The New York herald., 1875-10-23
How Prisoners Get Away
from Sing Sing.
HUGH GARDENERS JOKE.
Extensive Operations of Stolen
Goods Receiver.
ELIZA COLLINS CASE.

the members present being Messrs Campbell, Dessar
MCGOWAN and Hess Mr. James W. Weed was ap-
pointed assistant counsel in place of Mr. Aub who left
that position the last investigating day because he
deemed himself sighted by the committee.
Lindsay G. Howe testified that he was one of the
Commissioners of Accounts and identified two papers
containing the amounts paid in Police Headquarters
in the course of the last five years by the different de-
tcctives Of the department No detective is allowed to
accept money reward from private citizens
DETECTIVES REWARDS
The following are the amounts turned in by the dc
tectycs in five years and duly deposited to the credit OF
the city-Dctective Farley, $275; McCord S100 Cur
ran, 500; Walling $1l5; Heidelberg SIP; SHINING
ton, $7oi Dusenbury 1915; Irving 800; Bennett s75
Clapp, s95; Moore, $50; Rathbun, $50; Woodbridge
$780, Fields, $780, King, $3.50; Reilly, $75; Williams,
$50; Golden, s15; Elder, 81, $50; Dixon s75; Dnkes
s567 Tlley, S6l2 Four OF the largest amounts given
were turned in between 1873 and 1875 Tho total
amount deposited was $4. .465
Mr. Allen, ex-Assistant District Attorney, recalled
stated in regard to his examination the last day that he
testified only in regard to his personal experience
and presumed to give testimony relating to other
years than when he Off cally employed In regard
to police justices and their knowledge of criminal law
he stated that large mass of criminal law was un
written but Of statute law he satisfied there were
many magistrates who showed gross ignorance even in
very simple
INEFFICIENT MAGISTRATES
He was not in favor OF taking men out OF the work
shop and putting them on the Bench; he knew mags-
rates were in the habit of sitting alternate weeks and
a custom had grown up of holding prisoner over for
examination in the absence OF the committing mags-
trae he did not think there sufficient number Of
magistrates to give prisoners fair examination.
HUGH GARDENERS AsroNIsHMEsr.
He knew the case OF a person who afterwards held
high position who interceded on behalf of burglar
Witness was disncned to mention the person S name
but eventually yielded and said it was Mr. Hugh Gard
ner, and that he came to him when no was Assistant
District Attorney and said he wanted get man who
was in Jail charged with burglary out bail Witness
said he did not consider it proper in which to
take ball. and Mr. Gardner responded, 'It's damned
funny now that folks are in office we can't get
little thing like this donen
NoRToN's BARGAIN
Mike Norton was the person referred TO when As
sstant District Attorney Lyons said ssIf you get
bench warrant for the of that man you'll burn
your fingers Witness understood from a reliable
authority, whose name he declined to give that a
bargain made between high Custom House officials
and those having the legal authority prosecute that
proceedings should be instituted against Mike Nor
ton provided he worked for tho republican side Wit
of the parties concerned in the bargain but the
committee his relief and after consultation de-
cded that as the witness had positive aversion to
doing so he should not be pressed. Referring to the
efforts made by the District Attorneys Office TO indct
General Duryee his impression was that in the rein
dictment OF Charlick and Gardner Duryees name was
to be inserted.
ESCAPING SING SING.
Counsel desired to know why ii Is criminals who are
sent to Sing Sing manage to get away Witness, refer
ring the years Immediately prior to 1874 said there
was doubt that any prisoner who had money could
get Of prison. he knew OF number OF of the
kind there the notorious burglar George Bliss
with hundred aliases and he, in company with three
others sent to Auburn but through influence down
here they got transferred to Sing Sing, from which
they found IL easy to escape by brbing
the keepers He knew of woman named
Sophie Lockwood who was taken out OF Sing Sing into
away; the Warden of Sing Sing used to insist that
prisoners sentence commenced from the date OF con-
vcton that prisoner by securing stay of proceed
ings might remain in the Tombs for nearly the whole
term OF his sentence there is responsibility the
Sheriff for the delivery OF prisoners he has TO send
list to Albany of those he takes to Sing Sing and that
is all; witness knew how hard 1t was to get
RECEIVERS or STOLEN GOODS
convcted he understood that Mrs. Mandelbohn was
accustomed TO go bail Tor burglars and forgers heard
that the woman had agencies all the United States
in regard TO the bond forreries on the Buffalo and
Eric and New York and Erie railroads the torgers
tered on an extensive scheme and had vast amount OF
other bonds ready to throw on the market at once;
witness attended TO the and conferred with the
detectives; of the torgers indicted; witness
worked mp the testimony with Detective Pinkerton;
about week before the trial the taken out or
his hands and he was not present at the trial and knew
nothing of what transpired there except two
Of the forgers, all the rest are discharged;
witness declined to the question as to why he
left the District Attorneys Office IL purely PR
vae matter and he did desire have his troubles
fOigtcd the committee and community. the
of the persons belonging to the Tammany Ring who
were indicted are William n. Tweed, p. b. sweeny,
william H. Cook Michael Norton, Thomas Conan, J.
J. Walsh, Harrington, James H. Ingersoll r. B. Con-
molly, Andrew J. Garvey, Thomas G. Fields and Harry
Genet Of these four have been tried and convicted
Tweed, Ingersoll, Genet and Harrington
RECESS.
George Iissner testified that he was the proprietor OF
the Palas Royal on Broadway; he previously owned n
store block lower down; in 1878 his store
robbed; he sent information to the detective Office
and late in the evening two detectives named Tiey
and Bennett TO the store; they went away and
never made their appearance for three or four days
he was robbed or between 81 500 and 1000 worth OF
kid gloves Mr. Besses told him one day that q man
named Hamburger called and showed him some gloves,
two detectives from Captain Byrnes, and Ham
burger finally iornd; Hamburger informed
him that a named Katz held the property;
the latter taken before Justice Cox; the prisoner
employed lawyer who told witness IL would be better
for him to take back his gloves and let Katz
60; everybody he spoke to advised him to
take back his property and have nothing to
say against Katz, the law was OF no use;
witness however, went before the Grand Jury with his
evidence; nothing came Of II Immediately but witness
day in the and saw Kaz shortly Detective
Heidelberg came along and addressed himself to Katz
saying that the kid glove Of his would amount TO
nothing, as he would lx matters the detective did not
know the witness but the latter knew Heidelberg the
case tried, did he have his property
returned
THE CASE OF ELIZA COLLINS
Mr.. James Lynch said he Commissioner OF Emf
grafton, and had occasion to look into the OF
Eliza Collins who was abused by official
Backwelps Island Witness said, In answer to
question, that he understood the hospital
steward who committed the outrage Eliza
Collins was restored 10 his position on Black
Wells Island; he called at the Office of the District At
torncy and the chief clerk, and told him all the
particulars; when the came up the Assistant Dis
trict Attorney, Mr. Lyons, had only two witnesses
hand when he could have had dozen; the witness
uttered his opinions pretty freely about the conduct Of
the case by the prosecuting attorney; verdict OF not
guilty was brought against Major the hospital stew
ard and he afterward restored 70 his SITUATION the
island. letter from District Attorney Phelps to wit
read and seemed TO give satisfactory reasons