The New York herald., 1877-10-15
DETECTED DETECTIVES.
The Ring of Scotland Yard Officers
and Sharpers.
NINE. GONCOURT'S CASE.
Clever Audacity and ScandalOuS Be-
trayal Of Public Trusts.
A CONVICT IN THE BOX.
Chief Inspector Clarke Deeply
Implicated.

the hands OF costumcrs bark OF very reput
able appearance, and the owners OF small stores IN
sod cigars tckots for hc opera Tho opera
house. OF course. which splendid building, makes
up Tor OF the meanness OF the street. But tho
general impression you derive in passing through Tie
place Is that Il is one the snabbcs looking streets
IN the metropolis. Bow Street Police Court,
around which also centro SO many bis.
torical associations Is nnpretcntious without
md pal,ry within Externally II is simply
an ordinary house and is only to be distinguished
from the places about by presence before
of a number OF policemen and mob which does not
look very very clean. The court inside is
quite small room, completely unadorned, with
dock that scarcely bold four persons table for
attorneys aud reporters which would be suitable TO
the village inn and altogether miniature,
unvarnshed, undigaihe kind OF place. Within this
small and uninteresting chamber there is going on at
this moment OF the most interesting dramas that
has ever entertained the public OF this or
any other country Four men, who have
held for many years the Uhighest position as
detectors or accused Of being sbettors Of
criminals; and the principal Witnesses against them
arc men who have been brought for the moment out
OF the darkness and solitude OF tho convicps cell
TO ACCOMMODATES, DON'T you KNOW
Moro than twelve months ago an ingenious fraud
was brought to light, the main facts Of which were
these- society formed called the "DIscretIon-
prospectus of this society that the Of horses
very frequently varied and That 1t might be necessary
TO change ones bet the very day OF the II
was advisable tor this reason that those
who could not be present at them
selves should hand their betting money
to trustworthy persons The society undertook 10
give those who became Its clients absolute
against loss newspaper was printed which spoke
in cuogstic terms OF this schome, and the CONT
ninI cd vi ndv ment
failing It's 1t aftcrward discovered that
in advertisements to advance this scheme no less
than sla0 900 spent The bait proved success
fu. In week no less than $50, 600 were sent
by one person alone, French lady named Mmc Do
Goncourt, and $4,000 $50. 900 sent by other
people. II is needless to say tnat the whole thing
was swndle, and that tho persons who formed the
discretionary society" simply put the money in
their pockets
The police obtained information of tho affair; the
swindlcrs were alter some trouble. arrested; were
put their tria! and were sentenced TO different
periods OF Imprisonment. The matter created i'm
sensation at the time account OF the large
sums OF money which had been stolen and tho in
genous by which tho thieves had obtained
them. The memory Of the matter was probably de-
parting from the mind Of most people, when tho
whole startled by the report that
three of the best known detective officers
OF tho city had been placed in the dock at
Bow street for completely IN the fraud Excitement
stil reached higher pitch when one OF the convict
prisoners pat his prison Dress In the box, and
then told the extraordinary story that some OF these
detectives had his pay and had helped him to
carry out his frauds The principal drdnatis persong
in the william Kurr and Harry Benson, who
the concoctors OF tue fraud, Inspectors Mckle-
John Druscovich aud Palmer, three men whose names
as familiar the streetn to persons IN London.
Neklejohn was Inspector OF Police the Midland
Railway, OF the largest railways in the Kingdom,
ana was so TO speak, the head OF his profession.
ANOTHER BULGARIAN HORROR.
Druscovlch better known. Bulgarian
by blrth, had become early life attached tho
English Embassy in Constantinople. and having by
his talents ana manners made himself pleasant there
he transferred TO London, and hero entered the
police his activity his quickness and hls good edu
tfor he speaks several languages hueny, rap
idy procured him promotion, and IN nearly every
OF Importance especially II foreigners were con-
cerned, his services were employed. lie was COM
pmcnted over and again by the authorities for his
exploits and, bciEg extremely civil To journalists
always mad good word said for him IN the press rs
tae opportunity arose When foreign sovcrcig ms camo
London DruscovIch was one OF the persons who
had look after their personal safety. Palmer Was
aiso Il very well known and a very much respected
Oilcer.
