The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-26
NETTLESlIIP'S TWO VICTIMS.
FRIENDS or THE PRISONERS GROHL-
mo Ar ms TRE.ftHERY.
The Motives that Inspired the Arrcsts-Am-
hitinu that Possibly has Ovrrrcnchcd IT.
seIf-Is u MI u GIgnntIc job nfIcr all

" Ycs, sir: there arc two sides to every
story. said George Engcl yesterday to n Sun
reporter. Engc spoke through the bars Of the
Essex County Jail. and Mt his side WIS Thomas
j. Somcrvlc. Now York lawyer. Both were
cntrappcd by Ichabod G. Nettesh.p. the ex-
secret service detective, on Friday night on
charge of conspirLng TO defraud tho Govern
mcnt by disposing Of spurious bonds repre-
scntng s2jO,000. When Ncttleship wns de-
privcd of his lucrative position as "A Government
detective he sct about to secure reappointment
in the secret service.
Nctteship was always known as sdueal-
cr" among" crooked men," but recently he
made n showing Of REFORM and q" Tom "
Somcrvillc and George Engel undertook to do
business with him. This II. substantially.
Nnttleships story. How he tossed SOmcrvllc
and Rng, into the strong grasp of the law was
When George Engel said last evening. in the
Newark Jail TINT thcre are two sides to every
story. the reporter uskcd for the prisoners
ncoount VI the transaction W tn Nettloship. but
Col. johnson, the courteous Warden OF the
urison SAID tnni he Ind h,pn repursted bv the
representatives of the Government to- permit no
on 10 question Somcrylle or Engrl. tngnd
Of TN prisoners said: " If Somervlllr and En-.
lcl miiy be- permitted to tell the whole story Of
their capture. the narrative VIII be something
Nctti, ship has felt very soro since he was
drpns'd from the secret scry,re fir wns nnN-
ious to again become an officer in the depart
mgIi. ana n" meant tp accomplish ms OBJECT.
lie is onr oi tho vain At. most selfish men ever
met. vet | did not suppo-e that he w,ls 50 un-
srupulOus. II has boon his ambition 10 be-
ronlc chief Of the secret service Of tn" Govern
mont. and he has worked with "A will for tho
rlnr'. Oi course IL seemed 90 him necessary
tNat no should distinguish himself in ferrctng
ont some great conspiracy against the United
States Treasury. 1t II almost cruel To assert
thnt ho would or cinatr such "A ,.onspracy him
self. vet ! believe such things have been done
10y United States detectives. who prOiltcd
ly such work.. In fact. have known
detectives Nho planned and carried out most
i,lurng frauds upon the Government, ana VINO
wrro assisted 10y we'll known crminnls The
i.ctiv"s. ana ~" ON rrs were coniplimrni'd 10y
the Government Nrtte. as wo always called
Nrtl, ship j. an ambitious mun. H., wanted 10
recover his loss sand he dragged Tom som
"rNill" ana George Ingel into tho net. They
NAd been his friends. He was we'll acquainted
| " th them and with their families. II II u true
that hn first suggested that they M ght make
| S2ju unn hV erasing names ana numbers. ana
sui -titut in others in their Atend in the stolen
Umited States h"nds, WV did Nciticship moi say
! To- SomorViile NJ tn" outset, Tom. this IA mia
mDu---l u have none ol ~ Nriteship. uorOrd-
and Ener 10 commit the crime. Does the Gov
/ crumrnt cnuntrnancc su h NiNanNt Was
! Nctlcship empowered to manufacture crimi-
! secretary Morrill, runrnnt"oins him immunity
| from punishment. H. wished 10 work up n
! great cas-. 10 do something that would give his
| name strength ~ %" Treasury D. rhrinlnnt,
and nm snt isiled thrt Somrryillc and Lngol
| wrrr hs dup.s | have nothing {" say ~ "N-
| icnuntinn of their pnrt ia the alleged crime.
| hut u is q r.U-onahlr theory that il they are
| guilty NttiesAIp - pnry 10 the rgimc. Can il
| h" T. .r-lllc that il il the duty of Government
| ofii"iHi- tn IN ourhgr crime p
| The friend oi Somcrvlll He and Engel continued
in this strain. and then began To- give ieminis-
away from visitors. and N'ttl,ship thinks that
| they Will waiN. an examination. They rrr 10
| p" tried in the United States Court in Trenton.
! The burden Of proof il strongly In favor of Net
| up-hip ~ against the prisoners, and thor con-
| vi,tion is almost coriain. II is possible that
| Sumcryilr and Fngcl mny upset Nctiloship'S
| pretty story. but tins i- doubtful. The prison ~
! frankly and almost humorpu-ly admit that Net
Il, Iip'- loh was very neat very ri"N"r." 1Aoy
| do not. however. admit their quit, and iutl nj
| to give Ncit ship q clos" hight III the courts.