The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-15
FOUR THIEVES.
THE DASH FOUR BANK ROBBERS CUT
IN EUROPE.
A PenItentiary Bird Tells Of the ROmances
Of His TRAD -Rare specimens Of
american Tourists
philadelphia Times.l

philadelphia J1mesJ
Apropos Of the announcement that the re-
ceiyrr general of the Bank OF Canada mas
discovered i'm Canada Charles w. Billiard, alias
"Piano Charlie''-a sobriquet bestowed upon
him on account Of his skill upon that in5tru-
ment-a gentleman said yesterday: II can
relate come Of the achievements OF the most
daring coalition of bank robbers the country
has ever known. / have the narrative
from the lips Of Isaac Marsh, one
Of the gang, now IN the Eastern peni-
tentiarv Their operations were on such n
colossal scale as to be almost Incredible Were
they not fully substantiated. There have
been OF times five men in this nefarlon5 com
bination all cool, adroit, accomplished ras-
calls. fertile in resource and interchangeable in
attaining their object. These were Mark Or
Macmillan Shnburne, Isaac Marsh, Charles
W Billiard Adam Worth and Robert Coch-
ran The four first named led off In 1867 by
the famous plundering Of the ocean BANK, 81
New York city. taking away . cool S5oo,eoo,
following this up with the equally daring gag
cling Of the messenger and the robbery OF
800, 900 from the safe OF an express train on
the New York Central Railroad in 1868. They
fled to Canada but failed To lind in the land
of the Blue Noses that immunity from arrest
they had hoped for, and they were extraditad,
but during the trial at White Plains,
N Y gang OF New York burglars, ied
by Billy FORESTER who was suspected of the
murder of Benjamin Nathan dug into the old
shell of q Jail one dark, tempestuous night,
and next morning. when the warden went
around with breakfast and peered into the
cells of his prize prisoners, three big holes,
through which the daylight streamed into
the narrow apartments, showed where MS
guests had taken French leave. In 1870 the
people of Boston awoke one morning to hear
that during the night previous about $3.50, 300
had vanished from the vaults Of the Boylston
bank Worth, Marsh, Billiard, Cochran and
Shinburne had executed this job. They had
hired room adjoining the bank and dug into
the vault. After the robbery Marsh, worm,
tl.., phil ri tpnlr ~ nj M
booty for the continent OF Europe, where they
set up each In his especial character, as
nabobs.
HOW WE LITTLE FISHES SWIM.
"Shinburne located himself near Stuttgart
Wurtemburg and by peculiar manipulatiGns
and for a cash consideration had himself
dubbed count. He set up barronial chateau,
bought large tract OF land, kept his hunters
and many Travelled Americans We're his guests
and found lavish entertainment. Previous to
his connection with the coalition ShinhHrnn
was an escaped felon from the Concord New
Hampshre) Jail, where he was serving out II
term OF Imprisonment for robbng the bank at
Keene, New Hampshire, ten years ago. Ills
escapes from prison have been numerous.
After leaving Concord he formed partner
ship with Scott, now in Auburn New York;
prison. and some others, and robbed bank
Ing house at White Haven, Carbon county.
Pa, on the Lehgh Valley Railroad. They
escaped with their booty, but were afterwards
arrested, when they distinguished themselves
by another daring escape from MOTEL III
Wilkesbarre by night, while in the charge OF
officers Shnburne was also the leader Of the
party who robbed the bank at Milngton, Md.
"a reward Of $4,000 for the arrest Of the
thieves and the recovery OF the money led
to Shinburne'S apprehension III New York
He turned over Sl5. 900 to the detectives but
the bank never saw the balance Of It's de
posts. After obtaining the title OF Count IN
Germany he sent trusty messenger to the
United States TO ascertain what financial
consideration would be necessary " procure
the passage of certain laws by State Legi5a-
lures by which no arrests could be made for
felony after the lapse Of u certain number of
years. and that an escaped convict's tune out
OF prison should be deducted from his sen
tence the same as though he had served 1t in
his cell He offered $1,000 to have laws oi
this character passed in the States Of New
Hampshire and Pennsylvania, such as form.
erly existed in the State of New York. There
was not enough pressure employed at Harris
burg to have a measure Of this par
ticuar character put through, but IT
Is charged that precisely the same
end was attained by what is
known as tho fifteen-day requisition law,
passed quietly ia the last Legislature. 1t Ia
already facilitated the escape Of % number 81
notorious criminals, who Were willing TO re,
turn to other cities without acquisitions
Billiard and Worth opened a gambling house
In Paris on scale that put Monaco to tht
blush. Connected with it was an elegant cafe
ard here Bullard, under the alias Of Wells
actually entertained the unsuspccting presi
dent OF the express company whose meesen
ger he had assisted to rob. With shrewd fore
sight against contingencies the partners cul
tivated the acquaintance of an attaehe Of Tn,
American Legation at Paris. who kept then
posted concerning developments that NIGH
be preiudicial to their liberty. When theS
learned through this advisor that n requisi
ton had been sent TO France for them, thes
suddenly shook the dust OF Paris from thei1
feet and fled to America again, and Canads
was their refuge awhile
A WEALTHY AMERICAN TOURIST.
"Marsh, with his portion of the swag
loomed upon London in the character OF .
swell American. lie put up at the Queen
Hotel and speedily became the lion Of tn
hour His carriage and team and his tiger
were the talk of the metropolis. He gave
series of dinners, to partake Of which tn
members Of the hdut ton WED with each other
The great event was a dinner to the proHi
nent Americans resident in London, whcI
eelipsed his initial efforts. He was present a
the christening Of the child of prominen
citizen of London. He asked permission
to make a present to the little stranger
This request was acccded to graciously ..
the parents charmed with the condescen5lO
Of the distinguished American. The presen
took the shape of a cross, gllttering Will
diamonds, worth $500. This brought hin
into notice as the wealthy American tourist
and the competition for his acquaintanc
became still more animated. Having maniE
ulated his cards In this direction and estae