The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-04-15
THE SAFE BURGLARY.
THE WHOLE SHAMEFUL STORY
WORK ron PROCTOR KNOTT's
COMMITTEE
Attempt 10 BInrkrn the Character ~
C0iun,bns Alexander.
from tho New York Herald

lFfom tho N@W YORK hfrhlo-j
When II committee of Congress began
some years ago, 10 investigate The
frauds and thefts Of the Washington
Improvement Ring. the influential per
sons concerned. whom q discovery woule
have ruined, stopped ut nothing to pro
vent IT,. Tho committee had. fortunate
| lv, help from some OF the honest hnc
substantial citizens OF Washington
chief among whom was Mr.. Columbus
Alexander. u gentleman who has shown
remarkable pertinaeiiy and ability In
his long pursuit of the Ring. IL was, We
believe, at Mr.. Alexaudors suggestion
TINT the committee required tho lcnd
ing men Of the Ring To produce the
books in which tho course and cost ol
the city improvements were set down
and who pointed out, whom u set ol
books were produced. that these were
/ falso and that the genuine books were
still concealed.
Thereupop it occurred to some Of the
Ring TO cndeavor to get rid Of Mr.. Alex
andcr. by duplicating him in what
would have tho appehrance Of u crimi-
nal act. A spy was sent to Mr.. Alexan
der. who told him thnt the roal books
were in u safe in the Office Of the Dist vCt
certain sum Of money, tho office could
be entered, the safe broken open aud
the books handed over TO him. Mr..
| Alexander replied that be would have
| nothing to do with such II transaction,
and this little plot failed. The plan Of
entrapping him. however. had been
formed and was not SO easily abandoned
Two burglars had been hired .slnd other
preparations made, and SO tho spy WIS
again sent to Mr. Alexander with sim
pier proposition that on u certain night
t., lu,. ,.,s,II ~, Lvannhf i,, ht o nd
it was determined by the conspirators
to post we'll instructed POLICEMEN in such
n way ns 10 seize Mr. Alexander while
he was in the act Of accepting the books.
All the arrangements were, therefore.
nude for u given night. The police who
usually guarded the District Attorneys
office were dismissed or sent to % dis
tauce two professional burglars, hirod
for tho purpose by agcnts OF the Ring
and brought down from New York.
were introduced into the building and
policemen in tho confidence of the Ring
were stationed outside, for tho double
purpose Of preventing interruption md
of following the burglars to Mr.. Alex
ander's house when they should have
obtained the books. The safe was
blown open, II sham set of books takon
out, and with these tho burglars pro-
ceeded toward Mr.. Alexaudcr's house.
followed Mt n short distance by the po-
licemen, ready to pouDco upon Alexan-
der ut tho critical moment and to con
venicntIy suffer tho burglars to escape
after having identified them.
A droll incident happened on the way.
The time was one o'clock at night. The
burglars, carrying tho sham books. had
forgotten the number OF Mr. Alexan-
ler's house and after wandering pass
it. and when about To ring the bell OF the
wrong house, the police, supposed To be
in vigorous pursuit Of them, had actual
lyto call TO them and direct them to the
right housel Arrived there they rang
the bell but in vain. Mr.. Alexander,
thinking little OF nothing OF The pro-
posed delivery Of the books. and at any
ratio determined TO take no notice Of
irregular proceedings with which he
would have nothing to do, had gone to
bed at his usunl hour. The bell wakencd
no ono In the house. The burglars and
the shnm police were both perplcxcd
the area bell was rung with no better
success; and, finally, after consultation
between the burglars and the police, the
whole party dccpmped.
The next day Washington was excited
by the report that most daring bur
giary had been committed and the safe
blown up In District Attorney Harring
show that the prosecutors OF the Ring
had been guilty OF this crime. But
after while the true story leaked out
and several of the actors In it were pros
ectIted hut always unsuccessfuily. And
no wonder, for the chiefs in this con
spiracy had very powerful friends,
and moreover the conspiracy had
been very shrewdly managed so as
to conceal tho chiefs from the knowl-
edge Of the subordinates in such "a
way that but two confidential agents
knew who were the real authors of the
plot. At last, however, by the persistent
efforts of Mr. Alexander aad others,
Harrington, the District Attorney, a
particular friend Of Shepherd and Bah
cock and an intimate ut the White
House, was indicted and brought to
trial The case against him had been
conilded to Mr. A. G. Riddle, us Assist
ant Attorney General and Mr.. Riddle,
who had received his appointment be-
cause he was known to be the
personal friend Of some OF the
Ring, but who happened to be
an honest and incorruptiblc lawyer,
when the public was first astounded to
see Harrington, then under trial for a
felony and u prisoner on bail, conspicu-
o,lsly invited to the White House, where
he appeared as n welcome and favored
guest, and second, Mr.. Riddle suddenly
and for no reason removed from his post
Of prosecuting attorney. Thereupon
the trial broke down. But the general
conviction Of HarringtOn's guilt was SO
strong that the Ring, who had used this
weak young man. now found it neces-
sary to drop him, and he drifted back
to his home in Delaware and into OBJ
security.
The prosecution, long balfled, was not
dropped. but convenient prosecuting
attorneys doctored Grand Juries, and
during last summer a sham and falsely
personated bail-giver delayed and frus-
trated the different attempts to bring
this scandalous crime to light. At last,
it seems an Investigating committee Of
the present House has got mt the key to
the mystery, and it is to be hoped that
the patient efforts of Mr. Proctor
Knott and his fellow commit
teemen will succeed in dragging
the authors to the light and to
punishment Mr. Knott deserves great
credit for the manner in which he has
managed the investigation. He was, we
remember, on the District Of Columb bia
Committee during the Congress before
the last, and there did much to prevent
and to expose wrongdoing: and it must
be a qualification to him that now, after
q considerable interval, he has an OPP
portunity to complete the work which