Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-04-11
The Story Of the "Safe Burglary"

The Story Of the "Safe Burglary"
When q evmmi.tee of Congress began, some
years ago, to investigate the frauds and thefts
of the Washington Improvement Ring, the in-
flueutial persons concerned, whom discovery
would have ruined, stopped at nothing to pre-
vent it, The committee had, fortunately, help
from some of the honest and substantial citi.
zens OF WASHINGTON, chief among whom was
MIR. Columbus Alexander, gentleman who
has shown remarkable pe.tnaclty and ab llty
10 his long pursuit Of the Ring. 1t was, We
believe, at Mr.. Alexander's suggestion that
the committee required the leading men OF the
Ring to produce the books in which the course
and cost of the city improvements we're set
d, wp, aud who pointed out, when q set Of
books we're produced, that these were false
and that the geuu.ne books were still co..
cealed.
Thereupon it occurred to some OF the Riug
to endeavor to get rid of Mr. Alexander, ty
implicatug him in what would have the ap-
pearancr OF criminal aot- A spy was semitic
MIR. Alexander, who told him that the real
books were in safe in the Office of the Di..
srict Attorney, and that if be would pay p
tain sum OF money the office could be eDtereu,
the safe broken open aud the books handed
over to him. Mr.. Alexander replied that he
would have uothing to do with such tra5s.
action, and this little plot failed. The
plan of entrappiDg bim, however, bad be'
formed, and was not so easily abandoned.
Two burglars bad been hired, and other preps-
rations made, and 80 the spy was again seot to
MIR. Alexander with simpler propostion-
that on q certain night the books would be
brought to him; and it was determined by the
conspirators to post we'll Instructed policemen
10 such way as 10 seize Mr.. Alexander while
be was in the act of accepting the books.
All the arrangements were, therefore, made
for given night. The police, who usually
guarded the District Attorneys Office were dis
missed or sept 10 distance ,wJ professional
burglars, hired for the purpose by agents the
Ring and brought 6owu from New York, were
introduced into the building, and policemen in
the confidence of the Ring were stationed out.
side, fer the double purpose of preventing in
terrupton aud of following the burg lars to MIR.
Alexander's house when they shuu d have OBJ
tanned the books. The safe was blown open,
sham set oil books taken out, and with these
the burglars proceeded toward Mr.. Alexander
house, followed at y short distance by the po-
licemen, ready to pouoce upoo Alexander at
the critical moment aud to conveniently suffer
them.
A droll incident happened on the way. The
time was one CLOCK at night. The burglars,
CARRYING the sham books, had forgotten the
number of Mr.. Alexander's house; and after
wandering past it, and when about to ring the
bell of the wrong house, the police, supposed TO
be 10 vigorous pursuit of them, had actually 10
call to them and direct them p the right house
Arrived there they rang the BELL, but 10 valu.
Mr. Alexan ler thinking little or nothing of
tie proposed delivery of the books, and at any
rate determined to take no notice of irregular
proceedings with which he W ,uld have nothltg
to do, had gone to bed at his Usual hour. lie
bell wakeued 90 one 10 the house. Ihe bur
glars and the sham police were both perplexed,
tie area bell was rung With 90 better success
and, finally. after cousui, alton between tho butt
glars and the police, The whole party decamped.
The next day Washington was excited by the
report that most daring burglary bad been
committed aud the safe blown up in Dis!rict
Attorney HarriDgto Office, aud all mea los
were used to show that the prosecutors OF the
Ring had BEEN guilty Of this crime. But alter
while the true story leaked out and several OF
the actors 10 it were prosecuted; but always un,
successfully And no wonder, tor the chletsln
this conspiracy had very powerful friends, spd
moreover the conspiracy had been very shreWd-
ly managed 30 US TO conceal the chiet from tue
knowledge of the subordiuates in such away
that but two confidential ageD's knew who were
the real authors of the plot. AT least, how
ever, by the persistent effnrts OF MIR. Alexan'
der aod others, Harrington, the Dlstric: Attor
ney a particular friend of Shepherd aud Bah
cock and an Intimate at the White House, was
Indicted and brought to trial. The case
against hm had Jecn oon6ded to MIR. A.
ii. Riddle as Assistant Attorney General; aud
Mr.. Riddle, who had received his appointment
because he Was kuuwo to be the pers)ua friend
OF some of the Ring, but who happened to be
au honest and iucorruptible lawyer, was about
10 convict Harrington, when che public was
asounded first to sec Harrington, then under
trial for a felony aud prisoner 90 bail, coo
spicuuusly invited to the White House, where
he appeared as Welcome aud favored guest,
and second, Mr. Riddle snddeuly and for, 90
reason removed from his post OF prosecuting
attorney. Thereupun the trial broke down.
Bat the general conviction of HarrlDgtop's
guilt was so strong that the Ring. who had
Used this weak young mao. now tound 1t ne.
cessary to drop him. and he drifed tack to his
home 10 Delaware and into nbscuTity.
he prosecu'isu, long batH d. was not drop
PEG; but convenient prosecuting attorneys doc
tored uraud juriss, and during last summer q
snam and falsely personated bail-giver delay
ed and frustrated the different attempts to
bring this scaudalous crime to light. At lasi,
1t seems: an Investigating committee Of the
present House has got at the key of the mys-
terry, aud 1t Is to be hoped that the patient ef-
torts OF MIR. Proctor Knott and his fellow om-
mltteemed will succeed 10 dragging the authors
70 the hight aud to punishment. Mr.. Kuott
deserves great credit for the manner 10 which
he has managed the investigation. He was,
We remember, on thu District of Columbia
Committee during the Congress before the last,
aud there did much to prevent and to expose
Wroun-doiog; aud it must be qualification to