that on the night of the
burglary he passed Harrington's office
on his way to his residence. In acoor'
dance with his usual custom when
travelling the streets OF Washington
late at night, he grasped a revolver
which he carried in his overcoat pocket
On the night in question, just as Mr.
Ives came opposite to a bill board
standing nearly in front Of the District
Attorneys office. a man sprang from
behind the board and seized him by the
arm. Quick as lightning the revolver
10 Ives' hand was presented at the
head OF the man who took off SLOUGH
hat, which concealed his features, and
cried out: "DoG't shoot. for Gods
sake" Mr.. Ives recognized the man
Dick Harrington, Assistant District At
torney.. In moment four more men
emerged from hiding places and came to
where Ives and Harrington were stand
log. They were Richards, Chief OIL
Police, Ciarvoe principal Detective, A
B. Williams, Police Court lawyer, and
Tom Shepherd, brother Of the Cover.
nor. After a few minutes converse
ton Richards ordered Ives to continue
his homeward march, and even threat
ened to take him in if he did not use
dispatch in moving on.
Not exactly Satisfied with the sp-
pearance Of things, Mr. Ives took a
turn round the square aud hid in the
shade Of the city ball building, which
is Just across the street from HarriDg-
ton 9 office. Alter waiting there long
time he heard a loud explosion, the
noise apparently proceeding from the
District Attorneys office, and two min
utes after be saw two men emerge from
that building. They separated, one
going east and the other west. One
carried a valise. When the latter in
dividual had gone some distance from
Hsrrington's office, and in the direction
of Columbus Alexsnders house, Mr..
Ives noticed that Harrington, Richards,
Clsryoe, Williams and Tom Shepherd
were following him. Believing he had
seen enough of what struck him as
singular transaction, and it now be-
| ing almost daylight, he proceeded to
his home. Arriving there he narrated
all the circumstances of his adventure
TO his wife, and then. at her suggestion,
eat down and wrote them out in detail.
In the morning. when he went to the
bank, he was informed that burglars
bad broken into Hsrripgtou's Office,
blown open the safe and carried off the
contents. Before he fairly got to work
Richards, Chief Of Police, came into
the bank, and approaching Ives, who
WAS standing beside the President OF
the institution. said TO him: You
were very drunk, we're you not, when
yon met me last night? You were go
drunk l had to take you home"
Amazed at this declaration, Ives could
only deny the imputatiou. While
Richards was yet talking, Clarvoe and
Williams came into the bank and
made the same statement regarding
Ives condition the previous night, and
tried hard to get that gentleman to
acknowledge that he was drunk when
they met him. By this time Ives re.
covered his senses, and in very plain
language gave his accusers to under
stand that he was thoroughly cogniz
ant OF their little game, and TO prove
that he was 10 earnest, drew from his
pocket the statement he bad drawn up
when he reached home, as before re-
lated, and read it to them. Realizing
th e condition OF affairs, the three col.
spirstors then endeavored to obtain
from Ives promise that he would not
expose them, but he refused to bind
himself to any such agreement.
That afternoon, upon reading in the
evening papers, that the memorialists
were suspected of being at the bottom
of the burglary, Mr.. Ives visited the
house of Columbus Alexander aud laid
the facts before him. With this LEAD,
M. Alexander went to work upon the
case and very soon was satisfied that
the burglary was a put upjob by Har-
rington and others, their object being
to put the crime on him Alexander
and thereby ruin and disgrace him 10
the eyes of the world, and break up
the investis alton into the affairs OF the
District OF Columbia, OF which he ia one
Of the leading spirits. He ascertained
Il at the conspirators had employed q
professional burglar from New York,
and au ex-detectlve from Baltimore, TO
break open the esle and steal the con-
tents; that their reward OF $40, 600 WAS
locked up in the safe and could not be
reached without blowing off the door ;
that when the blowing open o. the safe
had been accomplished, and the va
lise filled with certain documents found
in it, the professional burglar made bis
way, according to directions, toward
the house OF Columbus Alexander
that being a stranger in the city
he Che burglary went 10 the
wrong house, and had TO be redirected
BY one Of the conspirators; that finally