The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-02
SEARCHING vooNoOoREM
Tombs Police Court Ohacer. Com pellins the
Aged Prisoner TO submit.

Franz VoongOoren, the Belgian emigrant,
who disappeared from the Three Brothers Ho-
tel. at 1870 Greenwich street. on Wednesday last,
and whose recovery by Capt Steers. at Tenth
avenue and 10th street. was announced
In yesterdays Sun. furnished new muto-
rails for wonder when tho police questioned
him yesterday. Capt. Steers took him to tho
Police Central Of1lce and Odil Dcpouse, who
had profcssed to be his nephew. was taken into
tho detectives room. Voongooren. through an
Interpreter, stoutly denied that Odil was his
nephew. and persistently declared that he did
not know him. except az fellow passenger.
Then Odil pressed by French interpreter. at
length admitted that they were not related. and
that no had invented the story Of the relation
ship for the purpose of squirting tho police to
fnd Voongooren. In tho hope that he might aid
him as he had promised. Odil also admitted
that he had told n falsehood about the breaking
open OF his valise and that he had pretended to
be robbed in order TO excite sympathy and get
home for himself. until Voongooren could DO
heard from.
Then the questions wore. where had voon-
gooren been2 WHY did he 90 away from his
hotel7 Has he yet got the money on his person
that he was said to have takcn2
The Belgian Consul. Mr.. Charles Mali. who
had been sent for agreed with tho police that
VoonRooren ought to DO searched moro
Thoroughly than Capt. Steers had yet attempted.
and an effort was made TO make tho search.
This VoonRooren resisted vigorously. and tho
search was made only far enough TO show that
some OF the old mans vauables were contained
in n cloth bag securely tied around his neck.
All this time Voongooren had said 80 little.
~ the Belgian Consul could not converse
with him, that 4 was determined to SUSPEND hi
! found. and Mr.. Mali went TO get Mr.. DE
Broekecr, Treasurer Of The Belgian Benev9lent
spoke to him in the Flemish tongue. yoon,,
eooren became communicative. When asked
tubular box whose contents had not yet been
deciphrred Mr.. Broekeer found in II bank
! book showing that the bearer had large de-
posit in the. postal savings bank at Eecloo. near
| Ghent. and that 1000 francs had been With
drawn and sOoO francs icy, Inen mere Wegs
bank. which had been sent 10y mail. There was
| also n paper expressing the writer's WISH TO be
that the owners name was Edward De Viewer,
and yet, in answer TO many questions the old
man said that was not his name. but the name
OF n relative. and that his own name was Franz
Voongooren. He said he had heard from
! some friends who dwell near Philadelphia, that
the soil was good. and he was going to try to
find them and get work rs farm hand Yet ne
would not give their names. He said he had
not been able To procure lodging since We'd
nesday. but had lived in the street
After consultation with Superintendent Wal.
ling II was determined to make one more effort
to obtain more accurate iniormaiion and ac-
cordingly the Belgian Consul aud Mr.; Broekeer
were clOSctcd with NOOnHOoren IN Nhpt. htH-
ley's private room. but all their Efforts wero
unavailng. This state OF things was cousid-
! Police Justice for temporary commitment
until further information could be procured.
and the whole party went to tho Tombs Police
Justice Duffy patiently heard the story from
Detective Dorcy and the Belgian Consul There
was nothing tO show that NOongooren had not
come by his money honestly, and no charge
that could be preferred against him upon
which he could legally be held. except that OF
! carving dangerous weapon. 1ue new klrlug
hilt dagger which he had when arrested was
produced. The old man told the Court. through
Mr.. Broekoer, that he carried the dagger be-
cause he had been told that II would he neces,
sary for him TO protect himself in THIS wild
country. Justice Duty at length decided to hold
both men until the Belgian Consul could make
the necessary Inquiries. But before locking the
lie thoroughly SEARCHED. Theroupon Noon-
gooren was taken into the Judges private room;
and the search was resumed In the presence OF
vain that Mr.. Broekeer explained to him that
he was in no danger: that he was in the hands
OF the Court, and his property should be safely
returned to him Il upon Inquiry ne should %
stubborny refused 10 be searched.
Then you must use force" Judge Duny
said sternly; but he added, In a kindly tone.
Be careful and don't hurt the old man; use
Officers Rogers and Dorcy went to work, but
they found IL no easy task. Voongooren hug
ged his vestments tight and would not yield
He uttered no cry but doggedly clasp,d nus
clothing. Two more officers were called In &c
hold him without hurting him, Tor. as Rogers
said " lie was strong as an elephant"
FIRST came out the old mans tin can OF papers
Then his slender purse. HIS cloth bag was
found to be a nest Of pockets. in each OF which
Was small bag Of gold His handbook. watch
and other vnluables were one by one eNtrhctet
from various recesses OF his cloth nR the las
bag Of gold coming from the leg OF his stocking
As each bag was extracted, the face OF the Ole
man indicated despair. and when the omceri
desisted he sank into II chair, weak dropping
. and despondent
, Justice Duty ordered that the property shoul'
q be kept until the Belgian Consul could com
o peto his inquiries. 800 !,
= The entire value Of tho gold, which was II
4 Belgian coin. was only $40; and justice
y Smith who had been witness 70 tho search
- suggested that the man ought to be stripped I
$ make certain that he had nothing more. TN
$ WAS done In u private room, with only the BEL
10 ginn Consul. M. BrOekcer. and Justice Smit
= for spectators. Only II trihe more oil propert
: Odil was questioned by different Interpreters
. He adhered to his story that his only motive II
= the DECEPTION he had pracl ised was the nope o
J. getting some help from Noongooren. He sat
n he had no money. and had been aided becaus
" he Was kind TO the old man on their journey I
America. Ii was suggested that possibly IN
pair had some guilty knowledge or compict
q In the possession OF the property OF De- Viewer
r. that both might be refugees from justice. an
TO await the result OF inquiries by telegraph
q Both the old man and tho hov were committe
Q to cells in the Police Central once