The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-04-13
New York Bay Freebooters Come
to Grief.

New York Bay Freebooters Come
to Grief.
The pirates VINO have, for long time,
Piled their neiarious vocation il New
ork bay and vicinity, have at last got
into the hands OF the officers of the law
The Sun of Wednesday says: Captain Will
hams OF the Oak street police, has cap
tured three Of the pirates who had robbed
five schooners in the bay on Saturday
morning, and they are in the Tombs
awaiting trial. The arrests were bril-
liantly achieved, and followed one another
so rapidly that it is thought no one of the
desperadoes can escape. The first thing
that attracted Captain Williams eye on
opening the Sun on Sunday morning, was
the account of the piratical exploits of q
gang of robbers in the harbor on the pre-
ceding morning. The fact instantly flashed
into his mind that several well known
river thieves had been seen in the liquor
! saloons of his precinct on Saturday sus-
! piciously flash with money, and that they
were known TO have disposed of clothing
and other articles corresponding to what
had been stolen from the schooners That
was sufficient clew, and Immediately Capt
! Williams set to work The river thieves
Saturday were John Lowery, Charlie NV
Matty RYAN. Ryan is common thief
who is supposed to have been chosen by
THE LEADERS OF THE GANG,
who wanted help, as man who could be
trusted by them, although not one of their
regular pals. The others belonging to the
notorious gang OF robbers and murderers
who formerly had its headquarters at
James slip and Water street, known as
Slaughter House Point saul and Howlitt.
who were hanged on Bedioes Island some
years AGO for piracy and murder commit
ted on board 4 schooner anchored off Stat
en- Island, We're members of the same
desperate gang. and Lowery was one OF
their partners. Waddy hal served term
OF ten years III states prison Tor burglary
in Fordham. He has been ont of prison
only about six months Lowery has served
two terms in states prison-one for rob
berry, and the other for piracy. He was 4
pal Of ''Patsey" COnroy and Larry Gritlu,
the masked burglars of Catskill, who
were sent 70 states prison some time ago.
Ryan has been three years in states prison
for stabbing man.
ARREsrING, TIE MIN.
Knowing the desperate character OF lhc
men he sought, especially i-owery and
addy, who, he says, are two of the
worst criminals in New York, Capt, VIII
liamS felt sure that he was on the right
track. The search began ON Sunday morn
ing, and at half past two clock i'll the
afternoon Waddy was found at No. . Eliz-
abeth street, in John Robinsons liquor
saloon, and was arrested by Captain VIII
ljams and Officers Musgravc and Ken
nelly. Three hours later LOwery was ar
rested at No. l6 Batavia street, where he
was with his mistress, and at { O'Clock
Ryan was captured in liquor saloon at
No. % James street The men made no
resistance when arrested, but appeared to
be much diScohcerned. They We're taken
to the Oak street police station and con-
tronted with some of the officers and
crews of the schooners that had been rob-
bed. In order 10 secure their identification
beyond a doubt, Captain Williams masked
their faces with a handkerchief in the
manner in which the pirates had been
masked When this was done the prison.
ers showed considerable trepidation. and
trembled. apparently from fear of being
discovered. Captain Benjamin Wood, OF
the schooner Highlands, identified Lowery
Is the man who had awed him with Il
pistol while the robbery was going on in
lis vessel He also identified large,
rusty, tive-chambered Colt revolver found
on Lowery as the weapon whose muzzle,
staring him in the tace, had frightened
him into submission. Captain Wood also
identified Iowery As the man who had
taken the light from the Rigging OF the
Highlands and brought it into the cabin
70 cnable the pirates t. see to do their
work.
IDENTIFICATIOE MADE CERTAIN
Alfred Wilson, the steward of the sch,
Samuel Wood, positively identified Wad-
dy or Myers, who was also identified by
Capt Booye OF the schooner Chamberlain
as the man who h d stolen his coat This
was found in possession OF Cornelius Mack,
tailor" OF 50 Baxter street, to whom
Waddy had sold it on Saturday, and who
was locked up on suspicion Of being an
accomplice of the pirates, Waddy has
scars and Il large Wen on his neck which
served to identify him, and the ends Of his
long blonde moustache hung below the
handkerchief used as mask Just as they
are alleged to have done on the night Of
the robbery John Boonanda the first
officer OF the schooner Samuel Wood,
identified Ryan rs the man who climbed
into his bunk and searched it, Captain
Charles d. Alley of the schooner Ceres,
also identified Ryan as one ot the pirates
who boarded his vessel two weeks ago
Besides the coat belonging to Capt Booye
the overcoat stolen from Capt. Darby, and
pair Of pantaloous belonging to the mate
| of the schooner Alethea We're found traced
to the prisoners, and identified by the own
ers The boat used by the pirates was al
so hunted up. 1t is an ordinary working
skill, ~ feet long, and Capt. Williams
says it would not seat comfortably more
than six men He feels confident that there
were not more than five robbers III it, be
sides the boatman and that no other boat
was used 1t was hired 10y the pirates ut
about 3. A. Nj. on Saturday, at pier 4
North river They pretended that they
wished to visit CommunlpaW ON business,
but after getting out into the bay lar
enough to be in no danger from an outcry
they coerced the boatman by threats into
becoming their unwilling accomplice
WADDN's CONDUCT.
Waddy is believed to be the man who
appeared to be the leader OF the pirates
and who was called by them ''Ctptain
jim" His conduct on the sehooners is de
scrbed as particularly atrocious. lie re-
peatedly struck the captain of the Alethea
without proyocation, and wanted to kill
him. He also threatened to kill the keep
er of the powder boat Sally and Sophy.
but was prevented from doing so, the
keeper said, by nice little fellow"
| This merciful pirate is supposed to have
| been Ryan, who is rather small and trim
lIrI pplI 90 p1l aii IL