The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-31
DARING BURGLARY.

THE SAFES IN THE sURBoaATE's OAFICE on
RICHMOND COUNTY BLOWN OPEN AND TEN
THOUSAND DOLLARS IN MONEY AND VALUABLE
RECORD PAPERS TAKEN.
The Hon. Henry b. MetcalL who was elected to
Congress from the First district OF New York at the
election last fall Is the present County Judge and
Surrogate OF Richmond county the two ofices
being combined. He resides at Richmond. the
county seat, and his ONCE Is In the county build
ing.
Shortly before four O'Clock yesterday morning
residents OF the place. who were then astir, mad
their attention attracted by the sound OF an ex-
plosion, apparently OF considerable force. the
exact location OF which could not be determined
but as similar reports had been heard with more
or less frequency from Fort Wadsworth, q few
miles distant, or from shipping In the NarrOws, it
was generally concluded that the one in question
came from that direction, and no more was then
thought OF the AFFAIR. The facts In regard to 1T
were, therefore, not disclosed until Judge Metcalf
went to his office, about eight O'Clock. when he
was astonished to nnd that party OF burglars had
been there be ore HIM and had lett things In con-
ditl0n OF general confusion.
Two heavy burgiar-prOof safes in the office were
found upon examination to have been blown open
with gunpOwder, the explosion probably having
been simultaneous. The charges must nave been
very heavy as the safes were blown almost to
badly shattered. All the securities lodged with
Judge Metcalf as Surrogate were deposited In
these safes, besides considerable amount or
money in greenbacks, and the booty secured by
the burglars must amount to nearly $l0,0 In
GLIDING SIX 81, 900 government bonds.
An examination Of the premises showed that the
burglars had first opened the outer iron door by
forcing 1t with tmmies, bot that their progress in
that direction had been stopped by two inner win
dOws which were securely barred on the inside.
They then went TO one or the Windows, and fore
ing open the iron shutter, succeeded In dsplacng
the iron bars across the windows. and thus
effected an entrance. This must have been work
OF considerable time, and an hour or two must
have been.spent in drilling and charging the safes
ready for blowing open. The robbers left behind
them number OF hammers and drills used in ac-
compIishing their work.
The news OF the robbery spread rapidly through
out the ncighb0rhOOd and caused the greatest
excitement IN the usually quiet locality Crowds
OF people collected about the premises all day,
eagerly discussing the occurrence. AS soon as the
extent OF the loss could be ascertaIneG Judge
Metsalf himself came TO the city and put himself
In communication with the authorities at Police
headquarters. The TACT OF the robbery was not
known at the headquarters Uf the county police at
StapletOn until quite late In the afternoon. TIE
authorities are now actively at work on the case,
but as the burglars mad about six hours the start
OF the police IL seems at least doubtful whether
any trace OF them eau be found.
IL is the opinion OF those VINO have viewed the
scene OF operations that not less than three or
that they crossed on the Ice over the Kill Won Kul
from New Jersey and made their escape from the
island in the same direction, no suspicious
characters were seen to cross either of the ferries
early yesterday morning The job was undoubt-
eddy the work OF professional burglars.