The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-25
THE FURNITURE RoRB cry.

BRANDoN's rRIAL-sEABEooK PunDY TURNS
STATES EvIDENCs-REMARxABLR DIscLo-
sUgEs.
trial of unusual interest was commenced yesterday
In the Court Of General Sessions Part belt Judge
Gidersleeve In the course Of which the dota ais Of
ofthc boidest larcenies perpetrated fully
disclosed. The accused is william C. Brane op whs
was jointly indicted with Eugene NewhaiI, on tho
charge Of stealing the valuable household iturs
effects OF Mr.. McKendres Jones, a lawyer formerly
residing at No. lis East Eighteenth street, which
were stored In the warehouse OF SeabrooIse Purdy
In Washington place. and which amounted value to
nearly $4,000 The court room donseiy crowded,
and the proceedings listened with tho deepest
attention. Assistant District Attorney Bell appeared
for tho prosecution, the prisoner being aedonded by
Mr.. Orlando G. Stewart the wife OF the prisoner who
was very handsomely at.ired, sat beside hei husband,
young man, about thirtythree years OF hge, during
the entire day.
In opening the Mr.. Bell rcclted the facts which,
he said. would DO established by tho prosecution. In
the yoar 1875 Dir. Jones broke up house keeping oi
tho purpose OF taking his family 10 Europe alb
sent for An indefinite length Prior leaving he
had packed up his furniture, p'ctures works OF art
ornaments, table and bed lnen-in fac all the
tcies which belonged to magnidcenfily furnished
house-and quantity OF very valuable wearing ap.
parel belonging to bis wife. All Ibis property
conveyed to tho Storage warehouse Of
scabrooke Purdy In Washington place, room
having been specially constructed for safe keeping.
the rental OF which sos month. Mr.. Jones re-
turned Europe the fall Of last year and went
10 Tho premises In Washington place, where, u
his amazement, ne found hat the room TO when hl
only had had boon broken opoa and that every.
thing ol value had been carried OH Inquiry VI
instituted and it was asccrtained that some
months previous Purdy had fed 10 Europe, wncre he
wandered about almost pcnniless. His whereabouts
opened with him and no was indttced TO return. Lie
promptly acknowledged his quit, and, apparently
reckless OF aII consequences frankly told The tale
when brought Brandon to the bal for trial yesterday
Mr. Bell went on to 81 ate that b ling young man Of
dissvlute habits Purdy, with Inpanion, conceived
the idea 0f breaking into the where Mr.. jones'
sale of portion OF the turnituo the premises
Washington place. The sale Was accordingly adver.
tsed ana the services Of Messrk Leavitt Co., auc-
tiop eers who informed shat the furniture DO.
ionged 10 u customer, were secured Al this time
Brandon occupied diamond roker's Office on Broad
way, the vicinity OF Washington place, ana New.
hall, whe was friend OF his, kept saloon in im.'
mediate ncishborhood. Paroy was acquainted with
the bogus sale On the 18th Of April last,
disclosed to them the entire situation 40
present ps'a At tho sais ana Instructed ~ sdon
manage II tor him. offering tam 500 for his trouble.
This Brandon agreed TO 49, aud out OF nearly SO 900
ccived only the sum OF $3.50. On the same night
Brandon, Newhal aud ordy held consultation,
when arrangements we're Concluded by which Brandon
ana Newhal were permitted 10 go TO The warehouse
and inspect tho remainder OF the property the agree
ment being that Purdy was 70 obtain the halt oil the
proceeds OF tho contemplated robbery. Purdy showed
them the goods and over orty trunks were rihcd OF
their the most nluablo articles being packed
two largo trunks, and carried of. Another bogus
sale advertised and Hold and finally the balance OF
the goods were carried oG by Brandon and NcwhalA
Purdy then with only $50 IN his pocket, lied TO Eu
rope
PART or rHH PROPERTY RECOVERED
On tho Information furnished ny him warrants wrrv
sucd by Mr. Jones. and part oil tho stolen prop
erty including Office desk, which haa not been soa
private papers, ana ~ revolving chair found in
Brandon's office. very valuable decanter and some
goblats wero found In BrAndOn's house, IN Horatlo
street 1t would alfbo be proved, said ME- Be that
trunk which BRANDON had sent toOrange, N. j., was
recovered and was found TO coniain . mirror, some
table linen, can,e's hair shawl. tho property OF.
