New-York tribune., 1874-10-19
A GROTESQUE ROBBERY.
A MIsER,s DEN RANsACKED.

A MISERS DEN RANSACKED.
AN ECCBNTIC CoINsELLER ROBBED OF 9iVo'OoO
WHILE HE WAS IN THE ToMBs ChAh"ho WIZ"
BUYING STOLEN POSTAGE STAMPS
An eccentric old man who, although wealthy,
,ivs-a I'm popuous house, and although nav
,us neither wife nor children did not invite any ehas
60 sbare his home was robbed OF property worth
so no which he had secreed In his room, on sunday
night, Oct H.
Luther Bryant born In the year 1901, near the VII
Iage of Connpgton, Berkshire County, Mass where his
father q ply sician, practicing medicine at the
time. At the age OF IL he was graduated from Wiihans
College and he then travelled In Europe for over TWO
years. Returning he studied medicine, was soon gwen
his physicians diploma, and began work In DIS
profession. After q residence OF many years
in Burlington, VT. he changed his home' ID
1s4s TO Charleston. s. c. He there remained
until the civil broke out; when peinR
III treated account Of his Northern birth ne came W
ths CITY, Thinking that years might pass oeiore ne
could obtain remunerave practice in city where he
had only a few acquaintances he determined TO erect
stand in the busiest part OF the city and buy and sell
old coins revenue stamps and mutated currency. For
many years before he had bought old coins out OF
curiosity and had become an expert In regard 10 tne
worth He selected his home two rooms on the thrd
noor OF tenement house which had just been erected
at No. Forsyth-st., and he has since lived in tnem
He then began business on the principe Vi
buying cheap and selling dear. Believing Una.
AZ was an indiscreet business habit the part OF p
chaser OF old coin offer high price for rare com "
person had accidentally become possessed Vi one
and was OF its true value, ne auopeu ne "o
ree of refusing 10 give certain small amount Ior
coin at least 900 per cent below its true value III
the keeper of an stand should offer $50 for com
worth $780, the person intending to sell tue com "ouu
almost invariably refuse to sell and go away TO make
inquiries concerning its true value whereas II the
proprietor should offer cents for Roman coin OF the
~ Au0u fha uf
thIpH he had got very good price for it, Shortly after
arriving in this city, and beginning business on the prnc
pe described brother OF his died and bequeahed hlm
bonds worth many thousand dollars. He continued In
his business, Notwithstanding the legacy, aud made
money Having always lived alone. never having been
married. and being very economical frugal in his diet
healthy abstaining from both liquor and tobacco, he
had accumulated small fortune even before reachng
this city has been his habit for Is years past to leave
his home at walk to restaurant IN Chathan-st'
eat breakfast and then going to his stand begin the
work of day His stand placed against the iron
fence surrounding the old North Dutch Church,
Mt Fulton and hwamsts., and being passed daiIy
by many thousand persons was consequently
In excellent position for seller OF old CON-
Here he would remain until p m.. Summer and WIN
Then closing the stand he would again go 10
the restaurant in Chaham-st, eat supper, 1t being
his habit have only two meals day and then would
go home. 1t seldom that any person was admitted
Never during the daytime, and for only
few moments night, did friends remain in them The
door leading out into hallway Of the house had three
iocks-a patent paddock, nightlatch lock, an ordi-
nary house-dOOr lock. Attached TO the inside OF the
door there was also a large chain which could be so
fastened to the jamb Of the door to prevent its
being opened further than two inches Although
there was such number Of locks, the
panel of the pine door was so thin
that with moderately sharp knife thief could easily
aud quickly cut hole large enough to crawl through
There were rooms the larger and outer rooms being
used as sort OF parlor and the inner sleep
ing apartment The floor OF the outer room was covered
with handsome Brussels carpet and the walls were
almost hidden from sight with multitude OF small
paintings and glass vases of curious shape and
different coors. The furniture good the attention
OF the visitor being especially attracted to
O small rosewood bureau upon the top OF which
rested a large and costly French clock. a
visitor looking at the bureau would have thought
that there only three drawers and if prompted by
curiosity have opened them would have found within
the clothing OF the occupant OF the ROOM Underneath
the third drawer however there secret drawer,
easily discovered nevertheless il the dra above
pulled of the bureau. In this secret drawer and on
the floor beneath it, Bryant declared he placed $4,000
fn gold pieces during the past u years Before con-
ceaing he would wegh!sit carefully so as to
be certain that piece of full weight and then
would punch small hole in the head Of the Goddess
Of Liberty on the face Of the coin He would
then incose hundred pieces OF the coin in
silk paper and away the rolls in the secret drawer
The clock upOn bureau sheltered from dust by
large glass 1t was theory OF Bryants tnat II
any person should gain entrance to the room during his
absence they would dare 10 move the bureau, and
thus uncover the rolls OF gold on tne hoor beneath u
from fear OF breaking the clock the bureau ana not
conceal, however, all the wealth the ROOM A she'll
seven feet above the floor supported large TN case
This almost filled with rare oo;Is accOnuated
by me occupant the thirteen had been IN
business. He had been in the habit OF selling he poorer
might bny and of keeping the most precious
ones. Gradually IN the course OF years ny oA ndu
become heavier and HEAVIER ard at last he dli not
bought small ladder and used IN ascending 10 the
box 20 examine aud put In coin The com IN lhe box
the wall from nail there was laige Diack notVeeo
travelling bag In the lefthand compartment q thi.
bag there $1,000 muilated currency and 500 III
the new nifty ana ten-cent currency IN the reIt-nah1
compartment there was gold watch valued al so0O;
gold chain weighing 100 formed I ODlong
bars; diamond ring, par OF ameihyS sleeve buttons
pair OF gold eyeglasses and dozen silver teaspoons
occupant OF the room asserts $1,000 WORT, OF pcSt-
age stamps. The locks the doors well guarded all tie
property described during the day, Bryant thought At
night he placed large howie KNIFE ana TWO rcy0vers
on a char near bis bedside.
Bryant, has already been stated in addition 10 his
coin business also dealt in postage ana revenue stamps
On Oct Z last William r. Evans bookkeeper employed
by Faber Co.. dealers III lead pencils al N" ld1 II
iiam.st entered the Second Precinct Staonhouse in
Beekman-st. and asked 10 see Capt Canrcy He then
No 299 Rvington-st had stolen postage stamps worth
O. belonging firm, and had sold them Bryant
the stamps the boy. Capt Caiirey said that he
did net like take upon himself the responsibility of
srresing Bryant upon such charge unless he hId
warrant and requested Evans to go 10 the Tonbs PO-
lice Court ana state what Bryant had done. Evans
turned with letter from one or the Justices,
20 Capt. Cafrey states, advising the Captain To
BRYANT. The captain accordingly summoned Pa
tIOman Peters. and told him 10 make the arrest Pc
tiers 10 Bryants stand arrested him. aud took IN
the 1ombs Police Court complaint was there made
by Faber against Bryant, the former charging the lat
ter with receiving stolen goods. Justice BXoy wpo
presiding committed Bryant default $500 bail, 10
appear tor t1al at the Court OF General Sessions
detectiye belonging to private detective agency who
had lnformed,Faber OF Kreppss crime. asked Justice
"a