The New York herald., 1874-05-14
A THIEVES SCARE.

CuanOeton An Chambcxs and Centre
Streets Testsrday-Descsnt On . Notorf-
eus Den-1sHe Arrests''-Anothes spasm
81 Police virtas.
Early In she forenoon yesterday the passers by in
Centre street noticed . policeman stationed out
side the door OF No. IT, few houses from the cor
Aer II Chambers street. A HERALD reporter, VINO
Was passing ~ the time. made inquiries and
aearnsd that the ofhcer had been placed there by
orders Of Captain Kennedy, OF the Sixth precinct
Further questions OF persons in the neighborhood
DEVELOPED the fsct that the nrss moor OF this oud
Ing u ssuated one Of most notorious dens In the
caty, the resort OF some OF the ceverest swinders
IN New York This place, which has already been
written up once has been IN full blast for months
back The swindllng operation known among the
y rhievinp fraternity as soanco'' is the game ~
used to despol the unwary VINO happen 10 be In
ouced TO enter it OF their spare greenbacks. Re-
spectable persons living In the neighborhood say
that victims have been despoied IN this establish
ID sne - jancrion OF swo Of the most crowded
thoroughiares IN the city. has always done
\ BRISK BUSINESS
In the dull times and made y respectable nvtug
when the propretors OF the other swinding estab-
Mshments OF she same sort up and down town
nom q countryman." On this account she Centre
street establishment was an object OF envy TO ali
aereo ana rns ep
when others had had the Information from the
various police precincts that matters were getting
s.sO hots that IL was ABOUT time to close Qp.
NO ARRRs1sl
The most extraordinary part, however, OF the
descent made yesterday upon No. II Centre street
vas that there were no arrests made, although It
was evident that Simultaneous action had been
taken rom Police Headquarters and from the
sixth precinct station house. When the patrol
man who had been detailed TO stand outside the
door arrived, the birds, or rather the vultures,
had taken wing. lew hours after hts arrival two
detectives from Police Headquarters took up sta
f1ops one al the corner OF Chambers street and
Centre and the other little above, as the same
side OF the street. The former was Detective
Heidelberg and the latter Detective Tully. Mean
tune the parrolman from the Sixth pre-
cinct detailed by Captain Kennedy, was
standing at the door. and the proprtetors OF the
den were quietly waiting IN Chambers street until
she storm blew over. This house has been run by
two brothers named Foster, who are well known
10 the police. The marvel OF the Deighborhood
n that this place has not been broken up Tor the
last three months. When the news spread that
the detectives from Police Headquarters and the
patrolman from the Sixth precinct were IN the
netghborhOOd, word was sent Immediately TO the
DKNs OF THIEVES
In City Hall place and In Warren street. and to
0tner houses kept down town by TWO brothers
named Thomas and Theodore Davis, and they were
instan taneously closed up The conundrum Tor
the uninittated is how the Centre street den re-
ceived information tnat o raid was to be made on
Sheir house, ana why no arrests were made when
the proprtetors were in view OF the detectives
while the patrolman stood at the door.