Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-04-14
10 seize Mr.. Alexander while in the act

to seize Mr.. Alexander while in the act
of accepting the book.
All the arrangements, were, there
fore, made for a given night. The
policewho usually guarded the Dis
trict Attorriey' 8 office we've dismissed
or sent to adi lance; two professional
bnrgiars, bred for the purpose by
agents of the Ring and broug It down
from New York, were introduced IN
the building. and policemen in the
confidence of the Ring were statlone1
outside, for the double purpose of
preventing interruption and of follow
ind the burglars to Mr.. Alexander's
house when they should have obtained
the books. The safe was blown open.
sham ct of books taken out, aud |
with these the burglars proceeded to-
ward Mr.. Aiexander's house, followed
at short distance by the policemen:
ready to pounce upon Alexander at
the critical moment and to conveniently
suffer the burglars to escape after hav'
ing identified them.
A droll incident happened on the
way. The time was one O'Clock at
uO Inics CoAA J'AO
sham books, had forgotten the mum
Der of Mr.. Aiexander's house; aud
after wandering past it, AID when
about to ring the bell of the wrong
house. the police, supposed to be III
vigorous pursuit of them, had actually
to call to them and direct them to the
right house! Arrived there they rang
the bell, but in vain. Mr.. Alexander,
thinking little or nothing of the pro
posed delivery of the books, and at
any rate determined to take no notice
of irregular proceedings with which
he would have nothing to do, had
gone to bed at his usual hour. The
bell wakened no one in the house.
The burglars and the sham police were
both perplexed; the area belt was rung
with no better success; and, finally,
after consultation between the burg
lars and the police, the whole party
decamped.
The next day Washington was ex-
cited by the report that a most daring
burglary had been committed and the
safe blown up in District Attorney
Harrington's Office, ana all means were
used to show that 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
| prosecuted; but always unsuccessfully.
And no wonder, for the chiefs in this
conspiracy had very powerful friends,
and moreover the conspiracy had been
very shrewdly managed SO as to con-
ceal the chiefs from the knowledge 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 and others, HarriDg
| ton, the District Attorney, particular
friendof Shepherd and-Babcock and an
intimate at the White House, was in
dicted and brought to trial. The case
against him had been confded TO Mr..
A. G.. Riddle as Assistant Attorney
General; and Mr.. Riddle, who had
received his appointment because he
was known to be the personal friend
of some of the ring, but who happened
to be the honest and incOrruptible law
yer, was about to convict Harrington,
when the public was astounded first to
see Harrington, then under trial for a
felony and prisoner on bail, con
| spicuousiy invited to the White
House, where he appeared as awelcome
and favored guest, and second, Mr..
Riddle suddenly and for no reason re-
moved from bis post of prosecuting
attorney. Thereupon the trial broke
down. But the general conviction OF
1 Harrington's guilt was so strong that
the ring, who had used this wea
young man, now found it necessary tc
drop him, and he drIfted back to his
home in Delaware and into obscurity
The prosecution, long bafi ii. was
not dropped but convenient prose
cuting attorneys, doctored grand juries
and during last summer a sham and
falsely personated bail-giver delayed
and frustrated the different attempts
, to bring this scanditlous crime to light.
At last, it seems, an investigating com
mittea of the present House has got al
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 punish
. ment. Mr.. Knott deserves great credit
, for the manner in which he has man
aged the Investigation. tie was, We
remember, on the District of Co
lumbia Committee during the Con
gress before the last, and there did
much to prevent and to expose wrong
doing; and it must be a qualification
to him that now, after a considerable
interval, he has an opportunity t.
complete The work which he then
began.