AMERICANS, TAKE Rack SEAT
Kurr is the OF baker in Islington, received
brought up AT fourteen he became clerk ut a small
salary but this did suit his lasts and at fifteen he
tered into betting transactions. dc returned Tor
short umc 10 honest employment, but IRON about
twenty 10 tweniysix, which IS bis present age, no
seems continually in some scheme or
other dishonesty The account he gave OF his exploits
In this direction read like story rom the ARABIAN
Nights 1t would appear mat IN ms short career he
have obtained between $500 600 and $3.50 900 by
something lie SIMPLY, IT would seem, asked people
to send bsm their money and they seut u. In one
fraud alone he made $4,000 IN eight days III was
nearly the same plan or modification OF II. lie put
out promising El Dorado IN batting
to those who trusted him, ana tho orders
10 the extent Of thousands oi dollars. He rived. o.
course, the sumptuous STYLE kept racehorscs,
trap, and made aud lost large bets racecourseS.
HE GOES ABROAD.
About 1874 tho idea OF Trying the Continent struck
him. He had alreudy exercised his arts England,
ireland and Scotland and lie thought the Iltno had
como Tor change OF scene lie advertised Tor per-
who could givc literary assistance n French, and
among tue persons who ansNcred ms advsrliseiaeht
was man VINO called himself fongc. Yoass WAS 40
nssumed naIne--tho Harry Benson. HAIRY lea-
son jew. LIS lalaer i atraGcsnaA oi means
Parls gave his excellent ion. lie
speaks French, English ana German wltu equal per-
fecuou; IS y Is sad, good musician ana eau uu-
quesLionaUlv converse Win remarkable intelligence
Ii VS. curious coincidence tnat these two moa
Benson sod kur should thus oy accident DC brought
together Benson although harr az not know y sor
iong time after, 3ad already dipped pretty aerp ~
crime. iis lad, among MS other exploits. obtained
$4,000 from Londoa LORD Mayor Dy representing
himself - The mayor OF Frcnch town and passing
OF forged cnecG For This offence be had been sen.
fenced 10 twolyG montas imprisonment, and he had
just completed his sentence whon be cae In contact
"Ax AwPulLr JOLLY yKLLaa.u
or course Two sucb ~cre not long ia under
standing each other, ana alter while tney went w
iugy 70 work together On tho grcas enterprise Ol
swiadlng lns pubic. Several liuos thcy werD de-
tecte6, but each timo they managed escape
retain a 10; oi the plundcr. benson was even moro !
luxurious his style oi living than hurr aLd indeed,
always treated ais c0nfrsrs de hdHt bdS did
associate wnb him or any oi his com panions. lie /
nvod IN an ar.stocratc house, kopt broUgham aud
French valet. He paid occasional visits, ike ohcr
sristocrats Barrilz and othrr pleasure |
snd noalth resor,s Of do Comment and
In England portion OF hls
s,ort IL The Isle oil WlfhL 10 oven has \
10 It's ranks. no vas connected, WINE sul /
Iiving In France witn the Gaots, anu also, whiio
,u this country, founded the Isle Of ght Journal
Indeed The good people Of the Island wcro puz-
xcd ns to Who or aha, ne was. By some be re- |
rnrgca AZ sn imposlor, but by the majority, what wiki
hIs brogyharn and Ms French valet hls lae house |
and his good wines. his arstocratic manners and his
newspaper, he was considered very Important per-
sopasa indeed There wcre whispers that he was not
wholly uuk noYn 10 tho denizuns OF ILlslehurst, and