Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-11-17
The Prince of BURGLARS
PETER CUELEY, THE BARRE BANK ROBB

The Prince of Burglars
PETER CURLEY, THE BARRE BANK ROBBER.
During the last six weeks, Broadway has
lacked one of its handsomest. best dressed
loungcrs, and the Theatres one of their most
regular attendants-Peter Curlcy. The
reason is that he is in I Vermont prison.
awaiting trial us the leader in the Blrre
Bank robbery. Mr. Cnrley has, for many
wears, made Il business of burglary. amass-
ing thereby II fortune estimated ut several
hundred thousand dollars; and his money
and adroitncss have, until now, GOT him
out of every trouble with the law. His I'M
dertakings have invariably been of great
magnitude. like the Waterford. and other
profitable bank robbcries, Although many
times arrested, he has never been brought
to trial. In most instances 4 return of part
OF the spoil, through rogues among the de
tectives, has been the way to freedom. His
exploit at Barre, however, is likely to bring
him to Justice. for the queer reason that he
and his comrades in the burglary got no
plumber. The bank lost nothing. and SO
has no incentive to compound Il felony;
consequently. he can only use his money in
corrupting public officers and there are no
indications that he is accomplishing any
thing in that manner.
Peter Curlcv came from Troy. y. V, :,
city that has sent 4 noteworthy company of
thieves and gamblers to New York. He is
an uncommonly handsome fellow, about
thrty-tive years old, dresses elegantly, and
is in appearance what the masses call ";iris-
tocratc" He has never mixed socially
with thieves, is personally. doubtless, en-
ti.n1,- -pnIrp f., most nt Them and on lV
during the last four OF five Years has he
been known with certainty us a burglar.
Before that he WAS only suspected, not be-
cause he had been definitely implicated in
any crime, but on account Of his lavish way
of Spending money. He still lived in Troy
then, and had no oSten>ible business. He
lived luxuriouslv, but without dissipation
was always gcntlcmany in demeanOr,
dressed in careful. good taste, and was cX-
cessivelv generous. often contributing to
funds for laudable public uses. His accu
mutation of property was steady and rapid
He owned the st Charles Hotel, in Trey,
and resided in it, occupying Sumptuuu~
apartments.
One nirht the hotel was set on fire while
being reconstructed, but not badly damag-
ed, and it was found that phosphorus had
tppn scattered about IL 10 lItNltI lut' COlll
buStion All inve>ti.l showed that the
insurance was high and that valuable con
tent, included in the schedules had been
secretly removed. The general belief was
that Curlcv had planned, If not executed,
the inccndiari>m, but when local news
papor said 80, he pretended To be unjustly
accused, threatened u libel suit, anI sccur-
ed a rctracllOn.
ll,,.f IN
West Troy, when he took $4,000 in cash
and Government bonds from a slIc in the
Roy shawl factory He was not punished.
howe; er. and the facility with which he
rot out of the difficulty has since been re-
pcate1 often. He is supposed TO have been
The leader in eleven bank rotberies. plan
MING the crimes. furnishing the money for
heavy expenses and fine burglary machine
Nv. directing the work. and taking lion
shares of the booty The detectives say
that he has never been suspected Of the
robbery of ANYTHING except safes, and that
his enterprises have invariably been plan
ned and executed with great care and skill,
often occupying months. Miles also under
arrest for the Barre burglary, has for many
wears been in Curley's employ. and he has
provided lucrative work To several other
! subordnates.
! Curley left Troy soon after acquiring
the un,loubted reputation Of being a burg
lar, and has since resided in this city, man
aging his large property, and adding to II
/ bv profitable lohberirS. He is we'll elu-
Gated. very intelligent. and has none OF
the ordinary social habits of thieves. His
liking for theatres made him liberal pa
tron of them. the more 50, he SAID, A. he
WAS cut off by his reputation from society
! that would have been conrruial. He often
occupied a box ut the opera. too. and had
considerable skill in music. bcin, a fine
pianist, tutorcd 10y the best teachers
The charge upon which he is now in
Jail is regarded rs susceptible OF clean
proof, and he is nearly certain to serve hi
first term in the State Prison. He is said
to he putin. his property in the hands OF
an able lawyer for management. fearing
that, while he i imprisoned, the banks
that he has robbed may sue to recover
their ftInds-N. !. SIN.