New-York tribune., 1884-12-27
FOR WHOM WAS 1T MEANT.
A roy WITH A MYSTERIOUS BOX.

,,.,,,,., Ar r,tr TRACT sOCiErYs ofllCE-Mh'
covsrocK TAKES Tnr MATTER IN HAND
hov entered tho office of the American tract
soc,ety. at No. $50 Nassau-st., shortly ai'oi ioo"
yesterday aud handed Mr.. Gurey, one OF tuo
Jerks, a package wrapped IN SUN "ro""
oapcr saying that there was ho.o ,n-
.;de which would explain things. On the
rr,rner was written in a cramped hand. Book
tore $50 Nassau.st" Mr.. Gurley removed the
wrapper. and pasteboard collar box was
Iisclosod When he attempted to take
al tbe cover he mot with resistance anu
ookiue beneath tho iaiscd end. saw some
,ieces of wood. Anthony Comstock, VINO was IN
ais Office upstairs called down. ana the cover
was carefully removed. Fastened to it was lever
attached TO n piocc of emery paper when was 80
arranged that II would be drawn across seVcrai
,arlor matches when the cover was ni'eu INC
matches were connected with quick fuse. 1his
arrangement was In tho upper ha'i OF 'ne
,,x. which was separated from the lower hall by u
,astcboard partition.
The boy looked on while the box was being
,ncned. Mr.. Comstock took the box TO the CITY
Hall Police station and Captain Steers opened inc
ioyer port i'm which was found an cigbt-ouncc
bottle filed with gnnpowdcr. IN the mouth oi
which the fuse was placed; an ounce bottle nan
filed with nitric acid aud several pieces OF broken
glass.
messenger was sent to the Oak street station
for detective and Mr. Comstock took the poX ana
irs contents back to the Tract Societys once,
where il was exh bted to the clerks and officers OF
the society. In few moments Detective MARI
,amc in and advised that a complaint be entered at
the Tombs Police Court.
THE MEssENGER's STORY.
Befere going there Mr.. Comstock took the boy to
his office and subectedhim to severe cross-exaini
nation. lie said:
"My name is Charles Miller. l live with my
father mother and three brothers at No. 62
Leroy-st NV father, who Is also named Charles
is n lonpshoreman and works at the Spring Street
dock | went from the house about a. ln. ana
took a ride in a sleigh with young man whom
do not know down to Beach-st.. and then to
Dcsbrosses-st. in West-st., when he toid
me / had better go home. went
along West-st to Clarkson. and thence to
hudson. and along Hudson till l got to the
corner of Leroy-st on the side where the graveyard
S II was then about noon. A man met me there
md asked me if would do an errand for him. lie
,ad ne would give Inc ten cents for car fares and
when came back would give me twenty-five cents
more for going. | said would go and he handed
ne the box saying that there were two books IN
I which he had bought for Christmas
md wanted to return to the bookstore at No. 90
Nassau-st and told TO tell them there that there
note in the box that would explain what ne
How did the man looki How big was he :"
,sked Mr. ComstOck. .
About as big as you, though not so stout.
He had long gray sde-whiskers and moustache and
brown hair. and wore derby hat, a black overcoat
and brown trousers.
&" How old was heV
AZ should think about thirtv-seven years"
How do you explain his having white whlskers
lud brown hair"
Il don't know Ididn't sec much of his hair.
His hat covered most of IT. but am pretty sure 1T
WAS brown don't think he had on false whs-
He put me on the car and don't know
where he went then"
why didn't you ask for your money before you
II thought he'd give it to me when got back
anl had the box with the books III 1t, as sup
posed
AT TnE TOMBs POLICE COURT.
Mr. Comstock then questioned him sharply as to
whether he did not know the man and the boy
began to cry but insisted that he had told the
truth. He was then taken by Mr.. Comstock and
Detective Mari before Justice Scion b. Smith, at
the Tomhs. Mr. ComstOck opened the box and
taking out the various articles, displayed them to
the justice who loo ed at them as calmly as II they
were ordinary stolen goods. After hearing Mr
ComstOck's statement he committed the boy t0 the
rii.tody of Detective Mari until to-day at %. m.
when there will be IN examination. Mr.. Com -tock
said that Zee believed that the box had been sent by
some anti ie guus crank for the puipuse of creating
n,ensaiiuu He Qid not believe that he was the
jhi.ci uf the attack.
n ihpt. hal hepn rackage Of dynamite in the
,ox / mieht have thought So" SAID he 81 had
lupel that might rlUse the ycai without a sensa
iInN
rpipi,Vt reporter inadp inquiries nt the various
htips ~ Hudson 81 Yesterday aitpinuun but could
ird hn Uhp Who remembered having seen man
90. liiht The hpsciiitiuh ~ thp sthlpi ~ the n-
D al niarhinp. llip bartender ~ M. iyb lul-
,nu u. saia That pailt ~ tAp ihnfniha man Win
upt siai sli Nlushpts eaivp w Wiliut q bat ahl
ishpi tui diMh. which hh tatp Mn hp Man
iipipd him ipn dollar MI hi payment liNii As hr
ifini uHftfly, lhH bartender hih nni idbe ", lhr
Iill.l, LA.
laui aud wanted snuin liiug 60 sat lhe bartender
,nn hn in the Martin House al Hudson aud Leroy
50 the proprietor OF the latter place sad that hn