New-York tribune., 1883-06-07
RoBBING FELLOW CLUB-MEN.
, Young MAN OF GOOD FAMILY ACCUSED.

vS,prrs IN THE STATEN ISLAND CRICKET CLUB By
IRVING puER-BIs EXPULSION DEMANDED.
The fact that series of thefts from members OF
+he Staten Island Cricket and Baseball Clubs has
haen carried on by fellow member has just come
10 light. The guilty man is Irving Duer lie mas
been IN the habit Of stealing from the lockers anu
rockets of his brother members in the club house ~
Camp Washington, the club ground at IompKins.
yille He has offered his resignation but IL mas noo
been accepted and he will probably be expelieu az
the next meeting of the club. William Kreos' .ne
president of the club, said yesterday that IN us
opinion the reports about the extent Oh 'n0
thefts have been exaggerated. an ON
satisfied" he added, that ho ou'N
large sum as 5000 could have oech eVoion
from the club house without the fact coming W lily
knowledge. Some of our eevens nave ios1 ihohoy
away from the home ground. Members oi 'e"n
that went to Montreal once were roooeo' a"u 'o
with a team going to Philadelphia, ana athrst "hoh
small sums were missed no action was 'aAe"' 40
s. was not supposed that the thefts were
tho work of a member of the club. Inever heard
of any money being taken from our house until long
after the date at which the robberles are SAID 10
have been begun When Mr.. Pins watch was
missed. however, the committee determined TO SET
detectives at work. and they did. Every eHore was
made TO bring the offender to lighb pu'
with no success. AS for the immediate action 10 oo
+aren now I am a member of the committee APP
no,nted TO investigate the matter, and therefore
would rather not say anything at present.
A prominont member of the club said that MI.
Liner would certainly be expelled on Monday night.
"Of course bis resignation could not DC accepteu'
he said lit was sent in but 1T was necessary that
be should be turned out. Mr.. Duer Is law student
at Columbia College. and 1 do not think
III.
although it was the Columbia College eleven two
years ago that suffered most by the robberies 1t is
;mnossble to say what the object of his doing such
a thing was; he is of good family, has good means,
Is the granddaughter of Washington Irving has
a mother. brother who is well known. and two
sisters on the island and was of such good standing
in the club that it was long before or anybody
else could really be convinced that he was the thlef
As for what is said abouv. team M 1I
ours being robbed at Montreal, do
not think Staten Island team has
theft did "a good deal to divert suspicion. III was
an uncomfortable state OF affairs when IL became
e na' ers was outside who at
work and the worst OF 1t was that 1or some
time suspicion fell upon the wrong man. NOW IL
seems absurd that suspicion should nave fallen upon
hin as he Is one of the most popular ana gentle
manly men in the club But chen, again, now
could we suspect Duerf one was as hard 10
believe as the other and then he was very shrewd
III the measures which he took TO throw the suS-
picion on the other man."
gentleman who has been a member OF the club
for good many years. said that he had happened
to be on the ground when most of the rooberes
were committed and so he had watched tue whole
as to who the real cuiprlt was
'.At first" he remarked "the thefts were
confined to watches. one watch and then another
going mysteru uusy, and the suspicion fell upon the
Sttendants. Then came the Columbia College bus-
ness that was the Sth of May, 1880, and seven
watches-four gold and three oon slyer.were
Then we thought 1t was gang
Of professional thieves who had somehow managed
ferent sums of money went on disappearing at in |
teryals, and detectives could do nothing. until at
last came the cigarette business. Before the
theft Duer begged cigarette OF
man who was smoking a peculiar brand, and
then LETT it half smoked III the locker from which
he took the bills, apparently with view TO throw
done up in a roll with a small india-rubber band,
and that band was found lying just IN front OF the
real culprits locker Then it was remembered that
he had always been present on the previous occa,
sons when property had been lost, ana
when taxed with the theft ne confessed, after
to whether he should be allowed quietly TO resign or
not and great many members were IN favor of II.
But 1t would not have done, and there can be no
question that at the club meeting ON Monday even
Ing he will be formally expelled
A SIMILAR CASE IN THE RACQUET CLUB.
A statement was made yesterday that series OF
thefts had been committed at tho Racquet Club,
leaving the impression that these thefts were of
cent occurrence. A well-informed member OF the
club, in answefto inquiries on the subject, said
The report that thore was case of petty thiev
ing in the Racquet Club is true. But it happened
two UT three years ago and am surprised that
anything should be said about it now. The facts in
the case ere simply these: Members complained
of the loss Of small sums of money which were
taken from their clothes when hanging in the ward
iobes. Investigation proved that none OF the en-
ployes OF the club were guilty. Some marked money
was put in the wastcoat pocket of a member and by
means of a hole in the closet whore 1t left the
thief was discovered. He took part of the money.
and on leaving the closet was confronted by Will
liam X. Travers the president. When requested to
show what money he had with HIM. the stolen bills
were produced and he was shown that they were
marked. Even then he persisted in asserting that
they were part of the change he had received at
Delmoncos or some other place. There was no
doubt of his guilt, but he Was allowed quietly TO
resign; he would have been expelled. lie was a
young man OF good family and the discovery was a
great shock to the club. He left the city at that
ime but understand that he has since returned.
The total amount of his steangs was about $500,
which was repaid in full"
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