The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-28
Particulars Of the Arrest Of George Van Vel
Eor, the Yonng Railroad Clerk.
A Thrilling Confession OF the
Crime.
Adventures of Van Vesor and Baxter
Before and After the Robbery.
The Tricks of Sheriff and Deputy
Sheriff.

IN the ONCE nc. &. Clark treasurer Oh the new iorA
Central and Hudson River Railroad Company, ana
who on sunday, the Sd day OF the month, roooed
the ONCE safe Of $50 0OO and with an accomplice,
named Isaac Baxter escaped, reached the 'ranu
central depot yesterd ay morning. He was In charge
sf detective John seaman the companys officer,
and Detective Shelly, OF the Central ONCE van
Vesor has made "a clean breast" OF the AFFAIR,
and his story is full o: the deepest interest,".
lie has confessed in substance as loilows;-
THE CONFESSION.
Isaac Baxter and myself were very intimate.
He resided at Sing Sing and l resided at scar
borough He always made 1t his business TO get
IN my company as often as possible several lihes
prevlous to the commission OF the act he proposed
70 me 10 rob the sale in the Treasurers once OUT
always resisted him. AT his request on seVerai
occasions visited houses OF Ill repute WIN MN III
New York city and got TO drinking liquor. The
Saturday night previous to the ROBBERY we came
sNew York together and visited house OF pros
trnton In Greene street. we renamed
there all night and till sunday afternoon,
when Baxter proposed we should take
walk and did, going as lar
n the Grand central depot, having mad
several drinks in the meantime. when the
Grand Central depot was reached Baxter COM
planned OF being tired and suggested that we go
mo stairs 10 the Treasurer's Office and rest and
have a smoke, and | consented. After being IN
there about hall an hour Baxter asked me II
understood the combinations OF the large safe. i
replied in The Affirmative, and going TO the safe
opened It and saw there $4,000 IN greenoacks
And currency. l nlted up several packages OF the
money anu showed them to Baxter. He urged
me TO take all there was IN the safe and did so,
and we rolled 1t up IN newspaper. We stayed
ID the office I'LL nearly SIX r. NJ. when We stsxtea
out and went down Lexington avenue.
BUYING SECOND HAND CLOTHING.
Baxter carriedta bundle containing the money.
In turning the corner OF Forty second street he
accde tally dropped three ST. 600 packages on the
sidewalk winch picked up and pu. IN my over
coal pocKe. From there we went to Chatham
street, and procuring more Old newspapers, Sc
curely wrapped Them around the money, having
nrst taken out enough 10 buy two suits OF second
hand clothing from Jew IN chatham street ana
10 pay other necessary expenses. We then Went
10 Jersey City and purchased tickets Tor Washing
ton Via the Pennsylvania central RAILROAD IhA
was sunday night. We reacned Washington on
Monday morning, intending 10 20 South from there,
started 10 ak into Maryland, and some time after
struck the line OF the Baltimore and ONO KALI
road. IL was raining hard and we resolved to
secrete some OF tee money. we dug hole IN the
ground ana buried $4,000 OF greenbacks rolled up
In OLD newspapers We also buried our Clothes
which we wore on Sunday and put on tie second
hand suits purchased OF the Jew. each having a
blue shirt For three days after We KEPT tfa'ehins
Oh icot, sleeping at night IN the WOODS
GOING INTO CAAP
After having accomplished nifty miles IN that
manner we got on board . traln, Wneh Baxter
out OF the car WINDOW as The Train moved along,
80 tnat our faces should get as black as possible
rom the SCOT ana aust from the engine. he pro-
pressed TINS because he sad there would be tee-
grams sent az over the country, giving a iu1
&c pe iuIy disguised. When the tram reached
Indianapolis we got out and separated or "a Short
time while alting Tor raln TO start Tor quincy,
III. We passed enc another on the platform and
al first could not recognize eacn other, our faces
being dirty and black. We got on board the
Quincy train and in due tune brought up al Kan
cas- City, and from there we went into southern
Kansas. We bought a ranch there for 5000 aud
Also purchased team OF horses, a pony, harness
and camp equlpage. We Went into camp night
away, ana, alter becoming domlclled, returned 20
the line OF the Baltimore and ONO Railroad In
Maryland and went to the spot wnere We had
buried the So, 0o0 We reached there on the sth
SICK AND DIVIDING THE MONEY.
