The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-01
GALL FOR THE FAMILY"

HOW AN UPTOWN FURNITURE DEALER CARED
FOR A FRIENDS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS.
Detectives Fields and oConner, Of the District At
toruey's Office, arrested W. X. Roma!nc. Of No 23s
East Fifteenth street, yesterday morning, on the
charge OF grand larceny indictments being found
against him by the Grand Jury. Romano, alter
animation, was basd before Judge Gders!ecvc in the
sum OF 81, 00O to The alleged IN this
case show how easily some persons may be imposed
upon when approached In the guise OF friendship
bow impudent alleged class Of swndlcrs may be-
come when they think they have ''lnc best OF q
bargain"
''ALL HIM."
The first complain. against Romano Is mado BY Mr.
Benjamin +. hatch, OF No. IA West Finieth street
This gentleman swears that previous to May last no
concluded to break up Housekeeping, when Romano
called upon him as u friend to him TO store fur
niture valued at STA, in building the corner OF
Twenty. third street and Third avenue. shave plenty
OF there" SAID Romano, sand the storage won't
you cent" Repeated assurances OF this nature,
made as expressed, only with the Of '.serving
and accommodating" Mr.. Hatch finally caused the
goods to he stored desired 1t agreed by Ro-
maine that the articles should be securely kept and de-
livcred 70 the owner when wanted. In tho month Of
July Mr.. Hatch leased the house No. East
For.y,sxth street, ana, naturally 'nn desiring me
Romano, called upon the latter 10 obtain
it. Greatly to the establishment Of Mr.. Hatch, II
ascertaIncd that Romaine's wish to "scrve
commodate" was but snare and delusion as that
individual had so forgotten the properties OF the
occasion ms to pledge the furniture Tor $780, The in
terview closed with Romano promising release the
property and at once turn IT over IL hardly
sary to add that this never done, and repeated
subsequent promises OF like character failing to be
kept Mr. Hatch naturally came to the conclusion that
Komaipe's friendship was not call Tor him, but
branched and sprouted into byways and highways
that little crooked and peculiar In fact, he
believed Romane's tactics closely resembled those OF
a swinder.
At the same time that ko,nane desired to ''serve
and accommodate" Mr. Hatch he expressed tho
wish to that gcntlemans WIFE, This lady had articles
OF the value OF $4l6 which she wanted to be safely
stored until the family again went TO housekeeping,
and believing the assurances OF Romano goods
delivered into his hands at the same time as those
oil her husband This Is the second charge. The two
lots valued at s., 1870. When Romano ques-
TONED regarding the whereabouts OF Mrs. Hatch's
property the ''friend OF the family" refused to give
the least satisfaction. .'They In another pa CO.
said he, but where and how they could be obtained
not vouchsafed.
MR.. HATCH GALL FOR nIMsELp''
Matters assuming rather com cd phase at this
stage the affair Mr.. Hatch began look around Tor
himself He believed that all OF Romalnes statement
false, and that the furniture and articles
trusted to his keeping had been distributed among
private auction rooms 10 bc disposed or To this end
no looked about among these places, and in the latter
part OF September found portion of the property at
the auction No % East Thirteenth street offered
for sale. He asccrained about the
IA hall stand belonging to the lot Of furniture stored
with Romano had been purchased by gentleman
dong business on Broadway Tor $40 tho same article
having cost him S75, and not tho ''worse tor
wear" when 1t went into Romaines hands These
facts with Others convinced Mr. Hatch that there
a deliberate attempt to deprive HIM of his property
and from further investigation he concluded that Ro
name not new In the peculiar business
RoMAINE's FRIENDSHIP.
The subsequent steps also interesting. Romano
was again called upon TO expain" Instead OF doing
so he boldly presented bill against Mrs Hatch prop
aud 300 tor storage. SO the 'riendship'' In the
transact on was thus rudcly dspelled, as man VINO
IN rnnllV mr. gant "a t0P mt
beyond all reason and precedent proved little too
much for the Hatch family TO further endeavor to deal
with icably. Then Mr. Hatch, fully persuaded the
goods were not in Romaine's posscssIon offered him
500 10 produce them. Tho latter refused without
Isactory reasons. Subsequently Mr.. Hatch
visited Romano, but this time with friend, and made
u formal demand for his property and that belonging
to his wife; but the ''Iriend OF the iaInyh po-
litcy and pleasantly responded, Il haven't damned
stick OF them to givo you" Friendly negotiations
then ceased. ,.s
Romano In his examination said that he Is forty i've
wears old. married. and a furniture dealer.