Litchfield enquirer., 1878-12-19

Ol1n0S m the upper SCCrleS Cue array Ol UrOk- en seated chairs, all odd ones that sat in rows on the curbstone the pronliscuous assortment of every possible household utensil; dingy framed mirrors, bureaus. bedsteads. tables, stoves, gas-fxtures, pieces of carpet, small rolls of oil-cloth. heterogeneous collections of crockery and glassware. mattresses, pillows, tin pans, lamps, were all heaped together in inextricable confusion. In the midst of all shone the rubicund face of MT. P. Sullivan, the presiding deity of the household gods. It shone more brilliantly than the rickety table to which he was vainly endeavoring to restore some portion of it's original polish. desired to approach this gentleman in the most friend ly way, in order to render him communicative. After I had inquired the price of various di- lapidated articles of domestic Use, exclaimed in the degage manner of a friend of the family, "And how is Mrs. Sullivan 2" Ask herself" said he, 'for there she sits with the baby on her lap." l did not fail to take advantage of 90 cordial an invitation, and entered the little back room at once. After particular inqui- ries as to the state of her health and that of her iufanB and some casual remark on the weather, and before Mrs. Sullivan could pro- ceed to any possible cross-examination, by way of identifying me in my assumed position of 0mi de fanailIeO, l asked her if she had seen her friend since she bought the picture. I had forgotten her name, I said. 'tOh. you uIGdu ME- MulIul lCB, II IpploC0 aemW WACiC is she now ?" Mrs. Sullivan supposed she was at home This was also my own supposition, but where on earth was that? So asked if she lived in the same cid place yet. "Yes, said Mrs Sullivan, fshe has lived in Orchard street going on five year." ''Let me see," unused I, ''what is her number?" 'No-," was the reply. '"To be sure, so it is" said |, and with some pleasant remark about the obe sity of the infant, which for some reason or so oI, I prepared to withdraw, but my fuend from ''Erin's green isle" was little sharp for me. ''What's about the picture ?" she exclaimed. ''Well, the truth is-"I began. II thought so," she interrupted, before could finish the sentence ''the picture was stole. knew it was too cheap to be honestly come by. But for the Lords sake don't let Mir. Millin know anything about it there is noknowin' what he might say or do to that little woman" ''Of course not" said I. ''It shall be secret be- tween us, Mrs. Sullivan and so not to lose time, 1 will bid you good morning, and go, down at once to Orchard street, and see your friend about it." Getting into street. car, was duly deposited at the nearest point to the unsavory precints of Orchard street, and No.
 -was readily found. Knocking at a tum- ble-down down, the summons was answered by brisk looking red-headed, neatly dressed little woman, with an ir of bright intelligence.
  would state my business. T am in search of stolen picture" said. The effect was il : stantaneous. Of course, MT. Miln was not the individual intended to see in the matter, and the agitated Mrs. Millin did not need long explanation, but speedily produced the picture, which, not being very large one, l at once departed with it.
 All of the paintings but one had now been recovered and I turned my attention to the fOrf fho oipdo of fI,a consisted of the gas fixtures, all of which had been removed from their places in the house, and some valuable curtains, embroideries, 6c had taken memorandum of the plumber, whose wagon 1 had seen standing before the house in the early part of my search for knowl- edge, and'to his shop in the Bowery wend- ed my steps. 1 asked him what he had done with the gas-fxtures which he had removed from No street. He said he had sold them, and with an impertinent air asked 'What l supposed he had done with them ?" must confess that the tone and manner of the man amazed me. His look proclaimed him to be an audacious, interruptions rascal. 1 was not sure when l decided to visit his place that he had really taken the fixtures, but assumed that he had, and asked the question at a ven- ture. His prompt acknowledgment and air of bravado took me quite by surprise. "Why,' said I, ''they were stolen how did you dare
 
 ed. ''I bought them, and paid for them of course sold them, when could get more for them than I gave" ''But," exclaimed, ''they were my property, ,and you had no right to sell them.'' II don't care whose. property they were paid for them-thats all want to know" l saw that had to deal with man who was evidently well posted in villainy and went to seek legal advice. learned that l should first have to discover the whereabouts nff orfu hay of 6alIfo fNf iD, prove my ownership and afterward bring the plumber before the court. as a receiver of stolen goods, upon which occasion he would probably prove his excellent character, and sue me for damages For the first time in the whole business, felt utterly discouraged, and fully made up my mind to stop where I was. Criminals and criminal law had exhausted my patience and energies. I had expended large amount of money, had been actually athwarted at every step by those who were ex- travagantly paid to do what had been doing and who had scarcely lifted their hands or talk en the smallest interest in the case from begin- ming to end.
 was determined, however, that the young villains Key and Long, in the Tombs should be brought to justice, and furnished the Dis trict Attorney with all the evidence necessary to convict them. He generously communicat- ed to them the fact, and they decided to plead kullJyy WILL bllC uOpC Ol d ulilu oCuGCuCc w HCu the day appointed for their trial arrived took care to be present with witnesses. Their case was called, and the plea of not guilty was en- tered by both of them. At this point new surprise presented itself. Master Long, turn ed out, had been convicted of grand larceny only two months before and had been senten- ced to the State Prison for two years and six months But on his way from the Court of Sessions to the Tombs the officer in charge bod ysY,11 o,ls, ls he had disappeared around the corner. Yet this rascal had been twice arrested since then, and once discharged after weeks soieurn in the Tombs, not one of all the officials recogni- Zing the convicted and condemned thief Both were now sentenced to three years in the State Prison at Sing Sing, and to Longs sem tence was added the previous term to which he had already been condemned
 Only last week I saw the arrest in Brooklyn of burglar named Charles Long, who is prob ably the same person, for he undoubtedly has found by experience the advantages that dis honesty meets with in this community,
 With the incarceration of these two precious scamps my career as an amateur detective ended, and such was my experience that, when short time afterward l was again robbed at midnight of large amount of silverware and jewelry allowed the thieves and receivers to keep their spells, without any effort to disturb oaAOtA oA my oSSOuutS AOl l 1Clt btldt IO cope with the combined forces of justice and ipjus ttce was task too great for me to repeat.
 Boyd and his family disappeared from my house within twodays Boyd gave up his sit nation in Wall street, and afterward saw by the papers that the sick child had died, and was ostentatiously buried from prominent church. What circle of society they now or nament, it is difficult to imagine. Of one thing there is no doubt, they and their kind form large and increasing portion of this community, and until higher plane is reach in the detection of crime and administration of justice the ranks of the army of criminals will not diminish.
 This IS the season of the year when the Mathodst minister packs up his keister. sun ders old ties, packs his kitckeu utensils in bar. rels, and moves to a new field where the fatal donation party awaits him, liable at any mo ment to strikehis family and bring destruction calico aprons and s0ur nickles and carrx, ,fF