The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-01-28
Light Breaking.
What the "Burglars'' Say.

Tuesdays New York Herald and Sun cOu-
tain an account of the arrest of the men accused
of the Pennell robbery, which differs from that
given by the detective, and which is rather en-
tertaining reading. The story certainly does
not put the detectives in very enyiable posi-
ton. The Herald says:
On the morning of Wednesday last, the Goth
inst, two young men, who were named John
s. Edwards and George Lake, were arrested at
the corner of Waverley place and Sixth avenue
By Detectives Clapp aud King, who were both
then members Of the Central Office squad.
They were in the company of their wives and
some friends at the time, and were on their
way to the Cunard dock, at which Mrs. Lake
was to embark for trip TO Europe Both men
were taken to the Police Headquarters, and
were searched in the presence of Superinten-
dent Walling. They were not informed why
they were arrested, but were confined in a cell
and permitted to rack their brains to discover
the reason. After few hours of imprison-
ment they were again brought into the detec-
tive office, where they saw Captain Irving with
two Boston detectives named Hunt and Stombs,
and a man named George Hammond. They
were then told that they were arrested as the
robbers of the County Treasurers office in
Portland, Me-, in the latter part of December,
and that the warrant for their arrest con-
tanned in a reguisition by Governor Dngley, of
Maine, upon information sworn to by the man
Hammond They were also told that they had
been identified by Hammond as men whose
real names were james Hayes and George
Thompson. aud that man named Webb, who .
was likewise in custody, had been declared by
their accuser to be their accomplice in the rob-
berry in Portland, to be named McWilliams.
All three prisoners protested against their ar
rest but the detectives at Police Headquarters
told them, in their peculiar police parlance,
that their imprisonment was dead wrong.
The Boston officers said that they had watched
Edwards and Lake for three weeks before
they had called upon the New York officers TO
arrest them, and had just searched the apart
ments of the prisoners and the trunks OF Mrs.
Lake, but had not discovered anything TO con-
| firm the charges of Hammond. Yet it was
their duty they said. to take their prisoners To
Name At first all three prisoners-Edwards,
Lake and Webb-determined to apply through
| counsel for writs of habeas corpus. On the
morning of Thursday last they were brought
| from the Police Headquarters to the Sherf's
| Office, where the first two men agreed to go on
| to- Portland and there prove their innocence of
| the crime imputed to them. Webb, however,
was net so complacent His counsel made ap-
plication tor a writ of habess corpus, and he
| was, therefore, sent back to Police Headquar-
| tiers, where he was confined until yesterday
morning. 81. i. .-
The Boston detectives, Hunt and Stombs,
| started with their prisoners for Portland on
Thursday afternoon. Hammond also accom-
| panied them. Lake and Edwards say that the
| detectives treated them kindly, and made no
secret of their belief that Hammond had will
| fully gulled them by causing them to arrest
| innocent persons as criminals. Their conyer
sation so alarmed Hammond, tits said, that he
/ only went with the party as far as place called
| Salmon Falls, N H., where he secretly left the
| train. Detective Hunt also departed from them
| on the way to Portland On the arrival of Lake
/ and Edwards and detective Stombs in Port
| land tney learned that the real James Hayes
| was confined in Jail there, and consequently it
| was proven Immediately that Hammond was
wrong in declaring Lake to be Hayes. Other
| evidence was also procured that neither Lake
/ nor Edwards were the robbers of the County
| Treasurer office, and both men were there
| fore discharged from custody They started for
| New York as speedily as possible, ard arrived
| here on Sunday last. Yesterday they visited
| the police headquarters and were the objects of
much sympathy expended by the police officials
| there, and they were advised by indignant de-
| tectives to convey their tale of sorrow to the
| newspapers. What was the object OF the de-
tectives in giving such advice car only be con-
| jectured. Perhaps it will be consolatory to the
| New York officers il they are again assured
that there are stupid fellows called detectives
in other cities as well as in this metropolis. ,
The Sun says: ...~.H ieH t-H 90 f.
The Boston detectives were opposed to delay,
and before the writs could be prepared hurried
their prisoners to the Irving House, to keep
them away from their friends, who clamored
there might be some mistake, and while Ham
mond was out of the way, Hunt privately told
the prisoners so. "YOu don't answer the de-
scrip9ion at all of the men we want" he said,
'but it can't be helped now; we've got to take
| You 10 Maine to save ourselves. Keep the thing
quiet, and when you get back to New York L u
give you both a chance to make some money.
After Hammond left the cars at Salmon
Falls, Stombs-generally known as Workman
came back very excited, and exclaimed. The
| fellow has given us the slip. half suspected
he would" Hammond had borrowed 500
from him on account of services rendered. Mr..
Stombs said it looked as if he had been fooled,
| and Hunt quite agreed with him. Both the
went to sleep, apparently to give the prisoners
| chance to escape, but they would not avail
| themselves of the opportunity. On reaching
PortlandiD Detective Stombs was very low spirit
ed, and indulged freely in exhilarating fluids,
exclaiming in the intervals, swell. well, this
does beat anything ever saw in my life, and
after the prisoners were discharged by Judge
Morris, Stombs shook Lake and Edwards cor
daily by the hand, saying, "For Gods sake
gentlemen, don't say word about this 20 a
| soul. We've been badly mistaken. and I'm
sorry for it; but if ever get hold of that ras-
| cal Hammond, I'll blow the whole top OF hli
| damned head off" This conversation. we sus
pect, is little exaggerated, though Stombs did
| say something like it. Z .If.t.fs. ...f