Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-12-28
a Prince of Burglars.

During The last six weeks, Broadway
has lacked one Of It's handsomest, best
dressed loungers, and the theatres one OF
their most regular attendants--Peter Cur.
ley. The reason is that he is in a Yer.
mont prison, awaiting trial as the leader
in the Barre Bank robbery.
Mr.. Curley has for many years made a
business OF burglary, amassing thereby q
fortune estimated at several hundred
thousand dollars; and his money and
adroitness have, until, now got him out
Of every trouble with the law. His un.
dertakings have invariably been Of great
magnitude, like the Waterford and other
profitable bank robberies. Although many
times arrested, he has never been brought
10 trial. In most instances return OF
part of the spoil, through rogues among
the detectives, has been his way to free.
dom. His exploit at Barre, however. is
likely 10 bring him 10 justice. for the
queer reason that he and his comrades in
the burglary got no plunder. The bank
lost nothing, and so has no incentive to
compound felony consequently. he can
only use his money in corrupting public
officers. and there are no indications that
he is accomplishing anything in that
manner.
Peter CurleY came from Troy, n. Y. a
city that has sent noteworthy company
of thieves and gamblers to New York.
He is an uncommonly handsome fellow.
about thirty five years old, dresses ele.
gantly. and is in appearance what the
masses call "aristocratic." He has never
mixed socially with thieves, is personally
doubtless entirely unknown to most Of
them, and only during the last four or
five years has he been known with GER
tainty rs burglar. Before that, he was
only suspected. not because 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 ostensible business. He lived
luIuriously, but without dissipation. was
always gcntlemanly in demeanor, dressed
IN careful good taste, and was excessively
generous, often contributing to funds for
laudab!o public uses His accumulation
Of property was steady and rapid. lie
owned the St. Charles Hotel,i Troy and
resided in it, occupying sumptuous ap.
arLmen,s.
One night the !hotelS was set on fire
while being reconstructed. but not badly
damaged, and it was found that phos.
phorus had been scattsred about to hasten
combustion. An investigation showed
that the insurance was high and that val.
liable contents included in the schedules
had been secretly removed. The general
belief was that Curley had planned. if
not executed, the incendiarism; but when
ax local newspaper said so, helpretended
% be unjustly accused. threatened libel
suit, and secured retraction.
His first arrest was for burglary in
West Troy, whenihe took $40, 900 in cash
and government bonds from safe in the
Roy shawl factory. He was not punished
however, and the facility with which he
got out OF that difficulty has, since been
repeated often.
He is supposed to have been the leader
in eleven bank robberies, planning the
crimes, furnishing the money for heavy
expenses, and fine burglary machinery,
directing the work and taking lion
shares of the booty. The detectives say
that he has never been suspected of the
robbery OF anything but safes, and that his
enterprises have invaribly been planned
and executed with great care and skill,
often occupying months. Miles. also
under arrest for the Barre burglary. has
for many years been in Curley's employ,
and he has provided lucrative work to
several other subordi mates.
Curley left Troy soon after acquiring
the undoubted reputation OF being bur-
glar, and has since resided in New York,
managing his large property, and adding
10 it by profitable robberies. He Is well
educated, very intelligent, and has none
of the ordinary social habits OF thieves.
His liking OF theatres made him liberal
patron of them, the more so, he said, as
he was cut off by his reputation from
society that would have been congenial.
He often occupied box at the opera,
too, and had considerable skill in music,
being a fine pianist, tutored by the best
teachers.
The charge upon which he is now in
jail ID regarded ss susceptible Of clear
proof, and he is nearly certain to serve
his first term in State prison. He is
said to be putting his property in the
hands of an able lawyer for management
fearing that, while he is imprisoned
the banks that he has robbed may sue to
recover their funds.
PUNISHMENT ENoUGH.-In the Police
Court yesterday was witness who had