The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-12
WILLIAM PoRTER,s TRIAL.
One OF the Alleged burglars who Lived In q
Pntchen Avenue Mansion.

william Porter, who until his arrest for
burglary in August last. WINS known to the
neighbors in the vicinity OF the mansion at 152
Patchen avenue. Brooklyn. us Mr.. William
Parks. a wealthy statoner. doing business in
this city was put on trial In the Kings County
Court OF Sessions yesterday. He was indicted
under the name Of William Morris. the name
no gave on his arrest Ono OF the beautiful
women. who we're seen by the neighbors play
ing crouuet on the lawn in front of the Patchen
avenue mansion last summer. sat by Porter.
She WIS neatly dressed in black and seemed
refined and educated. Porter might easily be
mistaken for prosperous young banker. He
has slight frame. a handsome. intellectual
head blue eyes, and an energetic cast OF
features. He betrayed much uneasiness on
hcnring the moro important testimony Gen.
Is. +. Tracy. who appears Tor the first time in
the criminal courts against his former law
partner. Gen Isaac =. Catln, resisted the evil
dence AT every possible point.
Porter occupied the costly residence in
Patchen avenue. with John Irving. n noted
bnuk burglar. who is in Raymond street Jail
awaiting trial for the snme offence as Porter's.
and who il known rs William Condit Both
were former friends OF George L.. Lester, alias
Howard who was murdered in June last. his
body having been concealed In clump OF
bushes on lonely road near IOnkers close by
Tramp's Rock. The mysterious movements OF
attracted the attention of Detective Murphy Of
the Broadway police. and on the afternoon OF
saturday. Aug. III. ne saw irving ana .iott'r 20
into u hardware store in Broadway. Williams
burgh. and purchase sedge hammer. He re-
solved to watch the house he already suspected,
for. although he did not ut that time know that
Irving and Porter lived there. or even that the
two he saw were thieves. he connected the men
In his mind with the house. He watched from
a churchyard opposite the house. and at o
O'Clock at night saw four men quit the house.
ana after watching all night saw them return.
Two werc Porter and Irving, whom he had soen
before. They remained in the house nearly an
hour and hall. and then the two strangers
went away. He followed and arrested the red
whiskered one. who gave the name OF John
Doe. and afterward Of John WILDER. The other
who was Shang Draper. escaped. but at Z
o'clock. after the police surrounded the house.
and began to draw in close to II. an officer
stumbled upon Draper sound asleep In sum-
mcr house He was secured, and then tho
police got inside the house and arrested Porter
aud Irving. who were about to go 10 bed. The
officers found on the floor a blank check and
some other checks. torn in pieces. n sectional
jimmy and a combination safe lock- doubtless
designed for study model. In the police sta
ton search OF the four prisoners yielded 5000
AT O'Clock the report OF the robbery OF
the safe in the flour store Of Martin bert h
Son. at l5S Graham avenue. of s64O. explained
whore the prisoners had been at work on tho
night before. The blank checks on being
safe. and torn IS. So and 81 Sreenbacks with
which were among the stolen property. led TO a
complete identification OF the stolen goods.
The store had been entered forcibly. and tho
safe door mud been broken of by hard blows.
Tho Identification Of Porter. Irving. and Ora
per. AS the expert thieves known by these
names. WIS complete. in spite OF their porsis-
tence in giving fictitious names; but the police
have not yet learned who the red-whi skered
prisoner. known Ms John WILDER. is although
h. Ia thought to be- a Western expert. WILDER
has refused to disclose his identity urging as
his reason that mis- family are highly respecta-
bic. and that he does not wish to disgrace them.
The prisoners have demanded separate trial.