AFTER digging up the money we louud tnat the
midew and wet had destroyed about $4,000 OF II,
and That amount we burned. We look the bal
ance, $4,000, and started once more for our
ranch Ia southern Kansas. Upon reaching II We
went 10 Work at farming, and set ont 100 acres OF
corn all OF which was destroyed III the night by
the grasshopDers. shortly alter | was taken III
with severe attack OF rheumatism, brought on
by exposure, and my sickness lasted nearly five
months. Baxter remained with me the biggest
part oil the time, using what money he wished,
none OF The stolen iunds having yet been divided.
Finally concluded he was getting the best OF me
IN expenditures and 20 we DIVIDED what was lett
equally ana shortly aier Baxter LETT me
him since. In the middle OF February
j set out Tor Denver, leaving the ranch
Id Charge oil some irleIuS. upon Inv arrival there
became acquainted with man named schoa,
VINO kept a billiard room, and 1 was taken by LIN
to house OF III repnte, where spent great deal
OF money. IL was there ] met female named
Miss Frank Rudolph.
THE DEPUTY sHERIFF's TRICK
told the people around there that was going
TO New MEXICO. Scnoal wanted me to buy some
billiard tables ana staTta blizzard room, but re-
fused he tried marc 10 find out how much money
had, as was spending great deal every day.
New YORK deputy sheriff arrived 10 Denver
shortly alter and showed scnoaI my picture.
A<nA nnf -faff n ttaG
the name OF Frank Reed. Finally he be-
came convinced | was Van Velaor, and, see
ing that he could get no Tore money out OF me, ne
gave NE away to sherln Wi.lougnby VINO arrested
me on the charge OF carrying concealed weapons
In the meantime he had teiesTaphed to New York
Tor further Information, &C. He searched me and
found lego, gold watch and chair, revolver,
an ordinary hnger ring and cheek Tor my trunk,
and then put NE in JAN. Then he sent 70 the
depot Tor my trunk opened IL and TOOK out seven
packages OF greenbacks OF 1900 each. Tue next
morning he called me down and asked me TO see
what my trunk contained. opened It, and, after
an examination tod MIN everything was lett
IL except the $1,000 m packages, winch were gone.
DARK Ways OF THE sHER1TF.
A. hrst ne claimed to know nothing about H.
And then told me who he TOOK me 10 be. but saia
II wanted TO get away he could nx itior me.
told rim who Was and asked MIN 10 send my
property win the money TO New YORK, ana take
me as a prisoner, a. was READY ana wiling TO 20.
Ailerward he sent ScnoaI 10 me WIN paper,
asking Ine 20 sign s5O1c over 10 Scn0af but re-
fused. Tnat laiiing, he seAL a lawyer 70 me, VINO
0lew M another paper, IA which he waQted rue 70
sign away $1,000 70 Nm y he got me out on VIII
oi habeas corpus anu nxed nae all rIgnt before
the New YORK Officers arrived I tOlG him 1 Gidu' {
want 20 get out. | wanted 10 90 back 20 New
fork and suffer the penalty for the crlue bad
committed. Toe night previous to the arrival Of
IRON the jail AT O'Clock at nig {, IN a buggy.
and carried M TO tse house OF Deputy
AMI left me In the parIor OF that house
jor three nights ana three days, with the
key m the door, giyiDg me liberty 70 70 when ana
where ! chose. sheriff Wnloughby offered me
$4,000 II would leave Colorado ana leave the res.
oi me money In his hands, which | refused 10 DO.
, could have escaped any time ~ those three DAYS
and three nights and would have done ~ and
would nave gone to the New YORK officers had
known wnere 10 ind them. On the afternoon oi
the third Gay was taken back 70 sail anJ was
then handed over 20 the New YORK ofscers. They
demanded my property Of the sheriff, out he
wouidn't give 1t up. he did finally, however, re-
turn my clothes and JeweIH out reused to gave
me the balance, saying Vanderbilt was rich AID
con,d stana IT. Then | left Denver win Detec
flves Scsnlan and Shelly, reaching New YORK 10
aay. Both % sac detectives nave treated n'
Kindly, ana hank them Tor IL. regret al rave
han mi