Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-11-21
How a Robbery was Effected.

Confirmation has been lent to the
story of Luther Bryant, the New York
coin dealer, that he was robbed Of
$12e, 600 while he lay prisoner in the
Tombs. 1t comes, says the Sun, in
the shape of the arrest OF two men with
part OF the property that was stolen.
The robbery was romance in the cal
endar of crime. An old man, well edu-
Gated, member of learned profes.
sion, but sccentric to the verge of crazi-
ness, having experienced every vicissi-
tude 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 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 when banks and other places Of
trust were suspending, and he there
fore boarded his wealth in his own
room. Although he lived in a tene-
ment in which many families dwelt, he
swept his own room, made his own bed,
and admitted to the privacy of his
apartments only one family, a mother
and daughter, and even they visited
him so seldom that he had reason to
suppose them ignorant of his wealth.
For years he sold coin and gathered
gear from the rich of antiquarian
tastes. When the mania for stamp col
lecting prevailed he added the collec-
ton and sale of stamps to his trade.
His business was profitable, for in ten
years he gathered around him rich fur
niture enough to furnish Madison
avenue mansion, at the same time add
ing nearly fifty thousand dollars to his
accumulations, and all was invested in
rare coin, in American minted gold, in
postage stamps, and in United States
legal tender notes. Two years ago he
discovered an attempt to break into
his apartments in season to Illustrate it,
and he moved his quarters to l Forsyth
street, where he occupied rooms in the
third story. He took his meals at
Crooks's Hotel, transacted his business
in front of the Old Dutch Church. and
occupied his richly furnished rooms in
mean tenement only at night. "I did
not think they could suspect how much
wealth was hidden behind my tfebly-
bolted door," he said.
On the 10th of October he was ar
rested by firm of private detectives
on charge Of buying from Office boys
postage stamps which they had stolen
from their employers. He was impris-
ened in the Tombs, and although he
might have obtained bail by ordinary
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 rooms bad been
tampered with. He was that morning
called for examination on the charge of
buying stolen postage stamps. Weigh
ed down by crushing presentiment
that his accumulations had been stolen,
he made very poor defense. He was
unassisted by counsel, although he had
retained in his defense q well-known
firm of criminal lawyers. He was nev-
ertheless able to impress the justice
with his reason to apprehend the theft
of his wealth, and an adjournment was
granted. Confirmation of his worst ap-
prehensions was brought to him on the
next day by Miss Neugebauer who was
one of his two confidential friends. On
the first night of his detention in the
Tombs thieves pried off the inner and
outer fastenings of his apartments, and
everything easily portable was carried
off. His gold coin wrapped in con-
venient packages. and amounting to
100000, was stolen. Postage stamps
amounting to $4,000, and old coin,
treasury notes, silverware, and jew
elry, worth at least $15, 900, were also
taken. The old man was three days in
impressing upon his iailors any ade-
quate sense of the magnitude of his
loss indeed, they were rather inclined
to treat him as an impostor, who was
endeavoring to work upon theit sympa-
thies. After his examination had been
disposed of, and his bail bond in $500
duly executed, the story of his robbery
was investigated by detectives. They
thought the coincidence of an arrest
and a robbery on the same day was sug-
gestive, to say the least. Their inqui-
ries elected the one suspicious circum
stance, scarcely amounting to clew,
that two strangers were seen at thedoor
of l Forsyth street by a neighbor of
about 10 O'Clock on the night of the
robbery.
The two men were arrested, and con-
siderable of the stolen property was
found in their possession. They
learned of the old mans wealth, and
had him arrasted 40 aa 10 roh hin,