, 1877-01-12
Den Of ThIsrs..

The old saying that one-half Of the
people in the world do not know how
the other half live was freshly illustrated
by discovery which the police made
in James street the other day. Il is
possible that many city readers Of the
Times do not know that james street il a
passage leading frOm Chatham street 20
James slip, and that il maintains an un-
savory reputation, which Is shared by
Cherry street and the New BoVery, con-
tiguous localities. II Is a region unfre-
quented by elegant people, and reputa-
Die persons do not care 70 traverse ex-
cept in broad daylight. To the house,
No. IS james street, kept by Miss Mary
Varley, tho attention Of the police had
been directed by sundry suspicious cir
cumstancesl II is likely that the fact
that the lady in question is n sister Of
the late William Varley, better known
as Reddy, the Blacksmith, may have
something to do with creating an i'll re-
pute for her house. At any rate q de-
scent was made upon the house, and
goods, manifestly stolen, and valued at
several thousand dollars, were found
concealed. Miss Varley and her friends
managed to get away by an avenue in
the rear. This den Of thieves was con-
trived like those described in some OF the
novels Of Sue and Ainsworth. 1t was
LIKE A ROBBERS CASTLE ON THE RHINE,
Built for defence, but with ample means
for escape in case Of an enforced sur
render. Unless a large force should
surround the block, as an army might
invest a besieged city, the inmates could
hasten away by series of ingeniously-
arranged ladders while the enemy was
breaking down the barbacan, otherwise
street door. When the police we're
once inside Of the deserted fortress, they
began a search, which resulted in the
discovery above mentioned. Miss Var
ley and her friends had shown much in
genuity in concealing their booty. Sc
cret closets, like those we read of in yell
low-covered novels, were constructed in
the walls, and sliding panels masked the
openings of mysterious hiding-places.
Over one of these picture-undoubt-
edly a chromo-had been hung, and a
lamp-bracket or sconce further assisted
in giving an appearance Of solid wall to
what was really a secret closet door.
The character of the goods recovered
indicates the existence of an organized
and considerable business. There were
axes and other hardware, pearl-mount-
ed opera glass, kegs of white lead
ground In oil, Paisley shawl, smoking
tobacco, an ivory fan, silk and cashmere
dress patterns, boots and shoes, balls of
oluing, velvet ribbons, hosiery, hoop
skirts and long inventory of articles
too numerous to mention. The hetero-
geneousness of this assortment and the
smallness of some of the lots, suggested
petty thieving and shop-lifting. 1t
looks as if Miss Mary Varley and her
associates had been in the habit of
" shopping for the sake Of pilfering
goods from shop-counters. Possibly
some of the larger lots OF goods were
the fruits Of some small burglary which
has not made noise enough in the news
papers to be remembered now. Who
was the Fagin of this den, and who the
Artful Dodger, only the police can guess,
and the police have o disagreeable habit
OF keeping information and suspicion
to themselves. Miss Mary Varley and
her accomplices are probably hiding un-
til the affair blows over. None of the
owners Of the stolen goods have re-
claimed their property, and it is not
likely that the result Of this discovery
will seriously alarm other similar gangs
Of thieves.-N. 2. Times.