The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-11-04

III LIS ulct, uCdltu1s dootdiltuE tfOU
both liquor and tobacco, be had ac-
cumuIated large fortune, even be-
| fore reaching this city. 1t has been
his habit for thirteen years past TO
leave his home at eight A. NJ, walk
to a restaurant in Chatham street. eat
breakfast, and then going to his
Istapd begin the work of the day.
His stand was placed against the
iron fence surrounding the old North
Dutch Church, at Fulton and William
streets, and being passed daily by
many thousand persons, was conse-
IquentIy ia excellent position for
seller of old coin. Here be would re-
main until 4 P. NJ, summer and win
ter. Then closing up his stand he
would again 60 to the restaurant in
Chatham street, eat supper, it being
his habit to have only two meals a
day, and then would 60 home. 1t
was seldom that any person was ad-
mitted to the rooms. Never during
the daytime, and for only few mo-
ments at night, did friends remain in
them. TIE door leading out into the
hallway of the house had three locks
la patent paddock. a night-latch
lock, an ordinary house lock. At
tached to the inside of the door
there was also large chain, which
could be so fastened to the jamb Of
the door as to prevent its being open
ed further than two inches. Although
there was such q number Of locks,
the pannel Of the pine door was so
thin that with q moderately sharp
knife thief could cut a whole large
Ienough to crawl through. There
were two rooms, the larger and out
er rooms being used as q sort Of par
lor, and the inner room as 3 sleeping
apartment. The floor of the outer
room was covered with handsome
Brussels carpet, and the walls were
almost hidden from sight with null
titude Of small chrome paintings and
glass vases Of curious shape aud diff
ferent colors The furniture was
good, the attention Of the visitor to
the rooms being especially attracted
to small rosewood bureau, upon the
top of which rested large and cost
lly French clock. 4 visitor looking
at the bureau would have thought
that there were only three drawres,
and if prompted by curiosity to have
opened them, would have found with
in the clothing of the occupant of the
room. Underneath the third drawer,
however, there was q secret drawer,
easily discovered nevertheless if the
drawer above was pulled out of the
bureau. In this secret drawer and
on the floor beneath it Bryant declar-
ed he placed $4,000 in $50 gold
pieces during the past twelve
wears. Before conceiling the coin be
would weigh, and then would punch
a small whole in the head Of the God
dess of Liberty on the face of the
coin. He would then enclose one
hundred pieces Of the coin in silk
paper and store away the rolls 10 the
secret drawer. The clock upon the
bureau was sheltered from dust by a
large glass cover 1t was a theory
of Bryant's that if any person should
gain entrance to the room during his
absence. they would not dare to
move the bureau and thus uncover
the rolls Of gold on the floor beneath
it, from fear of breaking the clock.
The bureau did not conceal, however,
ali the wealth in the room. A
shelf seven feet above the floor sup
ported large tin case. This case
was almost filed with rare coins, ac-
formulated by the occupant during
the thirteen years be had been in
business. He had been in the habit
Of selling the poorer coins he might
buy and of keeping the precious ones.
Gradually, in the course Of years, the
box had become heavier and heavier,
and at last be did not have the
strength 10 lift it to the floor. Ac-
cordingly he bought small ladder
and used it in ascending to the box
to examine and put in coin. The coin
in the box Bryant estimated was
worth $4,000. Hanging agains.
1 the wall from q nail there was a
large black morocco travelling bag.
| In the Ieft-hand compartment Of this
bag there was 81 1000 in mutilated
currency and 500 in the new fifty
and ten-eent currency 10 the right
hand compartment there was gold
watch. valued at $500; & gold chain
weighing 100 pennyweights, formed
of oblong bars; a diamond ring,
pair Of amethyst sleeve-buttons, q
a pair of gold eyeglasses, and a doz-
en- silver teaspoons. Near the bag
there was a trunk, in which was hid,
i the occupant Of the room asserts,
$50, 600 worth of postage stamps.
The locks on the doors well guarded
all the property described during the
/ day, Bryant thought At night he
placed large bowie-knife and two
Irevolvers on a chair near bis bed
side.
Bryant as has already been stated,
in addition to his coin business also
dealt in postage and revenue stamps.
| On October last William Il. Evans.
a book-keeper employed by Faber &
/ Co., dealers in lead pencils, at No.
/ 1873 William street, entered the See
ond Precinct Station House in Beck
man street aud asked to see Captain
! Caiirey. lie then told the Captain
: that boy named Charles Krepps ol
} No. 299 Rivi0gton street bad stolen
postage stamps worth s. belonging
to him, and had sold them to Bryant
, He thought that Bryant ought to be
J arrested for buying the stamps from
, the boy. Captain Caifrey said thai
, be did not like TO take upon himself
the responsibility Of aFresting Bryant
upon such a charge unless he had {
} warrant, and requested Evans to g
: to the Tombs Police Court and STATE
] what Bryant had done. Evans re
E turned with letter from one of th'
D justices, so Captain Csfrey states
r advising the Captain to arrest Bry
r ant. The Captain accordingly sum
e moned Patrclman Peters, and toll
/ him to make the arrest Peter
e went to Bryant's stand, arrested him
. and toek him to the Tombs Polio
0 Court. A complaint vas there mad