The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-06-23
HIGHWAY ROBBERY.
THE MIDNIGHT RAID.
THE CHARGE ON THE BULLETIN
FORMS.

II
FORMS.
In the hurry of getting out our Sunday
morning edition, it was impossible in the short
time left before daylight to give the full psrti-
culars OF the robbery of the BULLETIN forms.
The type used in printing this paper is the
same that belonged to the Herald 1t was IN
the possession of the Sheriff and after judg-
ment rendered against that paper was sold
last Saturday to the highest bidder and one
Houliham became the owner.
After the sale, the Sheriff, through his eff
cient chief-deputy, Mr.. Jos. Dick. offered to
make delivery Of the type to Houtihan, but
that man would not receive it as he had not
made preparations for putting it in cases, and
he did not want it mixed up or to use techni-
cal term put into pi. Mr. Dick, by agreement,
came to the BULLETIN Office at o'clock Satur-
day again, to make delivery, but Houlihan'
after considerable talk. postponed the matter
until Gas p NJ.
When Mr.. Dick returned at that hour mes
sager came from Houlihan, saying he could
not take the type that night and that there
was no use waiting, that it would be all right
Monday The sheriff withdrew, leaving the
property in the keeping Of Mr. D. G. Byerly,
commissioned as deputy sheriff
At o'clock the printers went to their work
in the composition room as usual, and nothing
more was thought Of the matter until about
10 O'Clock, when attention was called to the
number of suspicious looking persons lurking
in the shadows OF Bank Alley, opposite the
BULLETIN Office, and also on Gravier street.
It was at first thought that these men might
belong to some gang hired to waylay some OF
the editorial corps, bat when each individu-
ally passed and repassed them to draw them
on, they made no demonstration. At 1925
boy came from the press-room on Bank
Alley. with the information that two men had
been proving about there with evidently
some evil designs ts~or
The city editor of this paper, after examin-
ing the streets, became satisfied that an at
tempt was to be made to capture the forms
and prevent the edition of the paper, and he
accordingly, with the reporters, determined to
escort them to the press-room.
At 1890 the forms were lowered upon the
hand cart, and the corps surrounded it. After
leaving the doorway and just when the cart
had reached the middle Of the street, two men
advanced out of the darkness and approach
ing said: "Tve got orders to seize this.
Stop!" It was demanded of him who he was,
and he replied that he and his companions
were police officers. The representative Of
this paper asked to see either their commits
siods or numbers, as they We're in citizens
clothes
The men, who gave their names as Lynch
and Bechtel, answered that they had neither
about them, but gave their numbers. and
stated that they had been ordered to do this
duty by Capt Flanagan. The representative
of the paper refused to recognize them, when
Lynch blew his whistle, and in second the
street was alive with police.
They came from all sides, some evidently
anxious to rap somebody on the head. When
this papers representative recognized an Off
Ger he knew, he and the reporters still keep
ing possession Of the car, asked if the two
men, Lynch and Bechtel, were officers and
number of the reinforcement spoke up and
said, "Yes, we know them"
Thereupon one representative said, we can
not resist law-of6eers in snch force,
and the police surrounded the forms
and marched off to the Central
Station, followed by our corps. When
the party arrived there with the forms, they
took them out and locked them up in cell.
After some delay Capt. Flanagan arrived. and
was asked upon what authority this outrage
was perpetrated.
He stated that he had orders from Judge
McAuthur, and exhibited a note which he
refused to let our representative read. He was
then asked if any charge had been made
against any person, or if it was only the Bull
LEr1N's forms that were wanted. He replied,
ono charge is made against any person. My
orders to Lynch and Bechtel were to seize the
type as stolen property"
Judge Macarthur, who had been sent for,
then arrived, and stated that no affidavit had
been made before him, and when confronted
with Capt Flanagan stated that the note
Flanagan had received was from him, but that
it was an opinion merely, no order. Flana-
gan then, for the first time, said that be had
orders from Gen. A. s. Badger to arrest this
stolen property. II
Houllhan, who had been watching from q
door way the BULLETIN Office, now put in an
appearance, and our representative demanded
OF him if he had caused the detention of the
forms. He answered that they were his prop
erty, and he would have them. He was told
that there was legal way Of getting posses
sion of personal property ether than mid
night raids, and he was asked if he would
give the forms up.
In an excited tone he went on to say that no
bond could release them Gust as though he
ruled this little city, and that he would not
take ten thousand dollars for those forms,
pointing to the cell where what was to be
Sundays BULLETIN quietly rested.
Mr.. Byerly, at this juncture, arrived and de-
manded Of Capt. Flanagan possession Of the
forms, as Deputy Sheriff, but his demand met
fat refusal. 1fe
a. ~ -