Mrs. jones' and which were subsequently identified a.
tho Jefferson Market Police Court rho aiamona
broker, Lynch, w]ho was also indicted as being 'mp-
in the crime, has since fed aud his bail for.
toited Newhall us awaiting trial.
THE EXAMINATION.
Tho complainant, Mr.. Jones, examined At
length, testified to lacls rected In rofer
cnce the srorAge OF the furniture vaua-
when no cnered alter his return from Europe, say
ing that the thieves haa carried on everything o.
cases. Ho subsequently identified desk and u re-.
vov'ns chair belonging 70 MIN, ana which were
covered WITTY different cloth. He also identt.
ned tho Other articles mentioned which woro
found at fbrandou's reside nee, vol the
trunk and It's contents which wcre here
from Orange, N. J. In detailing the losses which nis
among osSr articles stolen was while satin wedding
dress, trmWed with whito lace, which cost 81 100;
black silk dress winch cos. $500; camsi.' mar aon.
eighteen sylk dresses in all having been carried OIL
Arthur A. Erore. jewelier, testified that he iden-
titled tho which he made for Mr. Jones JcGsr
Mar et Police Court, and Peter Kerr gave similar
testimony as 70 the desk which was found in Bran.
But HE Interest OF the crowded decidedly
centred in tho testimony Of Scabrooke Purdy, the
sclfacfused thief Who being used az states evidence
story from beginning to end. He is young mau
sbout twentythree years old, apparently very bright
aud Was not at all abashcd the disclosures when
madb. He said he commenced the storage business IA
FEBRUARY 1885, having succeeded the previous pro-
yeaE. On Sunday night, The Sth OF April, no aud a
companion named Norton broke into tho room
own a par.i,iop. They took out a. fow things,
Including articles OF furniture. put up tns
Iaruton and went out On inc same night
diamond broker ON broadway and showed MIN inc
things and he and Lynch got out some Of the iurn'
winch to be sold at the auction sale on the
18Th OF April, Lynch and he having arranged tho sale.
Tho witness then described meeting Brandon ana New.
hall before the suIc. He told them the story, aud
BRANDON toa him that he need afraid tor |. vas
all right He asked Brandon 70 60 TO the warehouse
to sec that everything all right the sale, "a
which proposition he consented. Pnrdy remaining IN
Brandon's Office while the sale progressed; Brandon
subsequently, returned and asked MN was there any.
thing the He also asked Tor a'whackof the
remainder OF the property. That night BRANDON New
hail AMI he Purdy) went 10 the room where The goods
Brandon and Newhall gave expression 70 their feelings
OF admiration They were to take The risk o carrying
on property and give him half OF the sum 10 be
realized They said that no apprehension need De
entertained as $50 would 'touch'' u up, that lev
barrels OF Kerosene would settle the whole bus.
ness, but he would not listen TO that
proposition. They ransacked four or nva
trunks and began TO assert the goods they
intended to take nnaiiy packing .nem IN TWO
which were removed tho following morning. lie
(wiiness) had already removed 10 his room silver
dressing worth about $500 or 1000. On the fol.'
loving sunday morning, at four O'Clock, he again ad.
mtted them to tho storeroom, whom the furniture
was taken out for another sale. On this OCCASION
Brandon brought certain acids with him by which he
tested the silver and packed IL away. they again
rod about forty trunks, and placed ali the most vau
able articles in seven trunks, which were subse-
quenty carted Of, the initials OF tho owner having
been removed. lie also gave them tho silver dressing
case The second saIo OF furniture realized about
S4OO They demanded $3.50 Of IT, but he (Purdy) said
ihat Ii he cnYe ihcm lhnt amount would have