New-York tribune., 1878-03-30
GANG or PIRATES IN PRISON.

THE CAPTURE AND SENTENCE OF FOUR MEN WHO
HAVE INFESTED TIE SOUND.
BRIDGEPORT, Conn, March 2G.-FOr the past
year two there has been constant series of
plants all through Long Island Sound OF robberies
mted vessels and in shore towns where all the evil
dence pointed the conclusion that the thieves escaped
by water after completing their depredatOns These
ports became that came to he believed at
last that there be a regularly organized gang OF
pirates at work. IN the Superior Court OF Fairfield
County, sitting at Bridgeport four men have just
been sentenced Imprisonment In the State Prison for
term Of years and there Is for than suspi
cion that they are the who have been guilty o! the
robberies all along the shore.
The men were arrested under the following circum-
stances On the night of Monday December II, shoe
store confectionery and cgarstOre and building in
which were stored the sails aud rigging OF the yacht
Mystery were entered by burglars and robbed OF con-
siderable property Tuesday night, December 18 W. T..
Marsh, Chief of Police in this city, learned that the
schooner Marcus l.. Ward, OF Newark, n. had sailed
early that morning. As there was possbity mat inc
schooner had put into Black Rock iiarbor two miles
here. account of bad weather. Cicf Marsh AT
once drove to that place with number OF police
officers ana aiter mlahsnu 1ApionodH d adonx an 1 he h
wanted He boarded her. and after brief search fonnd
vessel She brought to this city and Captain David
Graham and Henry Murphy Abert Woodwofth, ana JO-
% Sph oprcs Tesh: nsl re deal OF excitement rs was
generally supposed that the Sound pirates had been cap
u .
and bound over Superior Court Criminal Term,
for trial under bonds Subsequent devclopncnts
importance OF the seizure. large quantity
of property supposed from ts character 20 have been
stolen from different vesRcs, found on board the
captured schooner. Identified articles showed That this
gang had robbed n yacht at NewlOndOn, and two
Yachts belOnging the Jersey City Yacht Club and
articles OF clothing taken from yacht robbed In this
harbor several years found hidden upon the
schooner. 49,
the captured schooner Marcus l.. Ward Is OF about
$50 tons burden, is owned by John Muon ~ Brother,
of Newark aud has been engaged In the coasting
business for many years. The crew were young men,
families Their were brought up at the February
term Of the Criminal Court There were three or four
counts against them for burglary and the sane number
for Captain Graham was tried fist ana the jury
disagreed. Murphy. Woodwork and Green were con-
yicted on count and sentenced 10 fOur years IN
State Prison. subsequently they pleaded guilty 10
another count for burglary condition that The re-
mainine counts should be n0lled The
nollcd and they received additional sentence OF
ninety days, making four years and three months In AL
new tury was impanuelled last Friday. aud Captain
Graham was convicted and sentenced 10 -four years ia
State Prison The other counts against him were n0lcd
The defence of the that the stolen goods were
the burglary by an unknown man who wanted them
carried 10 Naw-Havcn for him. The Judge very properly
Thought this story thin and than hinted his
opinion The Captains defence that be absent
from the vessel that night aud knew nothing Of the
goods being board. The prisoners viii be taken TO
The state Prison, at Wetherstleld, In q few days.
The fact that the complaints OF depredOns along tho
shore and upon vessels have almost totally ceased since
these men locked up gives strength To the general
belief that this really well organized gang OF river
traes whose operations have extended from the casl-
crn outlet Of Long Isls~1 Sound TO New-YOTk Bay.