The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1882-12-28
IMMUNITY FOR go PEI; CENT.
Z azaie.es Say ,1hey Esuy Protection oil
Washington Detectives.

y Asn1NGToN, Dec. 1l.-The citizens
movement to secure greater protection
from professional burglars and sneak
tlleVes is assuming form. To-day dele
saflon representing the Citizens Committee
went down to the district jail and held An
interview with OIeary and Murphy. the
convicted three-card monte and bunko
men now serving out 4 years sentence.
i lllesc men made some startling reyeEt-
tlofis 10 the committee. They gave de-
tlIei' accounts of the Burdctte silk rob-
oefy, the roDberies in the Wood and linton
houses Ill street, the Government Print
ing Office money theft, and the Fitch
foX q Brown robbery, showing thorough
knowledge Of those affairs. The names
OF the operatives in each instance were
given, the list including well-known
Northern professionals. The first three
Jobs were performed, they allcgc by John
burnett, alias Little Johnny, Jack Con-
molly, and Mart Allen, and the others by
men known to them as Little Horace Ca
sneak thief cNpert,) Ned Rice, and
Buck" The monte men say that the
detectives OF Washington in each instance
received a percentage OF he proceeds Of
the 10jjieri0s. The amount Of proceeds in
every ease "'as giy"n with particularity,
And lile names OF the detectives who were
most active III the business were 1lrnish-
ed. They allcge that certain Of the de-
/ tcctjveS, whom they name, planned each
robbery and sent foi. the thieves to carry
1t out, Il field Of operations being chosen
where the detectives could afford the
thieves reasonable immunity from cap
ttlre.
O'Ieary said that the high percentage
charged for protection by the Washington
detectives was a matter Of complaint a.
mong all the members Of the profession
with whom he had ever Fstood in.' The
percentage usually charged where an ar
rangement could be made with the officers,
was ten per cent, but in Washington the
detectives demanded twenty per cent, on
all the business done by the profession
1lr, Magru<ier, one Of the committee,
after looking intentiy at O'Lcary for some
time, asked him if he had ever attended
college. O,I.eary replied that he was ed
ueated ia GonzHga College. Then,
said Ar. 1Iagtuder, <Wc were college
mates. HoW remember Ton Well.'
&
sltss;.,t4.,sf - the i #niistilne5s
diamond robbery ut the National Hotel in
September, 1881, and alleged that Tie dia-
monds Of the eN-Minister and his wife,
valued al $l5, 200, were disposed Of at Il
great sacrifice in New York, and that a
heavy percentage was given to two de-
tuctiyes who are named. '"Hhe wife of
one Of these men," OIeary said, 'snov
Wears dresses made from silk taken in the |
ourdettc silk robbery and given to the I
detective as his part Of the plumber" "
The bunko and three carl-monte business, |
in which the two prisoners were person
ally interested, was explained in detail, |
and the methods Of the gang Of profession |
ais to which they belonged were fully set
forth from memoranda kept by the thieves
They said that the entire detective force /
OF tie District participated in this bust t
ness and received per rate dividends from
assessments levied each week upon the !
combination. These assessments, the men /
allege, were very harassing to the monte /
-, Ia
make good strikes, and that upon the I
whole it was rather q poor business when |
its profits were compared with what other |
thieves were able to make here Will, equal j
protection, +
The information thus furnished to the
committee is 50 detailed aud apparently so
accurate that The subject will in all proba I
bility be laid before the Grand Jury, and
an effort made to procure the Indictment
of the detectives and other officials in !
YOIyed, all Of whom save one, who was
recently dismissed for betraying the Gov
ern1nent's interest in the Star rollte cases, /
are yet Oh the force.
The private detective who has been
working Up the clues in the hands Of the
committee is busilly engaged III verifying
statements made by the monte men, and
it IS thought will succeed in sufficient
number OF instances to bring eases into
court The committee, however, though
greatly encouraged, are proceeding with
caution, and are disposed to take the pris-
onerS' statements with proper allow
ancpS